What is Jewish about Camp Shelanu?
Our name, Shelanu (shel-AH-noo) is Hebrew for “our,” so Camp Shelanu means “Our Camp!” We welcome campers and staff of all backgrounds and traditions. While there is no religious instruction or theology taught at camp, we do incorporate Hebrew words and Jewish culture into our camp program. Our camp builds character through an emphasis on inclusion, kindness, empathy, respect, listening, bravery, curiosity, and other Jewish and universal values. We strive to make campers (and grown-ups!) feel comfortable by explaining any Jewish cultural aspects or Hebrew words that are used. Each week, we reward campers for their expression of these character traits, with beads, certificates, and awards such as the coveted Biggest Mensch award. We have several Israeli camp staff, infusing our camp with Jewish and Israeli culture, and we end each week of camp with a brief Kabbalat Shabbat with grape juice, camper-made challah, and short blessings.
How large is camp? How big are the groups?
Camp Shelanu has 200-250 campers per week except during Last Blast, which is much smaller. Classic Campers are divided into co-ed groups by grade level: rising kindergarten and first grade together, rising 2nd-3rd together, rising 4th-5th together, and rising 6th-8th together (Camp Sabra). Campers in one of the Specialty Camps are grouped by the grade ranges specified for that camp.
All groups have two or more staff and never exceed a 9:1 ratio.
What are Camp Shelanu’s age requirements?
Children must be at least 5 years of age by August 31 and be heading into kindergarten to be eligible for Camp Shelanu.
What is the difference between Classic Camp and Specialty Camp?
Camp Shelanu offers two different types of experiences for campers each summer. In Classic Camp, campers will do a wide range of activities every day like art, sports, nature, drama, and more. For our Specialty Camps, campers will spend half of the day focused on a specific skill or activity, like LEGOs, Sewing, or Circus Skills, and they will spend the other half of the day doing Classic Camp Shelanu activities. Classic camp includes swim lessons three times per week for red and yellow bands; specialty campers and campers who already have a green band will not receive swim lessons.
All camp options include daily free swim.
Are there Camp Shelanu perks related to being a Jewish for Good member or a lerner family?
Yes! Jewish for Good members qualify for early registration. Members also receive a discounted rate for camp.*
*Particpants must have an All-inclusive Family Membership, with your campers on the account, to qualify for early registration and member pricing. Family membership must be active through the last day of camp in order to retain the discount.
Families committed to The Lerner School for the upcoming school year are able to register early for Camp Shelanu.
What are the opportunities for ‘tweens and teens?
We have two fabulous opportunities for ‘tweens and teens at Camp Shelanu: our LIT and CIT programs.
The two-week Leaders in Training (LIT) Program is geared for rising 8th-10th graders and provides the opportunity to learn important skills including communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creative problem-solving, empowering them to become leaders in classrooms, youth groups, and the workplace. This experience also provides training to become a CIT at Camp Shelanu! No application is necessary for the LIT program. To enroll, register online when camp registration opens.
The Counselors in Training (CIT) Program is for our rising 9th and 10th graders and these participants serve as responsible team members and leaders at Camp Shelanu and beyond! This is an excellent pre-job experience for any teen.
Both programs help teens develop the skills that are considered most valuable to colleges and employers today. Applications for the CIT program are online now.
My camper has a disability, an IEP, 504 plan, or other additional needs. What accommodations can be made?
Camp Shelanu has an award-winning inclusion program! It is not a separate camp or group and there is no extra fee. Instead, the program is a way to coordinate any extra support or accommodations campers need within their camp or group.
If your camper has a physical, developmental, social/emotional, or behavioral concern and you are not sure if they would be considered as part of the inclusion program, please contact us. We can help determine if there are accommodations or supports that would benefit your child. In general, any child with an IEP, 504 plan, Functional Behavior Assessment, and/or a Behavioral Intervention Plan would be considered part of the program.
