Jewish Life

At Camps Airy & Louise, we’re proud of our Jewish identity and our heritage. For 100 years, we’ve provided generations of Jewish children the opportunity to connect, to learn and to explore what it means for them to be Jewish in an increasingly secular world.

Parents often ask “How Jewish is Camps Airy & Louise?” The answer is often “As Jewish as you want us to be.” We cater to families from across the spectrum of Judaism. For some campers, attending Camps Airy & Louise is their only connection to their religion. Others attend Jewish Day Schools. We have reform families, conservative families, interfaith families, and families who only identify as being Jewish culturally. Students preparing for their Bar and Bat Mitzvahs have the opportunity to train with any one of our knowledgeable staff members. And, they can build personal connections with our Israeli staff. It’s a big tent, and all are welcome.

Louise girls coloring

Each Friday evening , we welcome Shabbat with a pluralistic observance filled with singing, and join together for Israeli folk dancing and song sessions in the evening. Saturday begins with a meditative service surrounded by our friends under a canopy of trees, continues with a special day of events, and ends lighting the Havdallah candle. True to tradition, it’s a day of rest, of reflection, of traditions (many unique to our Camp) and of friendship.

We celebrate Jewish values at Camp through the practices of Klal Yisrael (the Jewish people), Tikkun Olam (repairing our world) and Tikkun Middot (improving our personal ethics and values). Camp Louise selects a “Middah of the Week,” picking one of 48 traditional values for campers to practice throughout the week, and they are recognized for practicing them exceptionally by their bunkmates. Camp Airy does something similar through their “Mensch on a Bench” honor during Shabbat services. Meals are served kosher-style so that everyone feels welcome.

Louise girls eating in the dining hall

Camps Airy & Louise offer a Jewish experience that’s right for a wide range of families, who celebrate a wide range of traditions. And with four generations of Jewish campers passing through our gates, we like to think we’ve created just a few of our own as well.

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