While at Jacobs, campers participate in a wide variety of athletic, recreational and creative activities. All of our activities seek to strike a balance between skill development and personal enjoyment. Continual effort is made to make sure we are meeting campers where they are skill-wise, and then advancing them forward in a meaningful way.

As campers grow up at Camp, the recreational experience gets more advanced to match where they are developmentally.

  • Olim campers get to sample a wide-range of activities offered at Camp.
  • Garin campers get to select specialty activities to do a few days at a time, allowing them to delve a little deeper while still getting a diversity of activity choices.
  • Maskilim campers get to select a specialty camp that takes place in the morning each day - allowing them an immersive opportunity in an activity area of their choosing; they also get cabin activity periods and a “Chugim” where they can pick what they want to do.
  • Talmidim campers get to select a specialty camp that lasts for two hours a day - resulting in a very intensive recreational experience. They participate in Chugim activities to experience all Camp has to offer and end their day by swimming in our awesome pool.
  • Chalutzim campers interface with our specialty areas and specialists in unique and different ways throughout their session.

All of our specialty activity offerings are divided up among six areas:

ADVENTURE

  • Alpine Climbing Tower
  • Animals
  • Archery
  • High Ropes Course
  • Hiking
  • Indoor Climbing Wall
  • Low Ropes Course
  • Mountain Biking
  • Nature Study
  • Outdoor Climbing Wall
  • Outdoor Camping
  • Outdoor Living Skills
  • Tower Swing
  • Zip Line

AQUATICS

At the Pool

  • Water Features
  • Swimming
  • Pool Basketball
  • Pool Volleyball
  • Pool Parties
  • Instructional Swim
  • Free Swim
  • Aquaclimb

At the Lake

  • Beach
  • "The Blob"
  • Canoeing
  • Fishing
  • "The Iceberg"
  • Kayaking
  • "The Obstacle Course"
  • Paddle boarding
  • Paddle boating
  • "The Rock-It"
  • Swimming
  • "War Canoe"
  • Wet Willie Slide

PERFORMING ARTS

  • Comedy
  • Dance
  • Improv
  • Just Dance
  • Music
  • Scene Writing
  • Songwriting
  • Stagecraft
  • Theater

SPORTS

  • Badminton
  • Basketball
  • Cheerleading
  • Disc Golf
  • Flag Football
  • Frisbee Golf
  • Gaga
  • Gatorball
  • Gymnastics
  • Hockey
  • Kickball
  • Lacrosse
  • Matt Ball
  • Physical Fitness
  • Ping-Pong
  • Quidditch
  • Running
  • Soccer
  • Softball
  • Sproutball
  • Tennis
  • Ultimate Frisbee
  • Volleyball
  • Weight Lifting
  • Yellowball
  • Yoga
  • Zumba

STEM

  • Build-Destroy-Build
  • Computer Programming
  • Cops and Robbers
  • Digital Photography
  • Ham Radio
  • Liquid Nitrogen Ice Cream Making
  • Photoshop
  • Radio Station
  • Robotics
  • Stop Motion Animation
  • Video Production
  • Volcano Making
  • Wacky Science
  • Website Development

VISUAL ARTS

  • Arts & Crafts
  • Ceramics
  • Collage Making
  • Fence Painting
  • Friendship Bracelets
  • Landscape Painting
  • Mixed Media
  • Pottery
  • Tie-Dye
  • Weaving
  • Wet Darkroom

Every day at HSJ is jam-packed with great activities, programs, and fun!

Olim  Garin Maskilim Talmidim Chalutzim
7:30 Wake up Wake up Wake up Wake up Wake up
8:10 Breakfast Breakfast Breakfast Breakfast Breakfast
9:00 Specialty Block Kehillah Specialty Camp Minors Program Block
10:00 Specialty Block Instructional Swim  Specialty Camp
11:00 Instructional Swim Peulot Free Swim
11:45 Free Swim
12:00 Nikayon Nikayon Nikayon Nikayon
12:45 Lunch & Skits Lunch & Skits Lunch & Skits Lunch & Skits Lunch & Skits
1:45 Rest Hour Rest Hour Rest Hour Rest Hour Rest Hour
3:00 Canteen Canteen Snack Snack
3:15 Nikayon/Canteen Free Swim Sports Chugim Chugim/Peulot Unit Sports/Rec
3:45 Kehillah/Specialty
4:15 Sports Chugim Peulot Free Swim Free Swim
5:00 Specialty/Kehillah 
5:15 Prep for Dinner  Prep for Dinner  Prep for Dinner  Prep for Dinner 
6:00 Dinner/Songsession Dinner/Songsession Dinner/Songsession Dinner/Songsession Dinner/Songsession
7:00 Chofesh Chofesh Chofesh Chofesh Chofesh
7:30 Evening Program T'fillah T'fillah  T'fillah T'fillah
7:45 Evening Program Evening Program Evening Program Evening Program
8:00 Snack/Cabins In
8:15 Cabin Prayers
8:45 Lights Out Snack/Cabins In
9:15 Cabin Prayers/Lights Out Snack/Cabins In
9:30 Canteen/Cabins In
9:45  Cabin Prayers Canteen/Cabins In
10:00 Lights Out Cabin Prayers
10:15 Lights Out
10:30 Lights Out

Wake-up: Sunday through Friday, wake-up is at 7:30 AM (Saturdays, wake-up is at 9:30). Campers will wake up to the alarms set by their counselors, brush their teeth and get dressed. By 8:00, the campers are on their way to breakfast and an action-packed day!

