Introduction

ABOUT US

URJ Eisner Camp harnesses the transformative power of Jewish camping to create meaningful relationships that lay the foundation for our community. Children and teens from across the Northeast join together each summer to experience the fun and magic of our kehillah kedoshah (sacred community). 

 Since we opened our gates in 1958, Eisner Camp continues to serve as a second home to hundreds of children each summer who come together to experience the fun and magic of Jewish camping. 

 Caring and committed staff strive to enrich the campers’ experiences by creating opportunities for them to build lasting friendships and become the best versions of themselves. Our staff cultivates curious minds and a creative spirit by providing encouragement and support as our campers embrace the challenges of learning new skills in athletics, aquatics, the arts, and outdoor adventure programs. Grounded in Jewish values, the Eisner Camp community is immersed in a wide range of innovative educational pursuits and unique spiritual experiences. 

 Our intimate (tech-free and parent-free) environment allows campers to embrace the challenge of learning new skills in athletics, aquatics, the arts, and adventure and nature programs. What campers don’t realize is that they are learning communication, collaboration, creativity, grit and empathy – the predictors of success in camp, school and beyond. 

 From the youngest of our campers to the oldest of our Machon (Counselors-in-Training), every child who spends a summer at Eisner Camp returns home wiser, more self-confident, and more connected to the Jewish community. 

 Eisner Camp is more than a summer of fun, it is an experience that lasts a lifetime. Everything we do at Eisner Camp is intentional. Campers and counselors alike strive each day to embody our mission statement, which we believe help us to be the best selves and community we can be. 

 Eisner Camp is more than a summer of fun – it is an experience that lasts a lifetime!

Our Mission Statement

Hineini – Here I am

… I am here to strengthen my own self-esteem and that of everyone in the camp community.

… I am here to strengthen my own Jewish identity and spirituality and that of everyone

in the camp community.

… I am here to strengthen my connection to the Crane Lake community and the Jewish community and to help everyone around me to do the same.

… I am here to do as much as I can, in the time that I have, in the place that I am, and to inspire others to join me in this holy work.

For it is written: “Lo alecha hamlacha ligmor, v’lo ata ben chorin, l’heebatel mimena.”

“You are not required to complete the work, nor are you free to ignore it.” Pirke Avot 2:16

Our Goals

…are reflected in our day-to-day life at camp. Every five years, Eisner is visited by the American Camping Association. Since Eisner always meets the ACA’s high standards, we continue to receive their accreditation. We are committed to providing:

• a safe camp community
• caring, competent adult role models
• healthy, developmentally-appropriate experiences
• service to the community and the natural world
• opportunities for leadership and personal growth
• discovery, experiential education, and learning opportunities
• excellence and continuous self-improvement

Our Campers

Eisner Camp strives to embody the “audacious hospitality” of the Reform Movement. We welcome campers and staff members from families of all backgrounds–including those with interfaith, same-sex or single parents–or those who identify as LGBTQ.

Eisner is proud of our open, supportive and inclusive environment. The make-up of the URJ and our programs are as diverse as our population; therefore, our communities represent that vibrant and colorful fabric that makes up the Reform Jewish population. We are proud that our camps and programs are inclusive and designed for everyone in our community from LGBTQ to children with single, same sex or interfaith parents, to children of color. Our program is created to strengthen the self-esteem, Jewish identity, and connection to the Jewish community of all campers through the supportive nature of our people, staff, and programs.

Campers range from ages 7 to 17 and are entering grades 2-12. A great many of our campers and staff members come from the greater New York and Boston Regions. We also have representation from all over the Northeast as well as from across the United States and overseas. Most of our campers are members of Reform Jewish synagogues. 

We place our campers into eight units based on the school grade they will enter immediately after camp. This way, each unit is comprised of children who are socially, physically, and developmentally on approximately the same level. Our units at camp are as follows:

Campers entering 11th grade spend an unforgettable summer in Israel with their Eisner friends on the NFTY in Israel program run by the North American Federation of Temple Youth, the youth movement of the URJ.  

 Our K’tanim program runs for either two weeks (K’tanim 1 and K’tanim 2) or three weeks (K’tanim 3). This introductory program is perfect for our youngest campers, most of whom will be away from home for the first time. Special attention is paid to teaching them how to get around camp and enjoy all that it has to offer. K’tanim stays together throughout the day for all its many self-contained activities. Our “little ones” form wonderful friendships and have a great time during what we hope will be the first of many summers at Eisner. 

 Our Machon unit is a Counselor-In-Training program. Machon is an integral part of the Northeast Teen Collective, our initiative to increase the number of teens participating in Jewish life while inspiring them to be agents of change. During the first session of camp, our Machonikim participate in an intensive leadership training program, preparing them for all aspects of being staff members as well as leaders in their home communities. During the second session of camp, our Machonikim become counselors, sports coaches, waterfront instructors, logistic staff and more as they receive on-the-job training. 

 For families who live year-round or summer in Southern Berkshire County, we offer a unique Day Camp program for children ages 4-7 years old. Our Day Camp is on the grounds of Eisner Camp and our very youngest campers enjoy the facilities and programs of our overnight camp. 

Our Staff

Our staff has been carefully selected and intensely trained by our camp directors to keep our campers safe, happy and instill the values of Crane Lake. Before our campers arrive, all staff members participate in an intensive training program. This on-site training includes workshops led by our camp directors, outside professionals, and industry experts.

