It's hard to explain, but Jewish camps came out of a different thing than regular summer camp. If you're actually interested, read "The Jews of Summer: Summer Camp and Jewish Culture in Postwar America" - it's an academic book... (From the description: "In the decades directly following the Holocaust, American Jewish leaders anxiously debated how to preserve and produce what they considered authentic Jewish culture, fearful that growing affluence and suburbanization threatened the future of Jewish life. Many communal educators and rabbis contended that without educational interventions, Judaism as they understood it would disappear altogether. They pinned their hopes on residential summer camps for Jewish youth: institutions that sprang up across the U.S. in the postwar decades as places for children and teenagers to socialize, recreate, and experience Jewish culture. ...")

Anonymous wrote:Why Jewish families tend to put kids at sleepaway camp at young age? Do they normally prefer to attend Jewish sleepaway camp only? We are not Jewish, but my child's best friend is. Are non Jewish kids allowed to attend Jewish sleepaway camp? What are the biggest differences between Jewish sleepaway camps or non Jewish sleepaway camps?

I don't quite understand the "young age" part of your question. I don't think this is necessarily a Jewish thing. My child started sleepaway camp at age 6, along with a unit full of other 6-year olds. I didn't ask the religious affiliation of the other campers, but it was not a Jewish camp.

Anonymous wrote:Why Jewish families tend to put kids at sleepaway camp at young age? Do they normally prefer to attend Jewish sleepaway camp only? We are not Jewish, but my child's best friend is. Are non Jewish kids allowed to attend Jewish sleepaway camp? What are the biggest differences between Jewish sleepaway camps or non Jewish sleepaway camps?

The non Jewish sleep away camps won't celebrate shabbat, sing Jewish prayers or eat kosher food. They are also likely less expensive. Non Jewish kids don't usually attend Jewish sleep away camp.

What do you consider a young age?

I am Jewish and went to Jewish sleepaway camp starting at age 11. A lot of people started younger. It is just a really nice cultural experience to meet other Jewish kids and cultivate your Jewish identity. A lot of people have siblings, cousins and friends and the same camps. Some may know moms working there for the summer - so it usually doesn’t feel like you’re sending your kid entirely into the unknown.

Can’t speak to the differences between Jewish and non Jewish sleepaway camps. There are really nice and really dumpy camps across both Jewish and non Jewish. I went to a nicer Jewish sleepaway in the poconos and we did a lot of sports competitions with a lot of very fancy camps in the area - some Jewish but mostly not.

For me as a kid and for my kids now, camp immersed us in cultural life with people with similar backgrounds growing up in places with limited other Jewish kids at school. We can sing our songs and talk about our traditions and celebrate our sabbath without being the odd one out because of it. It’s a sense of belonging and connection that follows you through life.

I don’t recall any non Jewish kids at my camp. My camp wasn’t super religious but the color war teams were Jewish themed (go team Challah 1989!) and we sang blessings before a meal and songs on Friday nights. We attended each others bar/bat mitzvahs. And to this day we play “Jewish Geography” every time we meet another Jewish person to figure out who our mutual friends are from camp and youth group.

Anonymous wrote:I have read that Jewish kids went to camp because Jews were not included in country clubs way back. I am Jewish and went to non religious camps. My guess is a non Jewish kid would feel a bit unconnected at a Jewish camp.

Some of the ruder kids call them Muggles.

I have read that Jewish kids went to camp because Jews were not included in country clubs way back. I am Jewish and went to non religious camps. My guess is a non Jewish kid would feel a bit unconnected at a Jewish camp.

For more observant Jewish families, it’s important because they can make sure their kid has access to kosher food and observes Shabbat.

I was raised Reform, and went to Jewish day camp a couple times just because it was fun.

Jewish camps really surrounds you in Jewish culture. Friday night Shabbots are a big deal. You'll hear a lot of Yiddish phrases and sing Hebrew songs. When I went, I really felt connected to everybody there. I felt closer to my grandparents and great-grandparents who came to America from the old country, like I understood them and their identities and culture more. I came out out of my summer camp years as a better person, not only a better Jew.

Why Jewish families tend to put kids at sleepaway camp at young age? Do they normally prefer to attend Jewish sleepaway camp only? We are not Jewish, but my child's best friend is. Are non Jewish kids allowed to attend Jewish sleepaway camp? What are the biggest differences between Jewish sleepaway camps or non Jewish sleepaway camps?