camp run by other religion, do they really welcome other non-religious kids?

[Anonymous]

Our families have no religion, and my kid is asian. When I shop around summer camp, I come across some camps run by religion (e.g. Jewish or christian), do they really welcome other non-religious kids? I take a look at those camp pictures, I don't see any single asian kids in jewish camp but I see some asian kids in christian ones. I assume that jewish camp is probably not for us, especially they may speak other language, should I avoid those religion run camps at temple/church?

[Anonymous]

It depends on the camp, but a lot of the Christian camps will have things like chapel or Bible lessons. They will 100% try to convert your kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It depends on the camp, but a lot of the Christian camps will have things like chapel or Bible lessons. They will 100% try to convert your kid.

+1 Do not send your kid to Christian camp if you're not comfortable with a ton of proselytizing.

[Anonymous]

Reform Jewish camps will welcome everyone, but there likely be blessings before meals and, if it's a sleep away camp, Friday night and/or Saturday morning services. It's really up to you/your child if you're comfortable with that. The camp will be all in English, but prayers will be in Hebrew (which most of the Jewish campers don't know either).

[Anonymous]

I send my kid to Camp Sonshine for 2-4 weeks after summer. It is a Christian camp. They welcome children of all religions and backgrounds. We are a 2 mom
Family and DD is adopted and we feel totally comfortable there. There is no praying before meals, no Bible verses, no discussion of Jesus, they do talk about God in the sense that he loves everyone. They are big on being kind to everyone, helping the kids get to know each other, they do do skits which sometimes have a theme from the Bible once a week. There is no trying to convert you or anything like that.

[Anonymous]

Every summer, not after summer

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Reform Jewish camps will welcome everyone, but there likely be blessings before meals and, if it's a sleep away camp, Friday night and/or Saturday morning services. It's really up to you/your child if you're comfortable with that. The camp will be all in English, but prayers will be in Hebrew (which most of the Jewish campers don't know either).

+1. Look for a "Jewish-lite" camp. One not affliated with URJ. My sons go to one of these, and there is very little religion there at all. But you should recognize that most campers will be Jewish, and there will be lots of b'nai mitzvahs to attend during the year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It depends on the camp, but a lot of the Christian camps will have things like chapel or Bible lessons. They will 100% try to convert your kid.

+1 Do not send your kid to Christian camp if you're not comfortable with a ton of proselytizing.

+2 Jewish camps, even reform, are not open to gentiles I'm told.

[Anonymous]

Jewish camps vary. The JCC camp in my city is open to and attended by quite a few non-Jews. Religious content is present, but light. Our local Chabad camp accepts and occasionally gets non-Jewish campers, but there is a lot of religious content, boys and girls are separated, and the majority of campers are Orthodox Jews.

I think looking at social media is a good idea, like you are doing, to get a sense of what the programming is like and whi attends.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It depends on the camp, but a lot of the Christian camps will have things like chapel or Bible lessons. They will 100% try to convert your kid.

+1 Do not send your kid to Christian camp if you're not comfortable with a ton of proselytizing.

+2 Jewish camps, even reform, are not open to gentiles I'm told.

You were told wrong.

[Anonymous]

Some camps run AT a church are primarily just using their space. My Jewish son went to a camp at a church and there was no religious content at all. They also do an after care program and a daycare.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I send my kid to Camp Sonshine for 2-4 weeks after summer. It is a Christian camp. They welcome children of all religions and backgrounds. We are a 2 mom
Family and DD is adopted and we feel totally comfortable there. There is no praying before meals, no Bible verses, no discussion of Jesus, they do talk about God in the sense that he loves everyone. They are big on being kind to everyone, helping the kids get to know each other, they do do skits which sometimes have a theme from the Bible once a week. There is no trying to convert you or anything like that.

This was our experience at camp sonshine too.