Great Jewish Camp Experience
Written: Dec 10 '02 (Updated Dec 11 '02)
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Pros: great staff, great program
Cons: costs an arm and a leg!
The Bottom Line: Great camp for anyone whose Judaic practice is consistent with the Reform movement's approach, and who wants to instill a great sense of Jewish identity in their kids.
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| robynkoz's Full Review: UAHC Joseph Eisner Camp Institute |
UAHC Joseph Eisner Camp Institute, or Camp Eisner for short, is a Jewish camp run by the Union of American Hebrew Congregations, the central body of the Reform Jewish movement in North America.
The camp is located in the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts, and primarily serves children from the New England area and New York.
Its core program is an overnight camp for children entering 3rd through 9th grades, with two four-week sessions. It also offers two two-week mini-sessions for first-time campers (K'Tanim, little ones) entering 2nd or 3rd grades.
For older children, it offers a leadership program including a co-operatively run camp program for rising 10th graders, a six-week Israel trip for rising 11th or 12th graders, and a Machon (counselor in training) program for rising 12th graders. (The Machon program requires an interview in addition to an application.)
In addition, there is a day camp on site that serves local children 4 to 9 years old. We have not used the day camp, so I can't comment on it.
Camp Eisner's program is a mix of traditional sports, arts, swimming, boating, etc. along with Jewish values and prayer.
I attended this camp many years ago as an older camper, but this review is mainly about my son's experience attending the K'Tanim and core programs as a young camper. So far, he attended the K'Tanim program as a 8-year-old rising 3rd grader, and the core program as a 9-year-old rising 4th grader, and had a fantastic time both years. He wants nothing more than to go back again next summer!
Facilities
Facilities at Camp Eisner include 2 pools, a small lake for boating, low and high ropes courses, a climbing wall, Alpine tower, sports facilities, a photography studio, and much more. Camp Eisner is located on the grounds of a historic estate, and incorporates some of the beautiful old buildings from that estate as well.
The Bunks, Staff, Etc.
Counselors at Camp Eisner are all High School graduates. Rising 12th graders serve as counselors-in-training. Each bunk has a head counselor and at least one junior counselor. During second session, each bunk has a CIT living in the bunk as well. (During first session the CITs live together during their initial training period.)
Some of the bunks at Camp Eisner have been renovated and modernized, but many of the older bunks remain. I believe the girls in Bonim, Ofarim and Tzofim get the newer bunks.
All the bunks house the campers in bunk beds, and each camper gets a small cubby area with a few shelves and a small amount of hanging space. Top bunks have railings on both sides (at least in the younger units). Beds are assigned prior to arrival at camp -- if your child particularly wants a top or bottom bunk it would be good to specify this, with a reason if applicable, on the "getting to know your camper" forms that are sent out for parents and campers to fill in prior to the start of camp.
In Bonim, the unit for rising 3rd through 5th graders, there are 12 children in each bunk, with one head counselor, two junior counselors, and (during 2nd session) a CIT. I believe the setup is quite similar in Ofarim (rising 6th and 7th graders) and Tzofim (rising 8th and 9th graders), but with up to 15 campers per bunk. K'tanim campers (2-week campers entering 2nd or 3rd grades) have, I believe, a limit of 10 campers in the bunk with four counselors! Also, there are only two K'Tanim bunks (one for boys and one for girls) and there are a Unit Head and assistant Unit Head for just those two bunks. Olim campers (rising 10th graders) live in small A-frame bunks of 5 campers. Olim counselors don't live in the bunks with the campers, but still supervise fairly closely.
K'Tanim, Bonim, Ofarim and Tzofim bunks have bathroom facilities in the bunks (3 toilets, 2 showers, a couple of sinks). I believe the Olim have shared bathroom facilities that are separate from the bunks.
This excellent staff-to-camper ratio ensures an excellent quality of care for the children attending camp. The counselors we have had experience with also seemed to be well-trained in dealing with children the age of their campers, and were very good at ensuring that each child got what they needed to make the camp experience a great one.