Our bunk counselors are Jewish college and university students who bring abundant warmth and energy to our camp community. Many of them are former Crane Lake campers, comfortable at camp, familiar with camp routines and traditions, and eager to share their love for Crane Lake and Reform Judaism with this next generation of campers.

Our various sports coaches, lifeguards, arts, and outdoor adventure instructors are college and graduate students from all over the world. They share their particular areas of expertise with our campers. Our swim staff are American Red Cross Certified Lifeguards.

Over 20 energetic Israelis join our staff each summer. They are coaches, instructors, and bunk counselors. They infuse Israeli culture into the daily life at camp as well as create Israel-themed evening programs, and teaching Hebrew.

Our Leadership Team is made up of college seniors, college graduates, graduate students, and young professionals as well as adults with many years of experience working with children.

In past summers, our international staff have come from Australia, The Czech Republic, England, France, New Zealand, Poland and South Africa. Our Support Staff (kitchen, maintenance, and housekeeping) come to Crane Lake through international programs that send qualified young adults to various summer camps in America.

Our wonderful 24-hour professional Health Center is staffed by a doctor and caring registered nurses.

Every week a group of dynamic rabbis, cantors, and educators from URJ congregations from throughout the northeast come to camp for a week or two at a time to teach, worship and have fun with our campers.

Our education faculty is an essential part of the Reform Jewish community at camp.

STAFF TRAINING

Our Leadership Team, who work as unit heads and department heads, arrive at camp three weeks before our campers. Our specialists, including coaches, art instructors, lifeguards, ropes course instructors, outdoor education and Limud staff arrive more than two weeks before our campers. They have ample time to train, get certified by outside professionals when appropriate, and set up their activity areas. Our general counselors arrive at camp eight days before the campers arrive, joining the specialists for Staff Training Week in which they learn about working with children and being a Crane Lake staff member. When Opening Day arrives, our entire staff is confident, energized, excited, and ready to meet our campers.

OUR CAMPERS BECOME OUR STAFF

Many of our staff members were campers themselves having grown up at Crane Lake and choosing to work with the next generation of Crane Lake campers. Our campers become our best counselors! As a way to pay it forward, our staff take all they’ve learned as campers and put it in their “toolkit” as counselors: resiliency, compassion, self-confidence, civility, patience, the ability to speak out, stand up and fix what is broken in our world, embracing Judaism and so much more. These skills are essential not only in camp, but everywhere in life and will positively impact them as they enter the job market after college. We hope our campers will be our staff members for many years after high school and are thrilled that so many are!

Audacious Hospitality

Crane Lake is proud of our open, supportive and inclusive environment. Our camp community represents that vibrant and colorful fabric that makes up the Reform Jewish population. Our camp and programs are inclusive and designed for everyone in our community from LGBTQ to children with single, same sex or interfaith parents, to children of color. We hope that our campers and staff strengthen their self-esteem, Jewish identity, and connection to the Jewish community through the inclusive nature of our people, staff, and programs.

We are committed to building a vibrant community rooted in Jewish values and to bringing the transformative power of Jewish summer camp to every child and family who come through our gates. From our policies to our programs and camp traditions, we strive to reflect our camp’s core values and those of the URJ:

Kehillah Kedoshah – A Holy Community

We are a sacred community, responsible for one another.

V’ahavta L’reyecha – Love Thy Neighbor as Thyself

We should behave towards one another with love and kindness.

Hachnasat Orchim – Welcome the Stranger

Camp is a place of “audacious hospitality,” where all who enter are celebrated.

Yichut Atsmo – Personal Growth

Camp is a uniquely transformative opportunity for young people to take risks and grow, and our job at Crane Lake is to nurture that growth.

INTERFAITH FAMILIES

Your child – any child from an interfaith family who is being raised as a Jew – has a place at our camp. For over 30 years, the Reform Movement has been at the forefront of the Jewish world ensuring a welcoming environment for interfaith families. As Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) President Rabbi Rick Jacobs has stated, “Creating pathways for Jews and non-Jewish partners to create active Jewish homes is a blessing.”

What happens at a URJ camp? What is Jewish living?
Camp is fun! Our campers experience a great atmosphere, terrific activities and programs, values that come to life every day and friendships. This happens all under the watchful eyes of our caring, responsible counselors or other adult role models (some of whom either are children of interfaith families or themselves non-Jewish).

Your child, when entrusted to our camp, will experience what it is like to live a completely Jewish lifestyle. This complete absorption into the rhythms and calendar of Jewish living gives each child a fuller appreciation of the richness of their Jewish identity and heritage. They are taught the values of charity, justice and kindness. Experience has shown that they will bring these values home.

Will my child feel isolated or different because one parent is not Jewish?
Not at all. Each child at Crane Lake is valued as the unique individual they are, with the wonderful attributes they bring to our community. Each child is recognized as a full member of the Jewish community whether they have one or two Jewish parents. Celebrating Judaism includes respecting those of other faiths as well.

Will my child feel embarrassed if they aren’t familiar with a Jewish practice or tradition at camp?
They will not be the only one! Crane Lake is a place for your child to further their knowledge of Judaism in an experiential way. Every child who comes to camp brings a different skill set and knowledge of Jewish tradition and practice. They learn from their counselors and from their friends at camp. This is a no-stress environment, where learning the levels of Jewish living is an enjoyable and natural progression.

Will it be a problem if my child has limited or no knowledge of Hebrew?
No problem! Campers learn Hebrew at camp in an experiential way, learning some basic Hebrew terms, Hebrew blessings and phrases.

