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.

We conduct annual satisfaction surveys with our campers, staff, and family members. We take the results to heart, make changes as needed, and often see significant improvement year-over-year. Together with growing enrollment, anecdotal feedback from those we serve, and continued contact with alumni, we’re able to follow both the short-term and long-term impact of our work. And even though we’ve been around for less than two decades, we can already see that – because their experiences are deeply personal – the connections our campers make are lasting.

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.