If you are interested in exploring more about these services we encourage you to read our comprehensive Inclusion at Shelanu Summary and submit an application for the Inclusion Program.
Applications for the 2025 Inclusion Program are open now.
I hear you have shlichim from Israel every summer. What can you tell me about this program?
The Summer Shlichim program at Camp Shelanu has been an exciting part of our camp’s culture since our first shaliach arrived in 2011. The shlichim bring with them passion, energy, advanced skills, talents, and curiosity. Each week they lead “Israeli Culture” activities teaching the campers about Israeli music, food, games, geography, and other parts of Israeli Culture. Once per summer, our shlichim also plan an “Israel Day” where they transform different rooms in the JCC into different locations in Israel and campers get to experience locations like The Dead Sea, an Israeli market, or the Western Wall. Our visiting Israeli counselors’ contributions to our camp help our campers and community to connect with Judaism abroad and gain global perspectives while building lasting relationships with these incredible young adults.
In order to maintain this wonderful program, we rely on the hospitality and generosity of families in our community who open their homes each summer to our Israeli visitors. One of the essences of the traditional Jewish view on relationships is found in the mitzvah of Hachnasat Orchim—hospitality to guests (literally, “bringing in guests”); an important act of kindness. At Camp Shelanu, we practice the mitzvah of Hachnasat Orchim through our successful tradition of welcoming shlichim from Israel into our camp, our community, and our personal lives. If you are interested in hosting shlichim, please email us at camp@jewishforgood.org.
How do I register?
You can register at any time using our registration portal:
Go to our online registration portal.
Search for camp programs - You can browse by category (Specialty Camps 2nd-5th, Classic Camps 4th-5th, etc.), or filter by program date or camper’s birth date.
Select a camp and click the Register button. You will be prompted to login, set up access to your online account, or create an account.
Members and past members – please enter the name and birth date of the adult primary account holder, and from there you can register your camper
Past participants setting up access to your account, if only a camper is in our system and not a parent, enter the camper’s name and birth date
Guests who have never been part of a membership or program at the Levin JCC, select “Create an Account”
Select your camps
Select the camper’s name and answer a few questions about them.
Click ‘Add More Programs’ to add more camps for this camper or a sibling.
When you are finished selecting camps for all siblings, click Next to check out.
Review your selections and complete your payment
You can pay in full or pay a $50 per week deposit.
You may pay with a credit card or bank draft. You can also apply any gift cards or credits on your account.
Your balance will be automatically scheduled using your original payment method.
You can register at any time. A registration made less than seven days before the start of a camp session is subject to a $15 late registration fee.
Can you switch from one camp to another?
Any change in registration is subject to availability. If you switch to a session with a different price, you will be charged the higher of the two fees. To switch a session, email camp@jewishforgood.org.
Can I get a record of my payment history for tax purposes? What is your EIN/Tax ID number?
Log in at jewishforgood.org/register
On the top right of the white box, click “My Account”, then click View Account from the dropdown menu.
On the left under billing, you will see “Tax Statements.” Statements will automatically become available in January for the previous year.
Our tax ID number is: 58-1384316
Inclusion at Camp Shelanu
Camp Shelanu has an award-winning Inclusion Program and we are accredited by the National Inclusion Project. Inclusion at Camp Shelanu is not a separate camp or group and there is no extra fee. Instead, the program is a way to coordinate any extra support or accommodations campers need within their camp or group.
If your camper has a physical, developmental, social/emotional, or behavioral concern and you are not sure if they would be considered as part of the inclusion program, please contact us. We can help determine if there are accommodations or supports that would benefit your child. In general, any child with an IEP, 504 plan, Functional Behavior Assessment, and/or a Behavioral Intervention Plan would be considered part of the program.
Applications for the 2024 Inclusion Program are open now. Campers will need to fill out the application and the Professionals Form.
For information about camper eligibility, accommodations and inclusion staff, how our inclusion supports look in practice, and to apply, click below.