When my child returns home, will they be uncomfortable with my not being Jewish?
Remember that many of your child’s counselors have experience with interfaith families – either their own, their relatives or their friends. We teach each child that the Torah mandates to honor their father and mother. We emphasize to each child that this teaching is not based on the parent being Jewish – the teaching is based on honoring each parent. Your position as the child’s parent will continue to be sacrosanct. We will encourage the respect you are due as a parent, with no regard to your own religious beliefs.

TRANSGENDER CAMPERS AND STAFF

What does it mean to be transgender? Is that person a boy or a girl?
Some children are born into the body of a boy, but in their hearts and minds they are girls. Others are born into the body of a girl, but in their hearts and minds they are boys. Those raised as boys for the first few years of their lives make it increasingly clear at a very early age that they understand themselves to be girls. Likewise, those that are raised as girls for the first few years of their life made it increasingly clear at a very early age that they understand themselves to be boys. Their social development and patterns are aligned with other children of their age.

Where will transgender campers and staff sleep?
A transgender camper or staff members who identifies as female will sleep in a girls’ cabin with campers. A transgender camper or staff member who identifies as a boy will sleep in a boys’ cabin with campers.

What about privacy?
Our transgender campers and staff are private about the ways in which they are different from other children their age. At camp, we teach all of our campers and staff to have a sense of modesty and to respect one another’s privacy. We will continue to reinforce this message. Our cabins all have stall showers, each with its own curtain. All toilets are in stalls with doors. We also have a door or privacy curtain between the bathroom area and living space in each cabin. Outside the cabin, all our public restrooms have stalls which enable privacy around camp. Every child and staff member thus has privacy when showering, changing and using the restroom.

Will my kids be scared or confused?
Probably not, but if they are, help them understand that this is just one of many ways in which their friends may be different from them. Try not to assume that your kids will think this is weird or confusing. They may just accept it at face value and move on. It is a good idea to ask if they understand and if they have more questions. As always, there are staff and resources at camp for your child to turn to in times of need.

What does the Reform Movement say about transgender people?
The Reform Movement’s recognition of transgender rights dates back to 1978. The Movement has an explicit policy of non-discrimination regarding transgender people and has even developed blessings for the changing of gender. Through the years, the URJ has been a fierce advocate of LGBT rights and equality both within the Movement and in the wider community through the resolutions of the Commission on Social Action and the work of the Religious Action Center.

Here are some resources for your own education that can help equip you to talk to your children.

Video/Film Clips:

• TransYouth Family Allies website
• ABC News article coverage of Camp “You are You”  
• Katie Couric video clip about Coy Mathis
• Katie Couric collection of useful websites
• I’m Just Anneke
• Transgender Basics
• The Family Journey

Best Practices Guides

Supporting Trans and Gender Non-Conforming Students (a guide for public schools)

2020 Camp Prep

2020 FORMS CHECKLIST

All forms are due Thursday, April 1, 2020.

REQUIRED FORMS for EACH CAMPER in YOUR FAMILY

• Code of Conduct & Anti-Bullying Pledge (download, print, sign, scan and upload)
• All About Me! (download, print, have camper complete, scan and upload)
• Camper Profile (online form completed by parent)
• Recent Camper Photo (upload current passport-style picture of camper) Remember to smile!
• Camper Health History (online form completed by parent)
• Camper’s Medical Examination Form and Immunization Form (download, print, have physician complete, scan and upload document OR use your pediatrician’s standard examination & immunization forms, scan and upload)
• URJ Vaccine Statement (online form completed by parent to acknowledge that you have read and understand the URJ vaccine policy)
• Insurance Card and Camp Treatment Authorization Form (download, print, sign, scan and upload along with photocopies of your insurance card)
• Food Allergies, Sensitivities, and Special Diets Form (online form completed by parent)

 OPTIONAL FORMS

• Camp Travel Form: Submit this online form if you camper will travel to/from camp either by plane or with an adult other than a parent.
• Grandparent Connection: Submit this online form if you would like us to send summer news, videos, etc. to your camper’s grandparents.
• Bar/Bat Mitzvah Preparation: Download, print, complete and upload this form if your camper will become a Bar or Bat Mitzvah in August-December 2020. Your Rabbi, Cantor or Educator will need to sign it. 

Remember to complete a set of forms for EACH camper in your family!

NEW CAMPER ORIENTATION

New Camper Orientation is on Sunday, June 7^th from 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. This is a day when parents and new campers come and tour our facilities, meet some of our staff and counselors and introduce themselves to other new campers and their families. It gives both parents and campers the opportunity to see where our campers eat, sleep, play, swim, and so much more during their time at camp. You will even get to sample our camp cookies and juice! A first-time summer experience is so very exciting, but we also understand that this is a big step for you and your child. We are prepared to work with you in every way to make this an amazing experience for everybody.

THE WEEK BEFORE CAMP

We hope that you will find this information helpful in days leading up to drop off as well as Visiting Day.

The establishment of a healthy camp environment is the result of a successful partnership between parents and camp. Your diligence in the assessment of your child’s health in the week prior to camp is critical to ensuring that we limit the exposure of the camp community to any illness. We know how disappointing it is to tell your child that their departure for camp must be delayed because of illness. We are counting on you to help us by serving as the first line of defense. Clearly, if your child is ill, the place they will be most comfortable is in your care at home. 

