Snapshots from Camp, Where Every Kid Feels Like They Belong

Summer camp is so much more than childcare when school’s out of session. The Pozez JCC should know — we run three of them! 

At each of our youth-based camps, we focus on what summer is really about: a time when kids can let loose and have fun, make new friends, and try new activities without pressure. Campers can shed school-based identities and labels and build confidence in who they truly are.  

Kids fighting cancer can play games and be silly in a safe space without feeling “different.” Neurodivergent teens and young adults can enjoy fun outings with peers with the support of caring staff who ensure every outing is safe, welcoming, and smooth. Shy kids feel safe participating in group dances and skits; sporty or artsy kids are encouraged to share their skills; and everyone is welcome to have fun in the best way possible. 

Curious what makes our youth camps so special? Three of our directors shared their favorite snapshots of summer life to show us what camp life is all about. (So as not to omit adults from our camp story, look for info on our upcoming camp for adults at the end of this blog!) 

Camp Achva (a traditional day camp based on Jewish values) 

Every Friday, Camp Achva comes together for Ruach, a chance for each group to share a skit, interpretive dance, or original song connected to the week’s theme. For one camper, though, performing with their group has been a struggle. They love theatre and being up on stage, but a group presentation is not where they see themselves. 

So, along with their counselors, this camper imagined a different way to participate. 

This summer, for the first time, we invited the camper to help host Ruach alongside one of our staff members. Over the course of the week, the two of them wrote and developed short skits to perform between group presentations, shaping the transitions between performances. The camper also helped add a new value to that week’s theme. 

The fit was right. This was a role in which this camper could be funny, creative, and fully part of Ruach without having to participate in the same way as everyone else. 

At Camp Achva, we recognize that belonging isn’t always about helping someone fit into a role that already exists. Sometimes it means noticing what campers are trying to tell us, making room for a different kind of contribution, and allowing them to show us what the experience could become.  

— Greg Feitel, School-Aged Services Director 

Sunrise Day Camp (for children with cancer and their siblings) 

Every day at Sunrise Day Camp is the best day of camp. Our campers don’t necessarily come every day, for a variety of reasons, so it’s important that each day is equally special for every camper. Any day could be a camper’s first, last, or only day of camp that summer. This is a belief we instill in our staff during orientation and something that we hold in our hearts all summer long.  

On July 13, a new family joined us for their first day of camp. Two big brothers and their little sister rode the Blue Bus from Gaithersburg, MD, and entered Sunrise smack in the middle of the season. But it was no big deal, because our staff was prepared.  

The new campers played games, crafted art projects, swam, and made friends, as if it were everyone else’s first day, as well. And at the end of the day, when I asked the oldest brother if he’d had a great day, he responded “The best day!”  

Mission accomplished. 

— Joellen Kriss-Broubalow, Sunrise Day Camp-Greater Washington Director 
 

Camp Kesher (for neurodivergent teens and young adults) 

The word kesher is the Hebrew word for connection, relationship, or bond. This concept is the heart of Camp Kesher, a specialized summer day camp designed for teens and young adults with disabilities. For several participants, this summer was their first experience at camp. For many others, returning to this community has become a cherished rite of summer. Campers create bonds with each other and between themselves and the dedicated staff.  

The unmistakable magic of the program is palpable from the very first moments of the week. As campers begin to gather on Monday morning, the J’s lobby fills with excitement for the hours of shared fun ahead. You will hear names being joyfully called out, spontaneous clapping, and excited shrieking, and see a sea of warm hugs as friends reunite. Before boarding the bus each morning, the energy is already high with a competitive game of Uno in the community room. 

Throughout the week, the group operates as a family as they explore the Northern Virginia area together. They go on local outings to hit targets at Topgolf, play Skee-Ball at George Mason University, tackle indoor climbing walls, challenge themselves on a high ropes course and zipline, push their limits in an adapted CrossFit class, and share meals together. When they are back at camp, they enjoy dipping in the pool, group trivia games, learning new dance moves, finding calm in yoga class, and karaoke, where everyone cheers each other on.  

Throughout it all, campers are having the time of their lives. 

— Alison Pasternak, Inclusion and Disability Services Program Coordinator 

 
And, as promised, a note about Camp Gadol for our ageless adults! 

It’s never too late to get a taste of camp! Camp Gadol at Pozez JCC, now in its third year, offers a weeklong, half-day camp experience for adults 55+. This summer, from August 10-14, participants can relive their camp days or enjoy summer the way they always wanted to as a kid. For five days, grownups will “travel the world” to play games, make crafts, sing songs, cook and eat snacks with other youngsters-at-heart. 

Learn more: https://thej.org/learning-culture/camp-gadol/ 

At the J, we promise – this summer, everyone has a place to belong.