PLATINUM2022

JEWISH RECONSTRUCTIONIST CAMPING CORPORATION

Be you, boldly

aka Havaya Summer Programs   |   Wyncote, PA   |  http://www.HavayaSummerPrograms.org

Mission

Havaya Summer Programs -- Camp Havaya and Havaya Israel -- are lively, welcoming, and diverse communities where kids explore Judaism in their own ways and become the best versions of themselves. It’s no wonder that so many campers call us home!

Ruling year info

2003

Executive Director

Rabbi Isaac Saposnik

Main address

1299 Church Road

Wyncote, PA 19095 USA

Show more contact info

EIN

36-4478803

NTEE code info

Recreational and Sporting Camps (Day, Overnight, etc.) (N20)

Religious Leadership, Youth Development (O55)

Jewish (X30)

IRS filing requirement

This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.

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Communication

Programs and results

What we aim to solve

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Our programs

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?

Camp Havaya

Camp Havaya is all about the joy of summer camp with the freedom to be who you truly are. Our campers run, climb, swim, play, sing, dance, learn, pray, explore, and connect on 120 beautiful acres in the Poconos Mountains of Pennsylvania.

Population(s) Served
Children and youth
Jewish people

On Havaya Israel, teens hear personal stories, discuss issues from varying viewpoints, and visit sites that complicate the narrative. Along with all the fun of international travel with their peers, these unique opportunities make their connection to Israel – and to Judaism – all that more meaningful.

Population(s) Served
Jewish people
Adolescents

Where we work

Our results

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.

Number of families served

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Increasing

Context Notes

Due to COVID, we were unable to operate in-person during Summer 2020. 2018 and 2019 data includes a second site, which did not reopen after 2020.

Number of overall donors

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Type of Metric

Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues

Direction of Success

Increasing

Goals & Strategy

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.

Charting impact

Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.

Havaya Summer Programs are all about the joy of summer camp with the freedom to be who you truly are. In our incredibly diverse and accepting communities, all kids—no matter their race, sexual orientation, gender identity, family structure, or Jewish background—are more than welcomed. They’re celebrated! We are Reconstructionist communities open to all, where campers are encouraged to explore traditions and today’s world to discover what being Jewish means to them. Their different experiences and perspectives are a big part of what makes our camps so amazing.

We’ve worked hard to make each of our Havaya Summer Programs a place where kids of different races, cultures, family compositions, and practices are not only included but welcomed.

At Camp Havaya, kids run, climb, swim, play, sing, dance, learn, pray, explore, and connect on 120 beautiful acres in the Poconos Mountains of Pennsylvania. Through immersive education, social interactions, and outdoor experiences, they have countless opportunities to become their best selves.

At Havaya Arts, campers use the arts as a point of entry and connection – both to the Jewish community and as a means of self-exploration. Guided by resident teaching artists, they dive deeply into visual arts, music, theater arts, and dance and movement, all with the goal of growing as intentional artists and amazing human beings.

On Havaya Israel, teens move past the history books and the news to explore real life in modern-day Israel. They hear personal stories, discuss issues from varying viewpoints, and visit sites that complicate the narrative. Along with all the fun of international travel with your peers, these unique opportunities make their connection to Israel – and to Judaism – all that more meaningful.

With decades of experience meeting all kinds of needs and providing a safe and loving environment, our staff makes sure our campers have nothing to worry about except deciding what’s the most fun every day. Our year-round professional staff have more than 40 combined years of camp leadership experience; many of them are sought-after speakers on topics of child safety, diversity and inclusion, and immersive Jewish youth experiences.

Reconstructing Judaism has originated many of the core innovations within American Judaism and lead efforts to make our community even more forward-thinking, inclusive, and relevant. As the camps of the Reconstructionist movement, we bring these commitments to the next generation, creating an environment that embraces diverse experiences and beliefs while remaining distinctly—and strongly—Jewish.

In all we do, we partner with families, congregations, and like-minded organizations to learn, grow, and teach – and to amplify our impact.

Founded in 2002 as Camp JRF, we moved four years later to the Aaron and Marjorie Ziegelman Campus in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania. Over the course of nearly two decades, we grew from 39 campers to more than 400; opened a SARA National Design Award-winning Eco-Village for teen campers; went through a strategic organizational rebranding, including name change; and became known as one of the premier non-profit Jewish overnight camps in North America.

In 2017, we received a $1.4M grant from Foundation for Jewish Camp, funded by the Jim Joseph Foundation and AVI CHAI Foundation, to open Havaya Arts, one of the first exclusively arts-focused Jewish camps in North America.

For more than a decade, Havaya Israel has provided teens with opportunities to explore the intricacies of Israeli life, politics, religion, and culture. In 2019, we became one of the first groups in recent years to bring a group of American Jewish teens into Bethlehem and Tekoa – truly exposing them to varying narratives.

Havaya Summer Programs value all campers for who they are and inspire them to become the best version of themselves. In our camp communities, kids are encouraged to explore and celebrate their diverse perspectives and shared values. This passion for inclusion is core to our mission and vision for the future, and we are rightly recognized as a leader in this work. We look forward to continuing to lead the way in the years to come.

How we listen

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.

done We demonstrated a willingness to learn more by reviewing resources about feedback practice.
done We shared information about our current feedback practices.
  • How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?

    To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve

  • Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?

    We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We act on the feedback we receive

  • What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?

Financials

JEWISH RECONSTRUCTIONIST CAMPING CORPORATION
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Operations

The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.

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Connect with nonprofit leaders

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Build relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.

  • Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
  • Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
  • Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations

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JEWISH RECONSTRUCTIONIST CAMPING CORPORATION

Board of directors
as of 02/24/2022
SOURCE: Self-reported by organization
Board chair

Andrew Kaplan

Board leadership practices

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.

  • Ethics and transparency
    Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes
  • Board performance
    Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes

Organizational demographics

SOURCE: Self-reported; last updated 2/24/2022

Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.

Leadership

The organization's leader identifies as:

Race & ethnicity
White/Caucasian/European
Gender identity
Male, Not transgender (cisgender)
Sexual orientation
Heterosexual or straight
Disability status
Person without a disability

Race & ethnicity

No data

Gender identity

No data

 

No data

Sexual orientation

No data

Disability

No data

Equity strategies

Last updated: 02/24/2022

GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more

Data
  • We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
  • We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
  • We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
Policies and processes
  • We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
  • We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
  • We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
  • We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.