Here are some guidelines to follow:

• If your child develops a fever of 100 degrees Fahrenheit in the 7 days prior to the start of the session, please have your child evaluated by a physician.
• If your child’s physician determines through an in-person examination and testing that your child has an illness, the camper MUST REMAIN AT HOME until the child’s physician and the Camp Director determine that your child no longer poses a risk of spreading an illness to others.
• No child should come to camp until they are fever and symptom free (without medication) and healthy for at least 24 hours. Please do not bring your child to camp until you have discussed your child’s condition with the Camp Director.

Lice: We want to provide you some packing tips that will help ease the lice check process, and minimize stress if your child is found to have lice or nits:

• Pack everything to be used at camp a minimum of 48 hours prior to departure.
• Anything that has been used or worn in the 48 hours prior to arriving at camp (that you must take with you… such as combs, brushes, special stuffed animals, sweatshirts, pillow cases, blankets etc.), place in a separate bag away from the bag that will be brought to your bunk.

Please make sure the hair is combed of knots to make the head check as quick and painless as possible. Please brush your hair in the morning of opening day and choose hairstyles that will keep your hair as tangle-free as possible! If you’re one of our many curly-haired campers, we might suggest braiding it straight out of the shower to keep as tangle-free as possible.

What to bring

Shoes

• 2 pairs of sneakers   (for everyday wear, sports)
• 1 pair of sturdy shoes   (for hiking and rain-only if you already own, do not buy!)
• 1 pair of swimming shoes   (to wear to the pool)
• 1 pair of sandals/flip-flops   (if you wear them)
• 1 pair of soccer/baseball cleats   (only if you already own, do not buy!)
• 1 pair of Shabbat shoes   (optional, some girls wear nice sandals, NO HEELS HIGHER THAN TWO INCHES PLEASE!)

Please label all shoes with your camper’s name!

Toiletries

• comb and brush
• clips, hair bands
• toothbrush and toothpaste, plastic drinking cup
• soap and soap dish or body wash for shower
• liquid soap dispenser for bunk
• shampoo, conditioner, gel, etc.
• deodorant
• Q-tips
• razor and shaving cream (for shavers only)
• nail clipper
• pads, tampons (for older girls)
• sun block (lots!)
• insect repellant
• tissues
• caddy to store and carry toiletries

Please label all toiletries with your camper’s name!

Miscellaneous

• flashlight, extra batteries
• back pack, or small duffle for trip day(s), especially those campers going on overnight trips
• pens, pencils, stationery, envelopes, stamps, eLetter Replies
• family addresses, printed labels, pre-addressed envelopes
• 2 sturdy refillable water bottles (item most commonly lost at camp!)

Please label everything with your camper’s name!

Optional

• playing cards, Magic: The Gathering cards, etc.
• fan to clip on bed post (should be battery operated)
• plastic drawer unit (see section on plastic drawers and other storage) (only one please!)
• baseball mitt, tennis racket, shin guards
• inexpensive digital camera or disposable cameras
• musical instrument
• lovies (teddy bears, blankies)
• summer reading books (we have a camper lending library!)
• western-style clothing for Rib Night, America swag for our 4th of July celebration
• Full Summer/First Session Olim – you’ll be traveling to Montreal, Canada — remember to bring your passport with you to camp. You will hand it to our office staff on Opening Day. You will also need a small bag to pack your belongings for the 4-day/3-night trip. Do not bring any money or credit cards to camp! Your parent has already given us money to give to you for snacks, souvenirs, etc.
• Full Summer/First Session Lower Chaverim – you’ll be traveling to Boston, MA – remember to bring a small bag to pack your belongings for the trip. Do not bring any money or credit cards to camp! Your parent has already given us money to give to you for snacks, souvenirs, etc.
• Full Summer/First Session Upper Chaverim – you’ll be traveling to New York City, NY – remember to bring a small bag to pack your belongings for the trip. Do not bring any money or credit cards to camp! Your parent has already given us money to give to you for snacks, souvenirs, etc.
• Entire Crane Lake Community – please bring a non-perishable food item to donate to The Food Bank of Northeastern New York.
• Entire Crane Lake Community – please bring any books, appropriate for children in grades 3 – 10, that your child has finished reading. We’ll put them in our camper lending library.

If your child wears glasses or contact lenses, we encourage you to send an extra pair of glasses and an extra set or two of contact lenses.

Please label everything with your camper’s name!

• super soakers/water guns
• expensive digital cameras
• hoverboards, skateboards, scooters, “Heelys”
• bottled water or flavored powder or drops to
• add to water
• any over-the-counter or prescriptions (all medications must go through Village Pharmacy)
• e-cigaretters, vapes, Juuls, portable essential oil diffusers
• laptop computers, iPads/tablets, portable DVD payers, Kindles, Nooks
• electronic hand-held game devices, i.e. Gameboy’s, PSP’s, Nintendo DS’s

LUGGAGE

You may pack in a trunk, suitcase, or duffle bag — It is entirely up to you. On Opening Day, after all our campers have arrived, camper luggage is removed from the cabins and safely placed in storage. No trunks, suitcases or duffle bags remain in the cabins as extra storage for campers. Please remember not to take your child’s empty luggage home with you; we need the luggage at camp so we can pack to go home at the end of the session.

PLASTIC DRAWERS AND OTHER STORAGE

Many of our campers bring plastic drawers with them to provide extra storage.

Please bring boxes that are no larger than 14.25 in L x 12.05” W x 26.44” H.  Another tip is to bring fabric boxes that measure 10.5” x 10.5”. Please do not purchase 12” x 12”, they do not fit in our cubbies.