When my son was in K'tanim, he needed to sleep in GoodNights due to night wetting issues. This was handled very sensitively, and the counselors were on the lookout to make sure that no one teased my son about it, and were alert to helping him with any needed linen changes should he have a problem with leaks (which ended up not being necessary). (For parents worried about sending a sleep-wetting child to overnight camp, it seems like every K'Tanim and Bonim bunk has at least 1-2 campers with sleep wetting issues, and the staff is well-trained to handle it with grace and sensitivity. Many of the children use medication to control the problem while at camp, but it didn't work well for my son, and he was comfortable going with his GoodNights.)
When my son was in Bonim (the unit for rising 3rd through 5th graders in the core program) he had a cast on his hand that he couldn't get wet. This could have been a disaster, as camp includes so much water -- swimming, boating and lots of water fights, not to mention showering! We sent him to camp with a cast cover, but it was up to his counselors to help him get it on and off several times a day, whenever he might be getting wet. They did an excellent job keeping him dry and happy all session. The medical staff also did a great job with some of the necessary maintenance, and bringing him to have an X-ray done mid-session as recommended by his doctor.
Medical Staff
There is a doctor and several nurses on staff and in residence at camp. The nursing staff is in charge of handling all medication. They have a great system for making sure everyone gets the medication they need when they need it, and it seems to work out quite well. They also handle minor emergencies in camp, and can take campers to a nearby hospital for more major situations.
A Typical Day
A typical day for a Bonim camper looks like this:
7:30 Wake-up
8:00 Breakfast
8:45 Nikayon (clean-up the bunk)
9:30 Limud (Study -- Jewish concepts and values)
Jewish Education is part of Eisner's foundation. But don't imagine stuffy classroom learning -- learning is done outside through play, crafts, drama and other fun activities!
10:30 Sport
Campers are given a choice between a number of traditional sports to participate in during this period. This is an instructional period. Each choice lasts one week.
11:30 Chug Art (arts electives)
Chug Art choices also last one week. Choices for this period include things like arts and crafts, drama, nature, photography, boating, creative writing, etc.
12:30 Lunch
1:15 Menucha (rest)
2:15 Swim
This period is for Red Cross swim instruction at the camper's level.
3:15 Chug Sport (sports electives)
Chug sport differs from the sport period in that there are some less traditional choices available, and this period is split between instruction and play time. Choices include things like basketball, softball, soccer, water aerobics, diving, hiking, biking, martial arts, etc.
4:15 Breira (free choice)
Campers may choose any activities they like, and may move around freely during this period. The pool is open for free swim. Campers are also allowed to just relax outside and read a book, but they are not allowed in the bunks at this time. The entire camp has Breira at the same time, and counselors are assigned to supervise all the different areas of camp.
5:00 Back to Bunks
5:45 Dinner
6:45 T'fillah (prayer)
Each unit gets together for a short daily service after dinner. Campers help lead the services, with responsibility for creating and leading the daily t'fillot rotating from bunk to bunk. The service last approximately 20 minutes and
7:30 Evening program
Each unit has an evening program together each evening. Themes rotate between social program, age-appropriate content-based programs and Judaic programs.
8:45 Back to Bunks
9:00 Bedtime
After the campers get ready for bed, they are often given "cabin prayers" consisting of a story or songs with a staff member. Then they have a little "flashlight time" before settling in to sleep. Counselors rotate duty for supervising outside the bunks until staff curfew, when they all return to the bunks to sleep.
Campers eat all meals together with their bunk and counselors. Many meals are concluded with a spirited song session.
For each elective period, campers choose their first three choices for each week, and are then assigned into electives by the staff.
Each camper is required to shower at least every other day, though most counselors enforce daily showers (for the younger kids -- I'm sure the older kids don't need such enforcement). This is done during one of the many times of day that the campers are in the bunks -- early morning, rest time, before dinner, etc.
This schedule is similar for the other units, except that they have their blocks in a different order. Lunch and dinner are staggered, with the older units, Tzofim and Olim (rising 8th - 10th graders) having their lunch and dinner periods later. Each unit also has a slightly later bedtime than those younger than them.
Shabbat
Shabbat, from Friday evening through Saturday evening, follows a special schedule.
There is a short Erev Shabbat service before dinner on Friday. Campers are allowed to sit wherever they want on Shabbat, rather than eating with their bunks as usual. (Staff members are present at each table.) After dinner there is an extra-loud, highly-spirited song session. A Jewish-based evening program follows. Last year, the Bonim campers did Israeli dance every Friday evening.
