• Do you have teen programming?
  • Young teens entering 8th grade can join as campers, and older teens 18+ can apply to work at camp. We hope to offer programming for high school students in the future, but it will not be part of this year’s pilot program. (That said, if you’re a REALLY responsible high school student who REALLY wants to be part of this project, feel free to get in touch and we’ll see what we can do).

• Can I work at camp?
  • We will post job openings soon! Please note that this pilot camp will be very small, likely 12-20 campers, so we are not able to hire many staff (and may not hire from outside our current Acorn Shabbat team at all). Feel free to join our interest list and we hope to work with you in the future if we can’t make it happen this year!

• Our family is not Jewish – is this camp right for us?
  • Non-Jewish campers are warmly welcome at camp. You might choose this camp if you’re seeking a space with strong social justice values; you value learning about diverse spiritual and cultural traditions; you think your child would thrive in a warm, creative, small-group cohort with a daily rhythm rooted in nature connection; your child has not been away from home before and might be overwhelmed by a traditional camp experience with hundreds of people; or your kid is gender-expansive/neurospicy/a role-playing game nerd/doesn’t fit in at other camps and wants a space where they will be accepted exactly as they are!

• Our family has some Jewish ancestry, but we aren’t involved in Jewish community and my kid doesn’t know anything about Judaism – is this camp right for us?
  • This camp was made for you. Many of our families have lost touch with Jewish practice and community over the generations, whether through the pressures of assimilation or because we felt alienated by the nationalism prevalent in Jewish spaces. We don’t assume any previous knowledge of Jewish culture, language, or religion. We are all learning together.

• How do you support trans and nonbinary campers?
  • Many of our Acorn Shabbat youth, staff, and parents are trans, nonbinary, or gender-expansive. We offer a community that is authentically diverse in gender expression, where nobody is the odd one out. We strive to make sure that all children are supported and loved exactly as they are and wherever they are in their journey of self-discovery. We offer both single-gender and mixed-gender tent options, and there is no grouping by gender in the camp program.

• How do I know if my kid is ready for sleepaway camp? How do you support campers who have never been away from home/are nervous/may need some extra support?
  • We are happy to accept any rising 3rd-8th grader who wants to join us. Because of our small size, we can take an individualized approach and communicate with parents about what support each child may need to feel comfortable. If your child does not want to come to camp yet, we’ll be excited to see them in a future year!

• I’m interested, but hesitant to send my kid off to a brand-new camp. What steps are you taking to make sure this pilot program is safe, runs smoothly, and is a good experience for campers?
  • We are excited to partner with Walker Creek Ranch, an outdoor education facility with decades of experience hosting youth groups. Walker Creek ensures that all facilities are safe and well-maintained, cooks delicious and nutritious food, and provides lifeguards to ensure safety at the lake. With all logistics taken care of by our Walker Creek hosts, our team is free to focus fully on programming and support for campers.
  • We are consulting with experienced adult staff from other sleepaway camps to ensure that our daily rhythm, ground rules, and safety practices are fully developed before camp begins.
  • We are assembling an experienced and nurturing staff team and will spend extensive time before camp developing our approach and roles. We are starting small this year, with a single week of programming for a small group of kids, to allow us to test out our systems and scale up gradually.
  • We understand feeling nervous about packing your kid off to a first-year camp!! This is also a great opportunity for families and kids to dream big and play a meaningful role in creating something brand new that the world wants and needs. We value our children’s creativity and see them as co-authors in this venture. We’re happy to chat with parents or kids by Zoom, or provide connections to families who have participated in Acorn Shabbat’s programs. Campers in the Bay Area can also join us for a regular Acorn Shabbat session or day camp before heading to sleepaway camp.