LAUNDRY

On Opening Day each camper will receive a Crane Lake laundry bag. This bag will be picked up from camp once a week by a local, professional laundry service and returned to camp the next day. The entire contents of your camper’s laundry bag are washed as one load in hot water, so it will be best to pack clothing colors that will not run. Delicates, linen, wool, suede, and dry clean only items should not be sent to camp. Crane Lake is not responsible for missing or damaged clothing.

LABEL, LABEL, LABEL

We want our campers to return home with everything they brought to camp. Therefore, please LABEL, LABEL, LABEL! EVERYTHING that comes to camp must have your camper’s full name (not initials) on it. Whether you sew the labels in, iron them on, use permanent marker or a stamp, you must label EVERYTHING.  We donate bags of our campers’ unlabeled belongings to local charities at the end of the summer.

One of the best labeling products we’ve seen are the peel and stick labels available from Label Daddy. You can buy them directly from the company.

APPROPRIATE ATTIRE

Please be sure to pack plenty of durable and comfortable clothing appropriate for a rustic camp setting. Campers spend most of their day outside; Crane Lake is a place where we play outside, sweat, and dance our hearts out. We try to create a wholesome environment that mirrors the values we attempt to instill in our campers. To create this sense of community, we ask campers and staff to dress in a way that is respectful both to themselves and others in the camp community. Clothing that allows underwear and/or bras to be visible should not be brought to camp and body parts that are customarily covered by undergarments should not be visible as well.  

Please do not pack any clothing with inappropriate pictures, offensive sayings or advertisements for drugs, alcohol, vaping, etc.

Please pack swimsuits that are functional for instructional swim – one-piece suits, tankinis, and shorts-style bathing suits are best. During free swim and pool parties, bathing suits should follow the same principles as clothing. These guidelines are intended to promote the values of our camp and the self-esteem of our campers.

Campers are expected to dress appropriately for their activities. They must wear long pants for hiking, sneakers for sports, and swimsuits for swim.

A WORD ABOUT WATER

Please DO NOT bring cases of water to camp! Please bring 2-3 reusable water bottles. Many campers and staff have brought their own water to camp in disposable plastic bottles. We want campers drinking more water per day than they could possibly bring to camp with them. The water brought on opening day takes up valuable storage or floor space and is a tripping hazard in the bunk.

CAMP SWAG

Click here to check out our online camp store! You can also find the link on our website. Through the website, you will be able to buy cool Crane Lake clothing for your child. This is completely optional – though your camper would love it! (If your camper would like camp swag for the summer, please make sure to order by June 1^st to guarantee delivery before camp starts.) Just before trip day, your camper will receive a Crane Lake Camp T-shirt, which we will label with their name. 

VALUABLES

Campers are asked to leave all articles of value at home as the Camp is absolutely NOT responsible for any camper’s belongings. There is no need for jewelry or expensive items at camp. Do not bring any cash or credit cards to camp! You have prepaid for snacks, souvenirs, and spending money on trips.

Days at camp

Opening Day

First Session- June 28  | Second Session- July 26

We are excited to welcome you through our gates on Opening Day! All our campers arrive at camp on Opening Day in a family car with a parent or another adult. We do not offer any busing to camp. We want our parents to meet their camper’s counselors, see where their camper will be living, help them unpack and hopefully join other parents for our Opening Day coffee and nosh. None of this would be possible if our campers traveled to camp on a bus! In the beginning of June you will receive additional information about Opening Day.

Opening Day, of course, is very exciting! A couple of years ago, our Leadership Team prepared an instructional video describing the procedures for Opening Day so that you might better understand the flow of drop off (and maybe get in a giggle!).

If an adult, other than a camper’s parent, will bring them to camp on Opening day, we ask that this information be included in the travel form found on the camper’s CampInTouch dashboard under Forms and Documents.

To avoid long lines on Opening Day, we stagger arrival times. Campers with last names beginning:

• “A” to “G” arrive at 9:00 a.m.
• “H” to “P” arrive at 9:45 a.m.
• “Q” to “Z” arrive at 10:30 a.m.

Please DO NOT arrive more than 10 minutes prior to your assigned arrival time. Since bunks have been assigned and beds have been labeled, there is no reason or advantage to arrive at camp early.

We are counting on everybody’s cooperation. It is a challenge to welcome 300 cars into camp and still maintain a safe environment for our campers. Please be prepared to show your license to our greeters as you enter camp.

When you arrive at camp at your designated time, you will be directed by camp staff and signs on the road to proceed to the West Stockbridge Town Hall (200 feet from the Camp Visitor Parking Lot Entrance on the opposite side of the street), which will act as a staging area for you until you are directed to pull into camp.

Luggage Drop – Baseball Field

You’ll drive into camp through the Visitor Parking Lot where the Crane Lake Camp sign is located. Once you drive through the gate you will be directed to pull onto our Baseball Field into the unloading area. At this point, we’ll ask families with more than one adult to designate one adult as the driver who will remain in the car and park it on our Lake Field. Single adult vehicles will be directed to park on or near the Baseball Field.

Your luggage will be unloaded, tagged, and moved to the staging area to be delivered to your child’s bunk. Please stay with your car until all your luggage has been tagged. Keep small items (i.e. pillows, tennis rackets, etc.) with you.

Once the luggage is taken, the driver will move your car to the parking lot, directed by a camp staff member. From there, the driver will be directed to meet your child at their bunk.

Another adult will walk with the camper(s) to the porch of the Arts & Crafts Room for a lice check and a health screening.