Breakfast (all meals): Campers usually have a few minutes to socialize with each other in the breezeway before everyone is called into the dining hall for breakfast. Each cabin will head to their assigned table and once everyone is seated, we sing Ha-motzi together. Two campers from each table will walk up to the service room and grab platters with enough food for the entire table. Each cabin will then enjoy a hearty breakfast, family style. When it is time to clean up, everyone helps get the table cleared quickly.

Song Session: Everyone participates in song session. It is one of the most exciting times of the day, a fun time to be loud with friends.

Assigned Activities: Campers make sure to be on time for all of their daily activities. When at activities – be they kehillah, sports, swimming, or anything else – they are encouraged to participate fully and get everything they can out of the experience.

Nikayon: Back at the cabin, everyone first cleans their individual areas in the cabin before moving on to his assigned activity for the day; whether it’s the toilets, the sinks, the showers, or another task, everyone is expected to do their part. Once Nikayon is over, cabins walk to the breezeway to line up for lunch together.

Rest Hour: Rest hour is a great time to relax and play quietly with bunkmates, read, or nap. On Sundays, Tuesdays & Thursdays, everyone takes time to write a letter home.

Canteen: After some nice rest, campers will excitedly head to the breezeway for Canteen, where they can choose from a variety of delicious afternoon snacks.

Assigned Activities: With more activities in the afternoon, the day is very busy!

Prep for Dinner: Campers typically change out of the clothes they've been wearing all day and put on clean clothes to go to dinner.

Chofesh: Chofesh is free time where everyone in camp can hang out together. Popular Chofesh activities include ping-pong, gaga, swings, or throwing frisbees in the valley.

T’fillah: Most nights, camp participates in a short T'fillah service where everyone has the opportunity to appreciate and understand their Jewish identity in a beautiful camp setting.

Evening Programs: No matter what it is, Jacobs campers throw themselves enthusiastically into every one of their unit’s exciting evening programs.

Bedtime: Campers make sure to shower every night as part of their bedtime routine. The cabin then gathers on the floor for cabin prayers, a time when the entire group shares about the day that is coming to an end. It’s a wonderful time for reflection before going to sleep and resting up for another great day at Jacobs!

Maskilim and Talmidim campers choose one Specialty Camp in which they will participate all summer long, developing advanced skills and having a great time. Campers spend two hours every morning in their Specialty Camp and engage in Jewish discussions tailored to their specific specialty. Campers pick their Specialty Camp during the registration process, but do have the opportunity to switch into another Specialty Camp during the first two days of their summer session. Below are the Specialty Camp options and some activities that are typically offered in each Specialty Camp.

Adventure - Campers will have opportunities to work together on the challenge course, learn survival skills, and participate in high ropes activities.

Performing Arts - Campers engage and create a variety of performance based art including: dance, drama, and music.

Sports - Campers will spend structured time developing skills in a variety of sports. Each specialty camp group will have choices including: basketball, soccer, football, ultimate frisbee, and more!

STEAM - Campers will learn and engage in real world activities from the science, technology, engineering, and math fields.

Visual Arts - Campers create individual and collective pieces of art as well as developing new skills in a variety of mediums.

The mission of the URJ Camping System is to enrich and transform lives by strengthening Jewish identity, teaching Jewish knowledge, instilling Jewish values, and cultivating lifelong friendships within a vibrant and fun community of living Reform Judaism.

The educational goals of the URJ Camps, in keeping with our mission, are centered on five key areas:

  1. Jewish Identity. Campers and staff will develop a strong Jewish identity and sense of self, where they feel comfortable in both Jewish and secular settings and utilize Jewish knowledge and values to guide life choices.
  2. Jewish Knowledge. Campers and staff will devleop and use a Jewish lexicon that encompasses Reform Jewish ideology, ritual, liturgy, history, Hebrew and Israel. Campers and staff will also make Torah real and meaningful in their personal lives.
  3. Jewish Values. Through education, modeling and personal experience, campers and staff will choose to live a life inspired by Jewish values.
  4. Friendships and Community. Campers and staff will build a safe and sacred Jewish community that nurtures personal growth and healthy and enduring interpersonal relationships.
  5. Reform Jewish Living. Camp will serve as a laboratory for Reform Jewish living, providing campers and staff with opportunities to explore Jewish practice and articulate personally meaningful means of expression.

Jewish Educational Goals

All Camp Education Vision: Judaism is not merely a religion relegated to synagogue and holiday celebration. Judaism affects every aspect of our lives - from the way we make daily decision to the way we keep time. It is an invitation to bring the sacred in to the ordinary and a mandate to bring justice and holiness in to the world.

Worship Education Vision: There are many ways that we can have a rich spiritual life. We can experience Holiness in the world around us, in quiet contemplation, or in the faces of fellow human beings. Judaism has always allowed for all of these pathways, while also recognizing the unique experience of joining with a community and worshiping together.

How We Bring Judaism In

  • A Jewish Place
  • Celebrating Shabbat
  • Havdallah
  • Hebrew
  • Israeli Culture
  • Israeli Dance
  • Jewish Role Models
  • Jewish Values
  • Jewish Songs
  • Weekday Worship Services