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Camps and Summer Travel Programs

Teens Camping

Reform | Conservative | Orthodox | ZionistUnaffiliated, Specialty and Community Programs 

Reform

Olin-Sang-Ruby Union Institute

The Reform Movement's Midwest Region overnight camp for kids entering grades 3-12; offers different programs depending on age and area of interest.

555 Skokie Blvd.
Northbrook, IL 60062
Phone: 847-509-0990, ext. 25
Fax: 847-509-0970
Email: osrui@urj.org
Website: www.osrui.org

Conservative

Camp Ramah in Wisconsin

Co-ed overnight camp, summer campus for the Conservative movement. Jewish values and observances, a full range of activities: 4-week sessions for grades 5 and 6 and 8-week sessions for grades 7-11. New 3 1/2-week session for grade 5. Kosher meals. Shabbat observed.

65 E. Wacker Place Suite 1200
Chicago, IL 60601
Phone: 312-606-9316
Fax: 312-606-7136
Email: registrar@ramahwisconsin.com
Website: www.ramahwisconsin.com

Tikvah Program (Camp Ramah)

For Jewish teens, 13-17, with learning difficulties, including Asperger syndrome; 4-week or 8-week recreational, educational and social experience in a traditional camp setting.

65 E. Wacker Place Suite 1200
Chicago, IL 60601
Phone: 312-606-9316
Fax: 312-606-7136
Email: registrar@ramahwisconsin.com
Website: www.ramahwisconsin.com

United Synagogue Youth

North American Summer Programs
Rapaport House
155 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10010-6802
Phone:212-533-7800
Email: stein@uscj.org
Website: www.usy.org/programs/escape/

USY on Wheels

6 ½ week trip with specific tracks that allows kids to explore North America with other Jewish teens. Youth travel in coach buses, and spend most night’s stay in accredited hotels and home hospitality. All meals are Kosher.

Summer in the City

33 day trip to New York City for 11th and 12th graders with study at Barnard College and the Jewish Theological Seminary four days a week. Students stay in JTS's Mathilde Schechter Residence Hall, which is fully supervised

Outdoor Adventure: Pacific Northwest

4-week camping trip with while hiking, sight-seeing, and sea-kayaking. Learn how to live a Conservative Jewish lifestyle in the great outdoors. The trip is based in the Seattle area.

Orthodox

Camp Moshava of Wild Rose, WI

Four-week sessions for campers entering grades 4-12; 8-week option for high school campers. Shomer Shabbat and Glatt kosher.

3740 W. Dempster St.
Skokie, IL 60076
Phone: 847-674-9733
Fax: 847-674-9736
Email: moshava@moshavawildrose.org
Website: www.moshavawildrose.org

Yeshivas Hakayitz

An Orthodox overnight summer camp for boys in grades 6-9. Teen Kollel program for boys in grades 10-12.

7135 N. Carpenter Road
Skokie, IL 60077
Phone: 847-982-2500
Email: yhk@htcnet.edu
Website: www.htc.edu

Camp Agudah Midwest and Camp Bnos Ma'arava

An Orthodox overnight camp in South Haven, Mich.; separate 4-week sessions for boys and girls grades 4-11.

3555 W. Peterson Ave. Suite 109
Chicago, IL 60659
Phone: 773-478-7470
Fax: 773-478-7591

OU-YACHAD

One month program for high school students and YACHAD students that tour the West Coast including Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, and Yosemite National Park. Yachad/NJCD is dedicated to addressing the needs of all individuals with disabilities and including them in the Jewish community.

Yad B’Yad West Coast Adventure
11 Broadway 13th Floor
New York, NY 10004
Phone: 212-613-8369
Email: yadbyad@ou.org
Website: www.ou.org/ncsy/njcd/summer.htm

Zionist

Habonim Dror Camp Tavor

Jewish overnight camping in Three Rivers, Michigan, for ages 9-17. Kibbutz-like environment with kosher meals.

2755 Wingate Lane East
West Bend, WI 53090-2026
Phone: 800-55-TAVOR
Fax: 262-334-0736
Email: camptavor@aol.com
Website: www.camptavor.com

Camp Young Judaea Midwest

Zionist youth movement summer camp for kids ages 7-14 in Wisconsin. Mini-sessions available.

990 Grove St. Suite 202
Evanston, IL 60201
Phone: 847-328-4942
Fax: 847-492-9797
Email: info@cyjmid.org
Website: www.cyjmid.org

Unaffiliated, Specialty and Community Programs

B'nai B'rith Beber Camp

Coed overnight camp in Mukwonago, WI for children 7-17; wide variety of sport and water activities.

666 Dundee Road - Suite 308
Northbrook, IL 60062
Phone: 847-498-1441 or 800-803-2267
Fax: 847-498-5137
Email: info@bebercamp.com
Website: www.bebercamp.com

Camp Chi

Affiliated with the JCC's of Chicago, the coed camp is located in Lake Delton, WI for ages 9-16. Camp includes mini-sessions and Jewish programming.