Health Screening – Arts & Crafts Porch

Before arriving at the arts and crafts porch for your health screening and lice check, our Office Assistants will let you know if you are missing any paperwork. If you are missing something you will be given the needed form to complete and then you are asked to proceed to the Business Table.

The health and safety of our campers and staff is always our greatest concern. Your child’s temperature will be taken. You will be asked to complete a short form for your camper about his or her recent health. Please do not bring a child or sibling to camp with a fever under any circumstances. The form will also ask if your child has been treated for lice or nits in the last month, and lastly, the form will ask if your child will be taking medication this summer. For the safety of everyone, campers must not have any medication with them in their bunk. Any campers taking medication must be registered with Lenox Village Integrative Pharmacy.

If, during our health screening, your child is found to have a fever, we will ask you to see our camp physician, and may ask you to take your child home to see your pediatrician. Your child may return to camp after they have been fever free for 24 hours. Upon returning to camp, our camp physician will make the final decision as to whether or not your camper may stay. If your child has had a temperature, diarrhea, or vomited within 48-hours prior to the start of the session, please call our office before dropping off your child at camp.

Each camper will have a lice check as well (even if they have been checked by an outside source prior to arrival at camp) before moving into their cabin. We have hired a professional company to conduct these lice checks for us. If any camper is found to have lice or nits, parents can choose to have the professional company provide treatment or take their child home for treatment. Lice treatment is $350 per camper and is at the parent’s expense, paid directly to the company. Crane Lake is responsible for the cost of checking our campers for lice. Of course, any family who chooses treatment at camp will be treated privately to avoid any embarrassment to the camper.

We will help you to properly treat any camper’s affected personal belongings. Any linens and clothing used within the 48 hours must be dried on high heat for 60 minutes.

If your camper will be taking medication while at camp, please check in with our Medical Staff at the Med Room in our Chadar Ochel (dining hall). We will ask that you review the prescription/over-the-counter medication directions and dispensing times. If your child is not taking medications, but you would like to speak with one of our nurses about your camper’s medical needs, you should also visit our Medical Staff at the Med Room.

Please remember that all medications, vitamins and supplements in pill form, either daily or as needed, must be dispensed through Lenox Village Integrative Pharmacy. If your child uses an inhaler or epi-pen, please bring two unopened devices with the original prescription labels intact.

If your child has a special dietary need, please check-in with our Kitchen Manager in the Chadar Ochel.

Unpacking and Goodbyes – Cabins

After completing the health screening (and for some, the Med Room, Chadar Ochel, or Business Table), you’ll receive confirmation of your camper’s bunk assignment and walk to your camper’s cabin. There, counselors will greet you and your camper and show you to their bed and cubby, which have already been assigned and labeled with your camper’s name. Much time and thought goes into deciding cabin placement for each camper and specific bed assignments within each cabin. Please respect this process and do not change or ask to change the location of your camper’s bed.

After your camper is unpacked, we will provide you with luggage tags to place on your camper’s empty trunk, suitcase or duffle bag. Later in the day, we will remove all the tagged luggage from the cabins and place it in our storage facilities where it will remain until your child packs to go home. Do not take your camper’s empty luggage home with you.

Once you’ve written down your camper’s cabin number and made sure their cell phone is WITH YOU, it will be time to say goodbye. Experience has taught us that long goodbyes by lingering parents are not best. Hugs and kisses and encouraging words are terrific, and the sooner you leave, the sooner your camper will begin acclimating to camp. Over the years, we’ve learned that the best way for our campers to adjust to camp is for them to begin establishing a relationship with their counselors as soon as possible, and to begin our camp program as soon as possible.

Once you have said goodbye to your child, please join us in the Beit Am for some refreshments. We will have tables set by age group and the year your child will be an Olim camper (summer between 9^th and 10^th grade). We hope that you will spend a few minutes meeting or catching up with your very own camp friends who have children in the same age cohort as your camper.

All parents must be on their way by 12:30 PM.

Important Miscellaneous Items

• Please remember to leave any pets at home, and that smoking is never allowed anywhere at any time in camp.
• Full summer Olim – remember to bring your passport with you to camp for your amazing trip to Montreal!
• As in the past, we have partnered with Ivy Oaks Analytics, a public health company based out of Virginia that specializes in the control of ticks, mosquitos, and poison ivy at large campgrounds, parks, and summer camps. Although this has never been a major issue at Crane Lake, we feel very strongly that we have an obligation to our camp community to do everything in our power to reduce the risks associated with ticks, mosquitoes and poison ivy. Their process includes ongoing tick population measurements, landscape modification, natural control methods and more. Crane Lake is proud to be one of the few camps nationally with an advance public health standards certification by implementing this program.

Typical Day

Our Activities

POOL AND LAKE

All campers in Nitzanim and Bonim receive American Red Cross (ARC) swim instruction. Campers are tested during the first few days of each session to assess their swimming ability and to determine appropriate instruction level placement. This is not based on their instruction level of the previous summer. At the end of the session, campers are tested for proficiency, and awarded official ARC certificates. We recommend goggles for campers whose eyes are sensitive to chlorine. We strongly suggest that campers wear a one piece or tankini bathing suit.

At least every other day, campers visit our beautiful lake. There they can sail, windsurf, canoe, paddleboard, kayak, water-ski, wakeboard, enjoy our water playground or just swim. There is a seemingly endless number of activities! All our waterfront staff is American Red Cross certified and prior to our campers’ arrival, participate in a week-long training and orientation on our lake.

Learn more about the lake here.

ATHLETICS

Campers enjoy several periods of instructional sports each week. Some campers build on existing skills in a specific sport with an eye towards further improvement, and others begin to develop skills in a new sport.

