The deadline to submit applications is April 29th, 2009.
The Campership program, supported by UJA-Federation of New York's Commission on Jewish Identity and Renewal, the Foundation for Jewish Camp, and Jewish Communal Fund, aims to strengthen and build Jewish identity by attracting new campers who are not getting daily exposure to Judaism, and who might otherwise choose a secular summer program, to Jewish sleepaway camps. In 2007, Campership provided 300 first- and second-time campers with subsidies of up to $1,250 per child to help children in the New York metropolitan area attend Jewish sleepaway camps. In 2008, the program increased this number to over 400. In 2009, Campership plans to offer grants to at least 500 first-time campers. Although the huge impact of camp on Jewish youth has been proven time and again, less than 10 percent of camp-age Jewish children attend Jewish summer camp, and about 18 percent of available beds at Jewish camps remain unfilled every summer. With the Campership Incentive Program, not only will beds be filled, but hundreds of Jewish children will come away with a newfound appreciation and enjoyment of Judaism.
You can access the application at www.onehappycamper.org.
Get the answers to some frequently asked questions about the Campership program and a list of participating synagogues below.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is this program for?
Campership is designed to attract new campers between the ages of 8 and 16 (as of June 1st) to Jewish sleepaway camps, regardless of financial need. Although the huge impact of camp on Jewish youth has been proven time and again, less than 10 percent of camp-age Jewish children attend Jewish summer camp, and about 18 percent of available beds at Jewish camps remain unfilled every summer.
Campers must reside in New York City or Nassau, Suffolk, or Westchester counties and enroll in a session of three weeks or longer at a residential camp listed on the Foundation for Jewish Camp website. Since the program is meant to strengthen Jewish identity in children who do not get daily exposure to Judaism, program participants must attend a secular or non-Jewish school.
How can I find an approved camp?
A list of approved camps is available at www.jewishcamp.org. You can also call the Foundation for Jewish Camping at 1.646.278.4500.
How can I get a Campership application?
Applications are available at www.onehappycamper.org. You will be able to access the application when registration opens on January 1, 2009. In order to apply for Campership grant, you will need an access code from the synagogue or JCC you have chosen to work with.
What if I'm not a member of a synagogue?
This program is open to synagogue members and nonmembers alike, although campers must obtain an application from one of the participating synagogues and have it signed by the rabbi to receive a Campership stipend. Each participating congregation may determine its own criteria for selecting applicants to support. To find a participating synagogue in your area, please see the list below.
Can a camper who already signed up for camp apply?
This program is just for children signed up for camp on or after January 1, 2009.p>
How much is the stipend?
Children attending a Jewish camp for the first time (for a session of 3 weeks or longer) will receive $1250. Those children who received a first-year grant last summer in 2008 may receive a second-year grant of $750, however, no other second-year campers are eligible for grants. Please note that this second-year camper rule will only apply for the summer of 2009. After this year, only first year grants will be available.
How are Camperships awarded, and how many are available?
Campership stipends are awarded on a first-come-first-served basis through the synagogues listed below.
Where does the money come from, and how does it get to the camps?
The program is supported by UJA-Federation of New York, the Foundation for Jewish Camp, and the Jewish Communal Fund. After a camper's application is received and approved, checks are sent directly to the camp.
My child does not qualify for Campership. What can I do?
- Check out www.jewishcamp.org/scholarships for a list of other Jewish camp scholarships.
- Discuss financial aid opportunities with the director of the camp to which you wish to send your child. Many camps allocate funds for scholarships.
- Contact your local Jewish community center about scholarships for Jewish children in your area. To find contact information for community centers in our network of beneficiary agencies, visit www.ujafedny.org/agencies.
What if I still have more questions?
For administrative questions, please contact info@campership.net; for more information about the Campership program, contact campership@ujafedny.org.
Participating Synagogues
Congregation B'nai Yisrael, Armonk
Huntington Jewish Center, Huntington
Beth El Synagogue, New Rochelle
East Meadow Jewish Center, East Meadow
Temple Beth El, Huntington
Commack Jewish Center, Commack
Samuel Field YM/YWHA, Little Neck
Congregation Sons of Israel, Briafcliff Manor
Central Queens YM/YWHA, Forest Hills
Temple Israel of the City of New York, New York
Temple Chaverim, Plainview
Temple B'Nai Torah, Wantagh
North Country Reform Temple, Glen Cove
Congregation Ohav Sholom, Merrick
Temple Isaiah, Stony Brook
Merrick Jewish Centre, Merrick
Temple Beth-El of Great Neck
Congregation Kneses Tifereth Israel (KTI), Port Chester
Shelter Rock Jewish Center, Roslyn
Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun, New York
Park Slope Jewish Center, Brooklyn
Temple Beth Sholom, Roslyn
Khal Nachlas Aves-EJC, Richmond Hill
Sephardic Jewish Congregation and Center of Queens, Forest Hills
Conservative Synagogue Adath Israel of Riverdale
Sid Jacobson JCC, East Hills
Sinai Free Synagogue, New Rochelle
The Society for the Advancement of Judaism (SAJ), New York
Temple Beth Torah, Melville
Community Synagogue, Rye
Woodlands Community Temple, White Plains
The Village Temple, New York
Mid-Island Y JCC, Plainview
Riverdale Temple, Bronx
Brotherhood Synagogue, New York
Congregation Beth Emeth, Hewlett
North Shore Synagogue, Syosset
Temple Shaaray Tefila, New York
Bet Am Shalom Synagogue, White Plains
Temple Beth Israel, Port Washington
Oceanside Jewish Center, Oceanside
Temple Beth Abraham, Tarrytown
West End Synagogue, New York
Temple Israel of New Rochelle
Westchester Jewish Center, Mamaroneck
Temple Beth El of Northern Westchester, Chappaqua
Temple Sinai of Roslyn, Roslyn
