Where is Jacobs Camp located?
Jacobs Camp is located 40 miles southwest of Jackson, Mississippi, in the town of Utica.

After I submit my application, when will I hear from Jacobs?
After your application is received and processed by our office, you will be contacted by an Assistant Director over email to set up a time for a video interview.

What happens if I am hired to work at Jacobs?
Upon accepting a position with Jacobs, you will receive a contract to be signed and returned to us.

You will also receive a number of information forms that we will need to have on file prior to the summer. This email will contain information about your arrival to camp, a staff biography form, a staff preference form, and other materials. These forms will need to be returned to the camp prior to arrival. You may also receive your staff manual with this email. You should read it before you arrive at camp and refer an questions to an Assistant Director.

As a cabin counselor am I also expected to be an activity instructor?
We hire cabin counselors to work as counselors and a separate staff of specialists to instruct many of our daily activities (i.e. basketball, visual arts, fishing, etc.) We will, though, look to many of our counselors to serve as activity instructors. Let us know your special talents, and we will see if we can put them to great use during the summer.

When do I get paid?
Paychecks are issued at the end of the summer. Working at camp provides a great opportunity to avoid spending money. Waiting until summer’s end to get your check will allow you to leave camp with your pockets filled.

Does HSJ have a curfew for staff?
In order to assure that staff members are able to function at all times throughout the camp season, policies have been set regarding staff being in their cabins. We expect everyone to perform at the peak of their abilities during the day, and a good night’s sleep is defined by getting at least six hours of sleep each night. Therefore, there is a 1:00 AM curfew for all staff during the summer. This same curfew applies for participants in the Solelim program. Camp Leadership reserves the right to impose an earlier curfew, or to extend the curfew, for an individual staff member or the staff as a whole if it is deemed necessary for proper performance. Staff curfews are enforced, and staff members who repeatedly take advantage of this privilege are subject to punishment.

When do I have time/days off?
All staff is allowed 6 days off during the summer. One day at the conclusion of orientation, prior to the start of session one; one day during inter-session; and two days each session. “Days off” generally begin just before dinner time (5:30 PM) and end just before dinner time the next day (5:15 PM.) Each staff member is scheduled one hour off each day. Each staff member is also permitted one night off per session. Days/nights off during sessions, while campers are at camp, will be signed up for prior to the start of the upcoming session.

Will I have to attend a Staff Orientation?
Yes! A comprehensive Staff Orientation program is held during the first week of the summer season. During this week, staff members are presented with a great deal of information – from camp policies and procedures, to working with groups. Staff Orientation is required for all staff members. The goals of staff orientation are two-fold: (1) to give staff members the opportunity to meet, get to know, and develop strong working relationships with each other and (2) to prepare staff members for the challenges of working in a residential camp setting. Group-building experiences, training sessions, and concentrated planning done with other staff members are all combined into Staff Orientation. Combined with the Staff Manual and the good judgment and common sense of the individual staff members, Staff Orientation should provide the tools and skills necessary to guarantee a successful summer for all.

What is considered prohibited behaviors at HSJ?
The following behaviors at HSJ are taken very seriously and may result in dismissal:

• Use or sale of illegal drugs, misuse of prescription drugs and possession of any alcoholic beverages in camp or during camp-sponsored activities.
• Use of camp waterfront facilities (pool, lakefront) when designated as closed.
• Physical or verbal abuse of campers or other staff members.Stealing or shoplifting from the camp community or in public.
• Male staff in female housing and female staff in male housing at any time.
• Please remember that 21 is the legal age for alcohol consumption.

What if I am a vegetarian or have diet restrictions?
Special diets, i.e. low cholesterol, vegetarian, etc. can be accommodated on a very limited basis. If you require such assistance, it is your responsibility to make such arrangements in advance with HSJ prior to official acceptance of the contract. Jacobs Camp meals are served kosher style and we do not serve pork, shellfish, or any other meat that comes from a non-kosher animal.

What is there to do in Utica?
Nothing! But there’s plenty to do within a short distance from camp. Jackson is a mid-sized town with all of your favorite restaurants, movie theaters, a shopping mall and more. Most staff member spend their days off in Jackson, or choose to drive a little farther to one of the other cities in the region. And sometimes, staff members spend their days off in Utica – relaxing at camp.

What is HSJ’s Smoking Policy?
The Board of Trustees of the URJ (the owners of Jacobs Camp) has determined that all URJ Camps will be totally nonsmoking facilities. This means that smoking is not allowed in any camp building or anywhere on camp grounds. There will be no designated smoking area on camp. Staff members are urged to quit prior to their arrival at Camp. If that is not possible, staff members over eighteen years of age should have a conversation with the Director or Assistant Director regarding their habit.

Will I have access to my e-mail?
Computers will be available for staff use, on a first come first served basis, in a designated staff computer lounge. Staff members will have free access to the Internet. We do not provide an e-mail account, therefore we recommend that all staff has an Internet based e-mail address through services such as Yahoo, Hotmail, or Gmail. Staff members are asked to be considerate of others and limit their computer usage time.

May I receive visitors during camp?
Staff may have not visitors at camp without the advance permission of the Camp Director. Such visitors are not permitted to go beyond the administrative area of the camp until the staff member meets them. Permission from the Camp Director is necessary for them to go into the cabins and program areas of the camp. Visitors are not allowed to use the facilities of the camp without permission and are in no way to disrupt the camp program. Visitors may not stay at camp overnight.

Still have questions? Contact the Camp Office for more information!