Sports coaches teach all instructional sports. Offerings include archery, baseball/softball, basketball, volleyball, fitness, flag football, Ga-Ga, gymnastics, lacrosse, soccer, street hockey, tennis, ultimate frisbee, and yoga. Good sportsmanship, fitness, and fun are all important components of our sports program.

Campers must wear appropriate footwear, sneakers and socks, during their sports periods.

SPORTS TOURNAMENTS

Several times throughout the summer, campers may choose to play in a sports tournament against another camp. Crane Lake participates in over 30 tournaments each summer, with a wide variety of sports represented, including baseball/softball, tennis, soccer, dance, gymnastics, and flag football. Campers sign up for each team and travel locally to represent Crane Lake. Good sportsmanship is stressed and everyone has fun.

ARTS

We offer a number of arts-based activities at camp. Campers have the opportunity to go to arts and crafts where they work with different mediums, including ceramics, pottery, jewelry making, tie dye and more! We also offer music based chugim (electives) like guitar and songleading. Campers interested in dance can choose a modern dance chug or Israeli folk dance chug. Also each session our campers can try out for the camp show.

Family members cannot attend the camp plays. We want to avoid campers becoming distraught when their parents leave; other campers being sad that their parents couldn’t attend. We’ll send you an online link of our play!

TEVA AND ADVENTURE- OUTDOOR EDUCATION

Each camper will have the opportunity to experience our outdoor nature program. With sleeping bags in hand, our campers “move” to our Teva camp sites to cook dinner, spend some special time away with their friends, and to sleep in tents under the stars. They also spend time in our active animals program (think sheep, turtle, mini-horse, alpacas, puppies, bunnies, pigs, chickens, hamsters, guinea pigs, and more!). Lastly, each cabin will spend a full day at our ropes course, actively team-building in our low-ropes elements for half the day and questing throughout our aerial adventure course and zipline for the other half of the day. Oh, and do not forget about the Crane Lake garden!

MEALS DURING THE WEEK

On a normal camp day, bunks sit together with their staff for all meals. Most meals are served family style with other options at a buffet. Crane Lake is a kosher style facility. We do not have a kosher kitchen or kosher plates and utensils. However, we do not mix milk and meat, serve pork, shellfish, or products containing them, and do not permit such products on campgrounds. Whenever meat is served, a vegetarian option is offered. At least one snack is served every day. We are also able to accommodate campers on special, allergy or health-related diets. Please make us aware of your needs and requirements on the Health History Form and Food Allergies, Sensitivities & Special Diets Form.

As a camp community we begin every meal by reciting Hamotzi (blessing before the meal). We end our meal with the singing of B’rich Rachamana (Aramaic blessing after the meal) or Birkat Hamazon (blessing after the meal).

Each day includes breakfast favorites such as pancakes, French toast sticks, oatmeal, waffles, eggs or muffins. Cold cereal, fresh fruit, yogurt, milk and orange juice are always available at the salad bar.

A kid-friendly lunch is served. Some favorites include pizza, sliders, chicken wraps, grilled cheese sandwiches, and macaroni & cheese. A full salad bar, soy butter and jelly and fresh fruit are always available.

Dinner favorites include tacos, chicken fajitas, baked ziti, meatball subs and chicken nuggets. A full salad bar, soy butter and jelly and fresh fruit are always available. Dinner ends with dessert.

Each week campers enjoy a barbeque of burgers and hot dogs. Soy butter and jelly and fresh fruit are always available.

On Friday evening we enjoy a traditional family style Shabbat meal of chicken, potatoes, a vegetable, soup salad and our famous Shabbat Sha-brownies!

The Saturday morning breakfast buffet includes items like bagels, lox, eggs, turkey bacon, hot chocolate, doughnuts, and more!

MENUCHA – REST HOUR

After an activity-packed morning, campers need to take a break. During Menucha, or rest hour, campers spend quiet time in their cabins. Some sleep, others read or play quiet games with bunkmates. This is the time when many campers write letters home to family and friends.

CHUGIM – ELECTIVES

Each week campers choose a Chug, or elective, taught by general counselors and specialists. Options in the past have included painting, ceramics, creative writing, Daily Bubble (Crane Lake’s very own daily newspaper), summer reading, meditation, yoga, Rubik’s cube, balloon animal making, drama and guitar. Campers may also choose a sport elective during this time. Sports options in the past have included gymnastics, basketball, tennis, soccer, softball, ultimate frisbee, hockey, flag football, hiking, krav maga (Israeli martial arts), boating and even juggling!

SHOWER HOUR

Good hygiene is an important part of camp! We set aside a “shower hour” everyday for campers.

LAILA TOV – GOOD NIGHT!

After a long day, full of Crane Lake activity and fun, it is time for bed. Occasionally, a member of our faculty or Leadership Team is invited to come to a bunk to tell a story or sing a few songs while campers listen in their pajamas, all ready to be tucked into bed. Often referred to as “bedtime rituals,” this Crane Lake tradition is a very soothing way to say Laila Tov.

MACCABIAH – COLOR WAR

Our second session campers experience several days of competition during Maccabiah. Campers are divided into two teams (blue team and white team) and participate in a variety of sports, arts, dance, and song competitions. Good sportsmanship, fun and lots of ruach (spirit) are all parts of Maccabiah. Make sure to pack blue and white clothing for your camper!