On Saturday morning, breakfast is a casual and sweet affair, featuring sugared cereals and donuts. Campers are allowed to come and go as they please during a 90-minute breakfast period. After this, there is a Nikayon (clean-up) period and then morning services. For this service, the campers dress up somewhat (dress shorts and a polo shirt, for example). After lunch and Menucha, there is a 3-hour Breira period. After dinner, each unit does Havdalah and then moves on to an evening activity.
Camp Food
My son, admittedly not a picky eater, says the food was great! As the camp is an affiliate of the Reform movement, the food is not all Kosher, but there is a Kosher meal option for any camper who desires it. The camp is also very sensitive to food allergies and sensitivities (way better than they were when I attended some 25 years ago), and offers a variety of fixed alternative meals, such as vegetarian, vegan, lactose free, wheat-free, as well as a willingness to work with campers with other special dietary needs (in extreme cases parents may have to supply some special foods for their child). Campers must choose which option they are going to eat and stick with it the entire session. They cannot just choose whichever meal looks good that day. The exception is that in the case of an allergen which is served only occasionally, the allergic camper will be given a safe alternate meal on those days.
Campers are not allowed to receive food in packages they get in the mail. They are also not allowed to bring food into the bunks for any reason. This is to help avoid attracting critters and insects into the bunks.
The campers also go to the moadon (canteen) twice a week where they can buy a small quantity of junk (soda, ice cream or candy) for the price of a letter home. In this way they ensure that your child writes to you at least twice a week. :)
Overall Experience
The ruach (spirit) exuded by the campers at this camp is incredible. Every child I have known who has attended this camp has had a great time and wanted to go back again year after year. You child will make new friends, learn new skills, and experience their Judaism in a whole new way. It is experiences like the Camp Eisner experience that help Jewish children form a strong Jewish identity and grow into confident Jewish young adults.
Special Hints
The younger boys love to have water fights. Returning campers almost always come "armed" with Super Soakers. They should put them on the packing list, but so far have not done so :) But if you are sending a young son to Camp Eisner, he'll thank you for sending him with a Super Soaker.
The bunks don't have a whole lot of shelf space in them, so many campers bring those little plastic rolling drawer thingies to make a bedside table with extra storage space. We didn't do that in the past, but are planning to do so in the future. I found unpacking into his assigned cubby space to be very challenging.
If you send a young camper, check the lost and found when you go to pick up! We found about 6 items of our son's in the lost and found, and several others that he had left around the bunk (in the bathroom, etc.) If you send your child by bus, you'll probably lose more stuff than if you pick up in person. But be prepared for stuff to be lost anyhow. I think that is just part of sending your child to overnight camp.
Application, Fees, etc.
Ok, bottom line: This camp is not cheap. Far from it! But you get what you pay for, and I feel that my son's camp experience is so valuable that it is worth scrimping and saving and sacrificing family vacations to send him (and soon his younger brother).
For Summer 2003, the fees will be:
$2990 for one session (4 weeks)
$5790 for both sessions (8 weeks)
$1550 for one K'tanim session (2 weeks)
Some need-based scholarships are available. I don't know what the precise criteria to qualify for these are.
In addition, non-UAHC member families will be assessed $100 per week not to exceed $500 per camper or $750 per family. This additional fee is waived if there is no UAHC-affiliated congregation within a certain distance of your home (I'm not sure of the distance) and you are a member of a non-UAHC congregation.
This is a really popular camp, and some units fill up very quickly. UAHC-affiliated member families whose children attended a UAHC camp the previous summer get a headstart on registering for the next summer, in September (yes, 10 months before camp begins again)! Families new to the UAHC camping system, or those who belong to congregations affiliated with another movement are eligible to register as of October 15th. Families that are not affiliated with any congregation are only eligibile to register as of March 15th, space permitting.
If you are interested in having your child attend this camp, it pays to decide and register as early as possible to avoid disappointment! I believe that the units for children entering grades 6 through 9 usually fill up the fastest.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 2900
Camper to Counselor Ratio: Wall-to-wall counselors
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Epinions.com ID:
robynkoz
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Location: Vermont
Reviews written: 41
Trusted by: 13 members
About Me:
Mom of three wonderful boys, and a computer scientist in my "spare time" :)
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