I HAVE A HIGH SCHOOLER. WHAT CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT THE CAMP EXPLORE PROGRAM?
Camp Explore will return in Summer 2025. Camp Explore, a collaboration between Camp Shelanu and TEACCH, is a week-long camp for teens with disabilities to explore a range of recreational activities. Every day will include an outing to a different location, walking or using public transportation, and going out to lunch together at various types of eating establishments. The curriculum, designed by TEACCH to complement life skills programs focused on vocation, will help teens develop the skills to access and use recreation.
A Typical Day at Camp Shelanu
From drop-off to pick-up, Shelanu campers are living their best lives. Here we address some of the highlights in a typical camp day and answer the questions we’re often asked.
Pickup and Drop off
Pick-up and drop-off happen via carline right next door at The Lerner School, 1935 W. Cornwallis Road. Drop-off runs from 8:25-9:00am. Pickup runs from 3:15-3:45pm. Parents should stay in the car, and staff will greet families and walk campers to or from the car. Door-to-door service!
Extended Care
We offer Before Care from 7:45 - 8:25 and After Care from 3:45-5:30pm.
Daily swim
If you think it’s too good to be true, it isn’t! Weather permitting, everyone swims every day!
All campers are swim tested at the beginning of the season to check their swim ability and are given a colored band that helps lifeguards and counselors more easily identify who can go in the deep end, dive off the diving board, and slide down the slide, among other things.
Swim Lessons
All campers with a red or yellow band ( non-swimmers through those still learning to swim a pool length) enrolled in Classic Camp receive swim lessons three times per week, included in their camp tuition. Alongside their friends, campers have been known to begin the summer as non-swimmers, fearful of the water, and end the summer as confident swimmers, cannonballing off the diving board. All Specialty Camp campers and Classic Camp campers who already have a green band (can swim the length of the pool) will enjoy free swim only.
Food
If your child has food allergies, dietary restrictions, or keeps kosher, please make sure to notify the camp team in advance. While campers bring their own food and we enact a no sharing policy, we periodically provide a special snack or cook and eat something as part of a cooking activity. The camp staff can work with you on solutions. Please note that we are not a nut-free facility, though we are proactively nut-aware. All food provided is in accordance with the Levin JCC’s kashrut policy, and we ask families to observe this policy as well (this means no pork products, no shellfish, and no dairy/meat served together). Please note that our kashrut practices may not match some families’ kashrut practices.
Additionally, if your family would like a loaf of challah or babka, we can send it home with your camper on Friday afternoon. The orders are due by Wednesday at 2pm. You can follow this link to order your challah or babka and start your Shabbat off right. While you’re placing your order, in the “My Comment” section just note that you would like it sent home with Camp Shelanu and list your camper’s name.
Inclement Weather
One of the great things about Camp Shelanu Summer Day Camp is the Jewish for Good campus: our campers enjoy plenty of outdoor activities, but can and do retreat to the air conditioned indoors for rest/quiet time, crafts, and more.
But, if the weather is excessively hot or rainy, outdoor activities will be replaced with more indoor activities. For example, our versatile and expansive facilities mean that a rained-out soccer game just happens on our indoor basketball court and outdoor archery might be replaced with indoor Aerial Silks. In the event of lightning or thunder, swimming is canceled, but an indoor dance party begins in one of our fitness rooms or a rousing game of Sharks and Minnows happens in the Sol Schechter Community Hall!
Health and Safety Policies
What Happens If Someone at Camp Gets Sick?
If a camper demonstrates illness symptoms (fever, cough, extreme G.I. issues) at camp they will be separated from their bunk and their family will be notified for immediate pickup. Campers sent home for illness will need to stay home until they have been symptom free without medication for 24 hours.
What Happens If Someone At Camp Tests Positive For Covid-19?
If your camper is testing positive for COVID-19 and has COVID-19 symptoms, including cough, sore throat, or a fever, please do not sent them to camp.
