Want to Be a Jewish Camp Counselor?

It’s not essential to be Jewish and work at a Jewish summer camp – many are very happy to accept staff who have an open mind and respect their culture and beliefs.

However, if you are Jewish, then you will be incredibly appealing to Jewish summer camps who are always searching for international Jewish staff. To ensure your application is picked up by a Jewish summer camp, make sure you select Jewish as your religion. You will have the option to say whether you’re practising or not, and the level of commitment Judaism plays within your every life e.g. from traditionally Jewish to Orthodox. This will be taken into consideration if a Jewish Camp would like to place you.

If you’ve already got childcare experience, you’re ideal to take on the role of a Camp Counselor. You’ll be taking constant care of the kids throughout the summer. This includes waking them up in the mornings, joining in with their full day of activities and then making sure they go to bed at night. You’ll be keeping them organised and safe, making sure they listen to instructions (and follow them…) and also serving as a key source of fun and entertainment throughout the day!

Outside of faith-based activities and practices, most Jewish Camps are not dissimilar to traditional summer camps. This means they will be looking for counselors who can make sure their campers enjoy the best summer ever.

By approaching every day and every activity with enthusiasm and fun, you’ll make sure your campers feel the same way too. They’ll be much more willing to step out of their own comfort zones and embrace new experiences, especially if they’re first-time campers who might already be feeling a bit unsure or nervous.

From sunrise to lights out, you’re likely talking to someone, somewhere. From your campers themselves, to other counselors and staff members, you’re going to need your communication skills to be in tip-top shape.

With the campers, you need to be able to strike the balance between understanding and following rules and expectations, and creating incredible memories of one of the best summers they’ll ever have. Although, remember communication isn’t just about talking - you’ll need to actively listen to any problems or concerns, and make sure campers feel valued and heard.

With other counselors and staff members, you’ll also be building a network of hugely supportive relationships at camp, and likely developing new friendships you’ll have for years and years to come. Communication becomes one of the most important aspects of the teamwork you’ll need to make sure each day runs smoothly.

You’re going to spend a minimum of 9 weeks working with kids of varying ages at camp. They’re going to be excited and energetic, and you just wait until the sugar in those s’mores hits their system!

Patience is a hugely valuable skill to have in your remit. By being patient you’ll be able to let the campers express themselves to their fullest, all the while retaining control, maintaining the fun and being as supportive as you possibly can. When a challenge arises, patience can help you navigate it with ease.

Camp life and kids are unpredictable, so having some flexibility is going to help you out a lot in daily camp life. Joining this together with some problem-solving skills, you’ll be able to navigate plenty of tricky situations.

From changes to the schedule, handling bad weather or dealing with unexpected events, being flexible will help you handle a changing camp environment in a way that means your campers likely remain oblivious to the fact that this wasn’t the plan all along. The more enthusiastic you are about new plans, the more on board your campers will be too!