By Betzy Lynch in La Jolla, California
For nearly 80 years, summers at the JCC have carried a familiar kind of magic. A transformation that appears to happen overnight is actually the result of months of preparation by dedicated professionals and volunteers who expand the J into something larger, louder, and more alive. In a matter of hours, hallways fill with camp songs, basketballs bounce through the gym, outside voices somehow make their way inside, and more than 550 campers each week bring an unmistakable energy to campus. Camp Jaycee begins, and with it comes one of the most enduring traditions in Jewish communal life.
The origins of Jewish summer camp were never simply about recreation or childcare. Jewish camps emerged in North America in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as Jewish immigrant families searched for ways to help their children grow up healthy, connected, and proud of who they were in an increasingly modern and assimilated society. Many early camps were founded by synagogues, settlement houses, and Jewish communal organizations to give children fresh air, relief from crowded urban life, and a safe environment in which Jewish life could flourish openly and joyfully.
But something much deeper happened. Camp became one of the great engines of modern Jewish identity.
Following World War II and the Holocaust, Jewish camps took on even greater significance. At a moment when the Jewish people were rebuilding after unimaginable loss, camps became places where Jewish continuity could be restored through joy instead of fear. Major Jewish movements invested heavily in camping because they understood something powerful: identity is not formed only through instruction; it is formed through experience, relationships, ritual, and belonging.
Long before phrases like “immersive engagement” and “experiential Judaism” became common communal language, Jewish camp was already doing that work. Camp created environments where Judaism was not confined to a classroom or a single hour each week. Judaism became woven into the rhythm of daily life through songs, Shabbat under the stars, Hebrew cheers, Israeli dancing, storytelling, friendship, color wars, mentorship, and shared memories that would last a lifetime.
Jewish tradition has always understood the importance of community and shared experience. The Torah teaches, Lo tov heyot ha’adam levado, it is not good for a person to be alone. Our people became a people not in isolation, but together in the wilderness: living, learning, struggling, celebrating, and growing side by side. In many ways, Jewish camp recreates that same experience for a modern generation.
That is why camp matters more now than ever.
We are living in a time of increasing anxiety, loneliness, identity fragmentation, and declining communal connection, especially among young people. In a world dominated by screens, algorithms, and transactional relationships, camp offers something increasingly rare: authentic human connection. At camp, everyone is known by name. Campers build independence, confidence, and friendships in real time. They experience what it means to belong to a community that celebrates them exactly as they are.
For many children, camp is the first place where being Jewish feels not different, but normal, even joyful. It becomes the place where lifelong friendships begin, mentors emerge, leadership skills are developed, and Jewish identity becomes associated with warmth, meaning, and pride.
The long-term impact is extraordinary. Research consistently shows that Jewish camp participants are more likely to become engaged Jewish adults, active community members, volunteers, philanthropists, synagogue participants, and parents raising Jewish children of their own. Entire networks of Jewish communal leadership trace their roots back to camp friendships and camp experiences.
Pirkei Avot teaches, “Do not separate yourself from the community.” Jewish camp lives that wisdom every summer. It reminds us that belonging is built through shared experiences, shared responsibility, and shared joy.
On May 31, we will celebrate more than 80 years of Camp Jaycee at the Campfire Gala. Together, we will honor a tradition that has shaped generations and continues to strengthen the future of our community. Your support helps ensure that every child, regardless of financial circumstances, can experience the joy, belonging, confidence, and connection that camp makes possible.
Because camp does not simply create memories. It creates identity. It creates community. And it helps build the future leadership of our community. Let’s savor that magic together and make this summer the best one yet.
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Betzy Lynch is the CEO of the Lawrence Family JCC.