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, which can be accessed here! Please ensure you are choosing the correct camp type—Traditional, Tayasim (Hebrew immersion), Explore the Bay Camp (open to 7th, 8th and 9th grade campers) or CIT (Counseling-in-Training) program. To properly register your camper please ensure that you input the grade your child will be attending in the fall of 2025. If you are a returning camp family from summer 2024, you may log back into your account and register; please check to make sure that the health history form and grade for summer 2025 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 transitional kindergarten and 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. 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 at least 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 are the health policies at J-Camp?
We are concerned about the health of every child in our program. To keep all children as healthy as possible, we ask you to keep children at home for at least 24 hours after the resolution of any of the below health concerns:
• Fever of 100.0° F or higher
• Frequent coughing
• Vomiting
• Excessive nasal discharge
• Difficulty breathing
• Conjunctivitis (pink eye)
• Diarrhea
• Abnormally passive or irritable behavior which precludes normal participation
• Complaints of internal pain, including earaches (or consistent, excessive rubbing of an ear), cramps, headaches
• Head lice (untreated)
• Redness, sores and crusting of skin around the nose and mouth.
If a child exhibits any of these symptoms at camp, we will call you to pick your child up.
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, 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 see if a lunch can be brought from home. Children will never go without a lunch offering. A healthy afternoon snack will be provided daily by J-Camp during pick-up time.
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 2025. 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 from companies that meet required safety regulations 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.
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! We are planning exciting programing with special vendors and will continue to hold our Shabbat celebration in the theatre. Some examples of Fun Friday activities from past summers include a petting zoo, a magic show and a visit from our local firefighters. Parents are welcome to join our Shabbat celebration on Fridays. We will share more information regarding how you can join Shabbat in our weekly highlight sheet email.
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 as soon as possible after registering, but no later than May 15, 2025. 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 2025/2026 school year. J-Camp is designed for school-aged children, with our youngest campers entering transitional kindergarten. If your child is entering a transitional kinder program (TK), they are eligible to join J-Camp. We have made some very exciting age-appropriate modifications to our youngest campers' schedule and activities to ensure a smooth transition into J-Camp. 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 15, 2025 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 15, 2025, 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 through the Active system. Applications and your 2024 tax return must be submitted to the OFJCC by April 1, 2025. 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.
How do I order lunch for my child?
We are happy to once again offer delicious and nutritious catered lunch options during summer 2025. 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, chips and seasonal fruits and veggies.