Camp is much more than lanyards and ice pops. It’s where children build character. Develop essential skills. Forge relationships. And create lifelong connections to Jewish community. In fact, many children go on to become Jewish leaders because of their camp experience. Camp is where it all begins.  

Here’s how UJA and the 20 day and overnight camps we support are breaking out new ways for the approximately 8,600 campers ages 3 and up who attend them to let the good times roll this summer — safely.    

Supporting Mental Health at Camp

With mental health issues among teens and children on the rise, camp administrators and staff need to be prepared. Several UJA-funded camps in the UJA network are participating in Yedid Nefesh, a program run by the Foundation for Jewish Camp. This initiative offers training for camp staff at all levels to provide proactive support for the mental, emotional, social, and spiritual health of all members of the camp community.       

Embracing Inclusion

New Country Pride Camp on the Henry Kaufmann Campgrounds (HKC) in Staten Island through the 14th Street Y, 92Y Camp Pride in Rockland County through the 92NY, and Camp Ga’avah on HKC Long Island through the Friedberg JCC offer LGBTQ+ young people a safe place to enjoy summer experiences and learn skills to better navigate their individual journeys.      

Even More Amazing Campgrounds

Day campers at the 16 JCCs hosting camp on UJA-owned Henry Kaufman Campgrounds have access to beautiful spaces that enhance the camp experience. In 2017, UJA embarked on a major capital campaign to modernize the facilities at HKC, which had remained largely untouched since its founding many decades earlier. As of this year, we’ve successfully transformed the Long Island and Pearl River sites — with plans to begin work at Staten Island in Fall 2025. 

• To date, we’ve built 17 multipurpose home bases, where campers meet, eat lunch, and enjoy a variety of programming;   
• four aquatic complexes with 11 new pools;   
• new sports courts and fields;   
• a health center in Long Island that provides a cooling station and central location for staff to give out medications to kids who need them;   
• new in-ground infrastructure at both campgrounds to support more modern facilities.   

We’re enormously grateful to all the donors who joined us to make these reimagined campgrounds a reality.