3050 Woodridge Road
Northbrook, IL 60062
Phone: 847-272-2301
Fax: 847-272-5357
Email: info@campchi.com
Website: www.campchi.com

Camp Henry Horner (JCYS)

Overnight and day camps with a variety of activities, weekly field trips, B’nai mitzvah lessons, Shabbat services.

26710 West Nippersink Road
Ingleside, Illinois 60041
Phone: 847-740-5010
Email: ckahalnik@jcys.org
Website: www.henryhornercamp.com

Camp TOV

Take your summer from ordinary to extraordinary at Camp TOV! This social service "day camp on wheels" allows you to make a difference in Chicago in just one week. Feed the hungry, visit the elderly, help the environment and learn about the social service needs of Chicago, all while having fun, meeting new friends, developing leadership skills and earning community service hours for school. Become a Tikkun Olam Volunteer at Camp TOV!

The 2008 Camp TOV dates are:
August 11-15
August 18-22

For more information or to request an application, contact:
Brett Klugman
30 South Wells Street, Ste 5042
Chicago, IL 60606
Phone: 312-357-4928
Fax: 312-444-2086
Email: BrettKlugman@juf.org
Website: www.juf.org/teens

JCUA - Or Tzedek

JCUA's summer program for teens interested in hands-on social justice work! Or Tzedek offers a unique summer experience for Jewish high school students looking to address urban issues such as poverty, racism, inadequate housing, health care and environmental justice through hands-on service and high-level learning:

  • Work with Chicago’s diverse communities
  • Explore Jewish approaches to social justice
  • Develop leadership skills and meet amazing activists, rabbis and organizers
  • Examine urban issues and their impact
  • Enjoy Chicago in the Summer!

Asaf Bar-Tura
610 S. Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL 60605
Phone: 312-663-0960 ext. 110
Fax: 312-663-5305
E-mail: OrTzedek@jcua.org 
Website: www.OrTzedek.org

Etgar 36 Summer Journey

A 36 day summer cross country journey for all Jewish teens, including graduating high school seniors. Discover your political voice and power to create change by seeing the sights, meeting the people, understanding and debating the issues that make up America. ETGAR 36 is dedicated to developing the future Jewish political voice by taking Jewish teens on journeys throughout America, developing their identities, and empowering them to get involved politically and socially to change the world.

P.O. Box 2212
Decatur, GA 30031
Phone: 404-456-6605
Email: Etgar36@etgar.org
Website: www.etgar.org

American Jewish Society for Service (AJSS)

Make a difference this summer! Build low-income houses, live with other Jewish teenagers and explore a new corner of the U.S. The American Jewish Society for Service is an innovative summer program of community service by Jewish teens. We are proud to carry on the vision of our founders, offering an outstanding experience of tikkun olam (repairing the world) in our six-week summer camp work projects.

Rena Convissor
10319 Westlake Blvd., Suite 193
Bethesda, MD 20817
Phone: 240-205-5940
Email: info@ajss.org
Website: www.ajss.org

Panim's Summer JAM (Judaism, Activism and Mitzvah work)

A month-long summer program on the campus of The George Washington University that provides leadership training for teens passionate about politics, community service, and Judaism. JAM's 60 participants come from across the country and from diverse Jewish backgrounds.

Rachel Meytin
6101 Montrose Road, Suite 200
Rockville, MD 20852
Phone: 301-770-5070
Fax: 301-770-6365
Email: rachelm@panim.org
Website: www.dcjam.org

Keshet

Day and overnight camping experiences for children and young adults with disabilities.

3210 Dundee Rd.
Northbrook, IL 60062
Phone: 847-205-0274
Fax: 847-205-1530
Email: abbie@keshet.org
Website: www.keshet.org

Szarvas Fellowships

The Szarvas Fellowships brings Jewish high school student leaders from North America to the world's largest international Jewish summer camp, located in beautiful Hungary. The Americans attend the camp as equal participants with their Jewish peers from around the world, making friends, having fun, and expanding their horizons. They spend time enjoying the warm camp environment, and exploring different Jewish communities in the world today.

Applications are encouraged from all North American cities and from all Jewish cultural and religious backgrounds. The Fellowships are open to high school students who will be completing 10th or 11th grade.

711 Third Avenue, 10th Floor
NY, NY 10017
Phone: 212-362-3361
Email: info@szarvas.org
Website: www.szarvas.org

Camp Simcha/Simcha Special

Year-round support services to families of children with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses. Kosher, medically supervised overnight camps for seriously ill children and teens.

6600 N. Lincoln Ave. Suite 300
Lincolnwood, IL 60712
Phone: 847-763-1818
Fax Number: 847-763-1820
Email: midwest@chailifeline.org
Website: www.chailifeline.org

Foundation for Jewish Camping

Clearinghouse for information; financial and programmatic resources without regard to denomination or sponsorship.

6 E. 39th Street 10th floor
New York, NY 10016
Phone: 212-792-6222
Email: info@jewishcamping.org
Website: www.jewishcamping.org