If a camper or staff member tests positive for COVID-19, the camper’s small group will be notified. For confirmed cases of COVID-19 we are following the CDC’s guidelines.
What Are The Refund Policies For COVID-19 Related Scenarios?
If your camper misses one or two days of camp due to illness or COVID-like symptoms, unfortunately your fees are not refundable. If you miss three or more days of a camp week, we will credit 50% of your camp fees to your account upon request.
If the whole camp needs to close temporarily due to COVID-19, families will receive a pro-rated refund for any missed days due to camp closures.
Tuition
Paying for Camp
A non-refundable $50 deposit for each camper week is due at the time of registration. The remaining balance will be automatically drafted from the original method of payment on May 12th. Scholarships and payment plans are available! Contact the Camp Director for more information.
Refund Policy
We issue refunds, minus the $50 fee per camper per session, up to seven business days before the first day of a session. Please submit your request in writing to camp@jewishforgood.org. You cannot cancel through your user portal. Refunds will not be given for missed days due to illness. For campers in our Inclusion Program, we will issue refunds with no fee if your camper enrolls in Extended School Year programs for weeks you have already registered for camp.
If my camper has to stay home due to COVID-like symptoms, will we get a refund?
If your camper misses one or two days of camp due to illness or COVID-like symptoms, unfortunately your fees are not refundable. If you miss three or more days of a camp week, we will credit 50% of your camp fees to your account. If the whole camp needs to close temporarily due to COVID-19, we would pro-rate a refund for any missed days due to camp closures.
Scholarships/Financial Aid
Camp Shelanu strives to serve the entire community. Scholarship funds are available and awarded based on demonstrated need. Instructions and required documentation are included on the application form.
Summer 2025 Scholarship Applications
Camp Scholarship applications are due January 10. After then, applications will be accepted on a rolling basis as long as funds are available
You may register your camper at any time. If the $50 per week registration deposit is cost-prohibitive, please let us know and we will register you at a $20 per week deposit.
If your 2024 tax returns do not reflect your current financial situation (due to job loss, medical costs, etc.), please describe in the “special circumstances” section and attach relevant documentation.
Email is preferred for submission – you can scan or take a photo (please cross out social security numbers).
Questions? Please contact us at camp@jewishforgood.org or 919-354-4948.
Sam Stern Memorial Sabra Scholarship
This scholarship program is in memory of Samantha Stern, who had an indelible impact on the creation and culture of Camp Shelanu. A counselor at JCC Without Walls camp in 2008-2010, Sam was one of the founding staff of Camp Shelanu in 2011. Many of camp’s favorite songs, traditions, and values stem from Sam’s love of camp and her campers. She was a counselor in the first several years of Camp Sabra middle school program, helping to create the affirming, positive, fun atmosphere campers continue to love. After her death in 2022, this scholarship was created in her memory in coordination with her family.
One camper in rising 6th, 7th, or 8th grade will be awarded 2 weeks of Camp Sabra at no cost. A recipient will be selected based on the following criteria: 1) The scholarship will enable them to benefit from camp where they otherwise would be unlikely to attend, 2) Priority will be given to under-represented groups, including racial minorities, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and those with disabilities. Being part of the Jewish community is not required for eligibility. Campers will only be eligible for the scholarship for one year
Apply using our scholarship application above. Applicants who do not receive the award will be eligible for need-based partial scholarships from the general scholarship fund with no additional application.
To donate to the Sam Stern Scholarship Fund, click here. Under “Campaign”, select Tributes. We will contact you to confirm the details of your tribute.
Background: This scholarship program is in memory of Samantha Stern, who had an indelible impact on the creation and culture of Camp Shelanu. A counselor at JCC Without Walls camp in 2008-2010, Sam was one of the founding staff of Camp Shelanu in 2011. Many of camp’s favorite songs, traditions, and values stem from Sam’s love of camp and her campers. She was a counselor in the first several years of Camp Sabra middle school program, helping to create the affirming, positive, fun atmosphere campers continue to love. After her death in 2022, this scholarship was created in her memory in coordination with her family.
