How can I speak with someone about what to expect before camp starts?
The week prior to camp, you will be emailed a highlight sheet with the camp schedule, express drop-off information and more. We truly appreciate discussing your questions, comments and concerns and there are many opportunities to do so. Please contact the Camp office via email at youth@paloaltojcc.org or phone at (650) 223-8622. You may also contact the Camp Director, Phil Bassett, by emailing pbassett@paloaltojcc.org or calling (650) 223-8602, or the Assistant Camp Director, Monica Valdez, by emailing mvaldez@paloaltojcc.org or calling (650) 223-8674.
What are J-Camp hours?
J-Camp provides care from 8:30 AM–6:00 PM. The Camp Day is from 8:30 AM–3:30 PM, and for an additional fee, you may also register your camper for PM Care. PM Care runs from 3:30–6:00 PM.
How do I enroll for J-Camp?
To register for J-Camp, please use our Active Network platform. The registration is also located in the camp sections or the home page of our website. Please ensure you are choosing the correct camp type—Traditional, Tayasim (Hebrew immersion), Kochavim (pre-teen program), or CIT program—to properly register your camper and that you input the grade your child will be attending in the fall of 2023. If you are a returning camp family from summer 2022, you may log back into your account and register; please check to make sure that the health history form and grade for summer 2023 are correct.
How many staff members will be watching my camper?
We operate within the following staff/camper ratio guidelines, which are recommended by the American Camp Association:
- 1:6 for campers entering kindergarten
- 1:8 for campers entering grades 1–4
- 1:10 for campers entering grades 5–9
In a camper group with mixed grades, we staff to the required ratios of the lowest grade.
What experience and qualifications do J-Camp staff have?
Every year, all J-Camp staff participate in a week-long training that includes camper safety, J-Camp policies and procedures, and how to facilitate fun and meaningful camp programming. All camp staff are required to complete a background check, and must be up to date in CPR/First Aid certification. We also train our staff on important COVID-19 safety measures and policies for running camp safely. Many of our J-Camp staff are year-round employees in the OFJCC's Youth and Teen Program and work with children in our school-break camps and afterschool program.
What kinds of activities does J-Camp offer?
Every camp day is filled with a variety of fun activities to make each day special. Campers will explore their creative side with arts and crafts and STEM projects like tie dye, slime, watercolors and home-made sun catchers. Campers will spend lots of time playing classic games, sports and relays that allow them to develop skills in new activities and build teamwork and their camp spirit. Campers will swim once a week and also engage in wacky water play on the field with slides, sprinklers and fun new water toys. Campers will explore various destinations around the Bay Area with weekly field trips, a definite highlight of the summer! Lastly, every Friday ends with an extravagant spirit-filled event to celebrate an incredible week and the week's special theme. Throughout all our camp activities we are cultivating our J-Camp values with our campers and staff to build warm, thoughtful and spirited communities.
What safety measures are in place for COVID-19?
At J-Camp our highest priority is camper safety. Having already facilitated three wonderful years of camp during these complicated times, we're confident that J-Camp 2023 will be as fun and as safe as ever. J-Camp staff receive extensive pre-camp training that includes policies and procedures around COVID-19, camper safety, child development and mandated reporting. We are continuing to follow the latest local and federal guidance and will continue to create new protocols and procedures to make sure that we are doing everything we can to keep our camp community safe.
What should my children bring/wear to J-Camp?
It is recommended that campers bring the following items, labeled with their name, daily:
- A nut- and peanut-free non-perishable lunch and a light morning snack
- Sunscreen
- Refillable water bottle
- Backpack to house everything
- On water or swim days, campers should bring their swimsuit, towel and change of clothes
Campers should wear closed-toe shoes and comfortable clothes that can get dirty. We ask that items of value and toys from home please be left at home as J-Camp is not responsible for lost or stolen items and these items can distract from the camp environment. Example items include electronics, toys, trading cards such as Pokémon cards, cell phones and money.
What is J-Camp’s food policy?
Campers must bring a non-perishable, nut- and peanut-free morning snack and lunch daily as we are not able to refrigerate or heat food items. The OFJCC is a kosher-style campus, so please send your camper without pork or shellfish in their food items. If for any reason your camper is missing their lunch, parents will be contacted to bring a lunch. Children will never go without a lunch offering, so fees may be assessed in situations where parents have not made arrangements and are unable to be contacted. A healthy afternoon snack will be provided daily by J-Camp during sign out. On Fridays, we will provide a buffet-style lunch. Some meals may include kosher Hebrew National hot dogs or vegetarian hot dogs, pizza, sandwiches, chips and seasonal fruits and veggies. J-Camp will provide kosher-style meals for dinner and breakfast during sleepovers at the OFJCC.
Is there an alternative to me packing lunch for my child every day?
We are happy to once again offer delicious and nutritious catered lunch options during summer 2023. These options will be available Monday through Thursday. More information to come on how to place orders and access the menu. On Fridays, we will provide a buffet-style lunch. Some meals may include kosher Hebrew National Hot Dogs or vegetarian hot dogs, pizza, sandwiches, chips and seasonal fruits and veggies.
What is J-Camp's cell phone usage policy?
