Summer Day Camp at the JCC
The JCC has three summer camp options: Camp Ruach, a unique Jewish day camp experience open to rising first through ninth graders; Tikvah program of Camp Ruach, an inclusive day camp experience for children on the autism spectrum; and a Leaders-In-Training program for teens. Summer day camp at the J is open to children and teens of all backgrounds, cultures, and religions.
Find your friends at Camp Ruach!
Camp season runs June 19–August 18, 2023
Camp Ruach (rising 1st-9th graders)
Whether they are here for one week or the whole summer, Camp Ruach campers come away having grown and changed, carrying a newfound sense of confidence. Here, everyone is celebrated! Feeling valued and supported, campers become strong, confident community members while gaining new abilities and having fulfilling experiences. Our energetic Camp Ruach staff work and play with our campers to ensure that they feel safe and nurtured as they have the time of their lives! Click here for the 2020 Camp Ruach podcast episode to hear more about Camp Ruach summer magic!
Contact Daniel “Tuxedo” Smedley or 253-0701 ext. 107 for more information.
Click below to register beginning Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023 at 8am
2022 Weeks and Themes
Ruach means “spirit,” and Camp Ruach campers have camp spirit in spades. Every week at Camp Ruach is filled with loads of fun themed crafts and activities as well as swimming, archery, games, and more. Don’t forget to dress your camper for Freaky Fashion day to earn their group points towards the coveted Kehilah Cup.
- June 13–17: Miefletzet (monsters) From Sesame street to Golem, we’ll be learning about monsters from myth and story before making up some of our own. Freaky Fashion: Dress like a monster
- June 20–24: Tzfat (the art capital of Israel) We’ll paint the town Blue and get in touch with our inner artiste as we learn about Tzfat, the Israeli hub for arts and mysticism. Freaky Fashion: Wear Blue
- June 27–July 1: Kesem (magic) This week is all about the magic—including the magic of camp! We’ll make wands and potions, and learn some magic tricks. Freaky Fashion: Witches and Wizards
- July 5–8: Bohts (mud) Prepare to get messy! We’ll whip up some mudpies, dig in the dirt, and have a full on mess-tivle! Freaky Fashion: Just prepare to get dirty daily, wear clothes that can get absolutely ruined!
- July 11–15: Mechonot (machines) From cars and planes to pulleys and levers, we’ll be building all kinds of wacky devices this week. We’ll even try our hands at some Rube Goldberg machines. Freaky Fashion: Do the Robot
- July 18–22: Hummus (hummus) Really this is our Maccabiah Week, but let’s keep that a surprise for the kids. We’ll break the campers into teams and have a week long competition to see who has the most camp spirit. And yeah, we’ll even eat some Hummus. Freaky Fashion: Daily Freaky Fashion Challenges
- July 25–29: Yamim (oceans) We’ll sail the seven seas and cross the ocean blue in our homemade boats, or at least we’ll try. Mostly, we’ll get soaked. Freaky Fashion: Dress like a pirate.
- August 2–5: L’dor V’dor (generation to generation) Let’s learn about the past and plan for the future! We’ll upcycle old camp gear and put together a time capsule and camp yearbook. Freaky Fashion: Blast from the Past
- August 8–12: Keshet (rainbow) We’ll paint a camp mural and play with prisms, as we embrace our differences and learn how we are better together. Freaky Fashion: Colors of the Rainbow
Tikvah for Children with Autism (ages 6-12)
Camp Tikvah is the premier autism inclusion/integration summer day camp program of its kind in Western North Carolina. Tikvah enables children on the autism spectrum to enjoy the fun and community of Camp Ruach. Here, campers participate in activities alongside their Camp Ruach counterparts in an individually monitored and supported structure. Each one-week session runs interwoven with Camp Ruach, and enables these awesome kids to participate in as many peer activities as are individually appropriate. To register for Tikvah sign your child up for your chosen weeks of Camp Ruach and select the Tikvah add-on when filling out the enrollment form.
Contact Daniel “Tuxedo” Smedley or 253-0701 ext. 107 for more information.
Leaders in Training & Gesher+ Programs
Leaders in Training (LIT) are an integral part of the Camp Ruach experience. As rising sophomores and juniors in high school, these teenagers help plan and run activities, support senior staff, and help make unforgettable memories for the campers attending each session. LITs will receive special trainings, activities, and discussions geared towards building healthy communication skills, a strong work ethic, and will learn first hand what it means to be a leader. The goal of the LIT program is to help build confidence, cement leadership skills, and give real-life interpersonal experience to teens who are looking to grow into successful young adults.
Gesher+ is a unique experience crafted for adolescents transitioning from middle school into high school. During this major transition, we provide a solid support structure for the teens to explore their unique skills and interests before beginning their high school careers. We encourage individuality and leadership and plan activities around helping the campers create and deepen their own sense of self, and build lasting bonds between each other. As the oldest campers, the teens of Gesher+ are the leaders of the camp and are provided many opportunities to take charge and be role models to the younger kids.
Email Teen Program Coordinator Justin Greenbaum for more information.