The Scholarship: One camper will be awarded 2 free weeks in Camp Sabra, the middle school program of Camp Shelanu day camp. Activities include nature, arts, sports, STEM, daily swim, and weekly field trips. Families must provide transportation and lunch. Camp Shelanu is part of Jewish for Good and includes Jewish values and traditions; however campers of all backgrounds are welcome.
Eligibility: Campers entering 6th, 7th, or 8th grade who would not otherwise be able to attend camp. Priority given to under-represented groups, including racial minorities, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and those with disabilities. Being part of the Jewish community is not required for eligibility.
Application Process:
When submitting the standard scholarship application, please note that you are interested in the “Sam Stern Memorial Sabra Scholarship” and send in answers to the following two questions:
1) This scholarship is intended for a camper to benefit from camp where they otherwise would be unlikely to attend. Please write one paragraph about what you would hope your camper would get out of two weeks at Camp Shelanu.
2) Priority is given to under-represented groups, including racial minorities, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and those with disabilities. Being part of the Jewish community is not required for eligibility. Please share anything you would like us to consider about your camper’s identity related to these groups.
Employment at Camp Shelanu
Who is the Camp Shelanu staff?
We have a dedicated year-round and seasonal team that makes Camp Shelanu such a success. Camp Shelanu staff are chosen on the basis of enthusiasm, experience with and love for children, maturity, and leadership. Staff in specific skill-based areas are provided special training and come with additional experience. All applicants require references, an interview, and a criminal background check. Staff receive training in programming, behavior management, safety and supervision, and sexual abuse prevention.
General Counselors: This is a full-time, 40-hr/week seasonal position for staff with experience and interest in working with children. Experience managing groups of children is preferred. We have an inclusion program which allows us to include children with disabilities (including mental, social-emotional, physical) in general camp activities with extra staff support. Inclusion at Camp Shelanu is everybody’s job! Staff receive extensive training and CPR and First Aid certifications. Must be 15+ years old to apply. To apply for Camp Counselor position click here.
After Care Counselors: This is a part-time, 12-30 hr/week seasonal position for staff with experience and interest in working with children only in the afternoons. Experience managing groups of children is preferred. Staff receive extensive training and CPR and First Aid certifications. Must be 15+ years old. To apply for After Care positions, click here.
Inclusion Counselors: This is a full-time, 40-hr/week seasonal position for staff who are experienced and interested in working with campers with disabilities. Staff must be 18+ years old, and priority is given to those enrolled in related degree-program or working in the field. Internships may be available. More information on our Inclusion Program can be found here. Contact us with questions about the Inclusion Program or internships. To apply for an Inclusion Counselor position click here.
Specialists: These are part-time, 8-20 hr/week seasonal positions for staff with experience developing curriculum and leading groups of children in activities such as sports, dance, arts and crafts, nature, team-building, drama, and music. We have an inclusion program which allows us to include children with disabilities (including mental, social-emotional, physical) in general camp activities with extra staff support. Specialists with experience scaffolding activities, mentoring youth, and desire to meet the needs of all children in the program are preferred. Schedules and hours depend on precise roles. An understanding of childhood development and ability to tailor activities for various age groups is a priority in hiring. To apply for Specialist positions, click here.
Leaders In Training (LIT) and Counselors in Training (CIT): The two-week Leaders in Training (LIT) Program is geared for rising 8th-10th graders and provides the opportunity to learn important skills including communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creative problem-solving, empowering them to become leaders in classrooms, youth groups, and the workplace. This experience also provides training to become a CIT at Camp Shelanu! Both programs can be used to fulfill community service requirements.
The Counselors in Training (CIT) Program is for our rising 9th and 10th graders and these participants serve as responsible team members and leaders at Camp Shelanu and beyond! This is an excellent pre-job experience for any teen!
There is no registration for the LIT program. Register when camp registration is open. To apply for the CIT program, click here.