Cell phones can be a huge distraction for campers. We want all campers to be involved in the activities and enjoying their time building relationships, experiencing new things and being actively engaged. While we understand that many campers have cell phones for their own personal use and contact with their parents, we ask that campers leave their cell phones at home. If your camper must bring their cell phone to camp, we ask that it remains in their backpack and turned off at all times for safe keeping.
How will my camper be transported to and from field trips?
J-Camp transports our campers on chartered school buses and coach buses that are routinely inspected by the California Highway Patrol, as well as in OFJCC-owned vans. Bus and van drivers have completed background checks and training and are all qualified to drive per insurance safety standards.
J-Camp is planning to bring field trips back into our camp programming for summer 2022. We are going to follow public health guidance to ensure we are doing everything we can to create a safe environment for our campers and staff. We will provide more details about the field trips we are able to safely offer as we learn more about the public health guidance.
How will my camper be transported to and from field trips?
J-Camp transports our campers on chartered school buses and coach buses that are routinely inspected by the California Highway Patrol, as well as in OFJCC-owned vans. Bus and van drivers have completed background checks and training and are all qualified to drive per insurance safety standards.
Will J-Camp have overnight sleepovers this year?
J-Camp is continuing to offer overnight sleepovers and extended evenings for summer 2023. parents will drop campers off the morning of the sleepover and return for pick up the following day.
What special events will be happening on Fridays this year?
We are thrilled to continue Fun Fridays and Shabbat celebrations to end a fantastic week at camp. Every Friday, campers across the entire campus will participate in ruach-filled individually-themed camp days that celebrate the incredible week of camp. Fridays are filled with excitement and joy, and are the best way to end a week at camp! We are planning exciting programs with special vendors and activities that will include BBQs, water play, field games and more.
What if my camper needs to take medication during camp?
In order for J-Camp staff to administer medication during the day, you must complete a separate medication disbursement form. Any over-the-counter or doctor-prescribed medication must be checked in during drop-off with our J-Camp team, along with the medication disbursement form, on the first day of camp.
Can I request for my child to be in the same group as their friends?
We know how important camp friends are and we are happy to accommodate friend requests to the best of our ability. In order to request that your child be in the same group as their friends we ask that you fill out the Buddy Request form and email it to youth@paloaltojcc.org as soon as possible after registering, but no later than May 31, 2023. You can list up to four friends that you would like your child to be in a group with. While we cannot guarantee all buddy requests, we will do everything we can to accommodate as many requests as possible.
What grade should I register my child for?
Please register your child according to the grade they are entering in the fall of the 2023/2024 school year. J-Camp is designed for school-aged children, with our youngest campers entering kindergarten. If your child is entering a transitional kinder program (TK), they are eligible to join J-Camp; please register your TK as an incoming kinder. Any special circumstances should be brought to the Camp Director's attention for consideration. J-Camp will do its best to accommodate the needs of each camper.
Will my child swim at J-Camp? What if my child doesn't know how to swim?
All campers will participate in recreational swim at the pool at least once a week and engage in weekly water play activities on the field. Counselors will facilitate fun activities in the pool and have exciting toys and slides for water play on the field. For children that don't know how to swim, we will have additional activities that they can do poolside and plenty of games in the shallow end of the pool. The campers will be supervised by counselors in the pool and by our aquatic staff and lifeguards.
What is the cancellation policy?
In the case of a cancellation, a refund will be issued minus your $200 non-refundable deposit per camp session. Any cancellations made after May 31, 2023 will not receive a refund. To cancel or change, please fill out the Change/Cancellation Form and send it to youth@paloaltojcc.org. After May 31, 2023, there will be no refund for any reason, except in the situation that the OFJCC shuts down camp prior to it beginning. (All cancellations must be submitted in writing.) We will not be issuing refunds for campers sent home for illness or any other reason. If you would like to change your camp session or transfer to another camp, a change fee of $20 will be charged for each change. All requests to change one program to another are contingent upon space and availability.
Does J-Camp offer financial assistance?
We want all children to be able to have an amazing summer with us. Here at J-Camp we are able to provide camperships in order to help make camp more affordable. Before applying for financial assistance, please register your child for camp so that your family has an Active account. To apply, please fill out the financial assistance application found in your confirmation email. Applications and your 2022 tax return must be submitted to the OFJCC by April 1, 2023. Fully completed applications are necessary to begin consideration. In the case that an award does not meet a family's need, all money paid will be fully refunded.
Camperships are made possible through the OFJCC Camp Scholarship Fund and the Jewish Community Day Camp Scholarship Fund of the Jewish Community Endowment Fund. For more information, please contact the scholarship committee at youth@paloaltojcc.org.
My child requires special assistance. How do I know if J-Camp is a good fit?
J-Camp is highly dedicated to being an inclusive and accommodating camp. We strive to support all children of varying needs and abilities to have a positive camp experience and are proud of our team's drive to ensure the success of every camper. Any information that you can provide prior to your child's participation in camp, relative to ways we can best serve them, is valuable to us. If you believe your child may require special assistance, please call the camp office at (650) 223-8622 to set up a meeting with the Camp Director to discuss how we can best accommodate your camper.