At Camp JRF, everyone comes together to form a community like no other, a community that is certainly not to be missed!

A Letter from Rabbi Jeffrey Eisenstat
JRF Director of Youth and Camping

When you send your child to Camp JRF, s/he is coming to a welcoming, fun, and safe community. Over our four summers of operation, Camp JRF has proven to provide campers with an outstanding experience of being part of a holy community. Whether it is the camper who is away from home for the first time, or one who is with us for their fifth summer, our capable madrihim (counselors) make sure that your camper feels like part of the tzrif (bunk), part of the eidah (unit), and an essential part of the whole camp.

How do we make your child so much a part of the experience at Camp JRF? From the moment we opened our program in 2002, our emphasis has been to make sure every camper feels a connection to this community. As Reconstructionists, we welcome campers not only from dozens of JRF communities but also those who are from other movements or are unaffiliated. These campers come from many different types of family structure, many different socio-economic backgrounds, and many different religious practices, and as a Reconstructionist camp it is our goal to be inclusive of each of our campers.

With an experienced and well-trained staff, your camper will grow by taking on responsibility, being empowered to be independent, and also by participating in the network of community we build.

The fun and joy of camp is exemplified in the sports, arts, and specialty skills that our campers learn during their stay in their home away from home. Soccer, swimming, boating, tennis, volleyball, hiking, camping, music, drama, arts, and dance all punctuate our camper days.

To ensure the best care for your children, we have nurses, doctors, a community life specialist, and a healthy kosher dining program. Caring for the body is coupled with our emphasis on the spirit as our campers and staff are guided through prayer and religious expression by outstanding rabbis from the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association, cantors, educators, and rabbinical students from the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College.

Camp JRF weaves the tapestry of Jewish experiences throughout the routine of our camp day. Music, song, texts, and creativity are the instruments which play on the values of our camp. We pay close attention to the ordinary and elevate those moments that are indeed holy.

In our closeknit community, campers participate not only with their own age groups but learn and play with campers of all ages. Camp JRF is the wooded sthetl that nurtures and provides growth for the individual and the group. I am excited to be with your campers on this exciting journey.