Jewish camp alumni are 30 percent more likely to donate to a Jewish charity, 37 percent more likely to light Shabbat candles, and 45 percent more likely to attend synagogue than noncampers, according to a 2011 study commissioned by the Foundation for Jewish Camp.
“The analysis indicates that [camps] bring, first of all, an increased inclination to practice Jewish behaviors in their lives, from lighting Shabbat candles to using Jewish websites, and to appreciate the value of Jewish charity,” the study concluded. “Secondly, they bring an inclination to value and seek out the experience of Jewish community, whether in the immediate sense of joining other Jews in prayer or in the more abstract sense of identifying with fellow Jews in Israel.”
The foundation is working to increase the number of Jewish campers and identify ways for camps to reduce costs. In recent years it has coordinated the sharing of resources, encouraged development of alternative revenue sources and helped camp directors improve their managerial skills.
A key element in helping camps stay on stable footing is boosting enrollment, said foundation CEO Jeremy Fingerman. “Camps that are full are profitable and reinvest back in scholarships. So there is a power in numbers, and we’re working hard to get them full.”
Parents can expect to pay from $600 to $2,000 per week per child. To help defray the cost, the Foundation for Jewish Camp has awarded some 43,000 grants of up to $1,000 per family to attend a nonprofit summer camp. — jta