TANGLEWOOD

Some of our campers will travel on an optional trip to Tanglewood in nearby Lenox to enjoy the Boston Symphony Orchestra and other musical performances in this beautiful outdoor concert venue.

JEWISH LIFE AT CAMP

T’FILAH – PRAYER

Each morning after breakfast, our entire camp comes together for T’filah. T’filah is full of song and ruach, spirit and joy. By the end of each camp session, campers are familiar with the prayers included in these short daily services and are prepared to participate in services in their home congregations.

LIMUD – LEARNING

Our younger campers (grades 3 – 7) actively participate in Limud, our camp-style informal and creative Jewish education program. A committed group of rabbis, cantors, and educators outline and then teach a theme-based, project-based summer curriculum which is experiential, creative, and age-appropriate for each grade unit.  Campers will explore a variety of Jewish concepts and values based on each grade unIt’s theme. This summer we will have a variety of Limud themes, including Israel, God, Torah, Mitzvot (religious obligations), Middot (Jewish values) and Tikkun Olam (repairing our world).

Shabbat at Camp

…is the most special day of the week. By bringing the camp together as a whole, we create an opportunity for the Crane Lake community to reconnect as a community and deepen connections after a fun-filled week. Shabbat overflows with song, worship, rest and friendship. On Shabbat, Crane Lake truly becomes a Kehillah K’dosha, a holy community.

As a part of our Shabbat preparation on Friday afternoon, each unit cleans a designated area of camp. Campers are then given extra time to shower and dress for Shabbat. We encourage our campers and staff to dress nicely on Shabbat. (Typical choices include a “polo” collar style or button-down shirt, a sundress, or skirt outfit.)

 Our Shabbat celebration begins with the camp coming together for a Shabbat walk as our song leaders lead the community, cabin by cabin, to the Chadar Ochel (dining room) together in song. We gather in the Chadar Ochel for blessings followed by a delicious Shabbat dinner, during which campers may sit anywhere they choose. This is a wonderful opportunity for siblings, cousins, and friends from other cabins to enjoy Shabbat dinner together.

After dinner and Birkat Hamazon (blessing after the meal), the entire camp comes together to welcome Shabbat in our beautiful outdoor sanctuary. One unit prepares the camp-wide Shabbat T’filah (service) each week, complete with art work, dance, and song, serving as our leaders in prayer. Our Shabbat worship, with more than 500 community members participating, is truly magnificent. With so many young voices rising together in prayer, the sound is like no other. This beautiful weekly service has a strong impact on the awakening spirituality of so many of our campers.

T’filah is followed by an energy-filled song session. With many guitars and hundreds of campers singing Shabbat songs, we really celebrate Shabbat! For many, this song session is the highlight of the week. The spirited song session leads right into Israeli dancing. For those that may enjoy a quieter song session, they have the option to go to our Beit Am. Our song leaders end the night with camper-favorite, Summertime Forever, and then our bed-time ritual. Laila Tov!

On Shabbat morning, campers can sleep a bit later. An optional buffet breakfast is available at the Chadar Ochel prior to our Shabbat morning T’filah. Once again, Shabbat T’filah is held in the outdoor sanctuary and one unit acts as our leaders in prayer. After a full Shabbat morning of song and worship, it is time for Shabbat lunch, and then it is back to the cabins for Shabbat Menucha (rest). 

Shabbat afternoon is an entire afternoon of fun, called Shabbat Breira! During Shabbat Breira, or free choice time, campers are free to walk around camp and enjoy all that camp offers. Some campers swim or go boating, others play ball or run, and many just find a shady spot to sit with friends and relax. All cabin counselors and specialists are stationed around camp to supervise the many activities available during Breira. Campers are not allowed in their cabins during Breira because their counselors are all out and about.

After dinner, Shabbat ends with a beautiful outdoor Havdalah service.

CLOSING DAY 

First Session Closing Day- July 24 | Second Session Closing Day- August 16

The camp sessions seem to go by so quickly and before we know it Closing Day arrives. We want to make sure that closing day is as smooth as possible.

Step 1: Arrival
Our gates will open at 9:00 a.m. Please plan on arriving no earlier than 9:00 a.m. To avoid long lines at the exit gate, we will stagger our pick-up times (and rotate them each summer). You will receive your pick-up times prior to closing day.

Upon arriving at camp, you will be directed to pull into the Town Hall parking lot just down the hill from camp, approximately a quarter mile towards the center of West Stockbridge. 

Step 2: Luggage Pick Up
From Town Hall, cars will be directed to pull into camp through the red gates. You will drive directly to your child’s bunk. (If you have a son and a daughter being picked up from camp, you will be directed to drive to your son’s cabin to pick up his luggage, and your daughter’s luggage will be waiting for you below Boys Row.)

Upon arriving at your child’s bunk, camp staff will assist you in loading your child’s luggage. Your child will have already labeled each piece of their luggage and have placed it on his or her bed, to ensure nothing is left behind.

Step 3: Camper Pick Up
After loading all of your child’s belongings into your vehicle, you will be directed to our Lake Field where your child will be waiting for you. (In case of rain, your child will be waiting in the bunk for you along with their luggage.) In order to move the process expeditiously, it is very important that you pull your car up as far as possible and limit your time outside of your vehicle. 

After reuniting with your child and once they have said their final goodbyes, you will be directed to drive out of camp through our back gate where you will collect any leftover medication and/or trip money. We will also ask you to sign your child out and show identification, so please have your driver’s license ready.
We appreciate your assistance and patience throughout the morning and ask you to keep the process moving as quickly as possible.

To ensure safety of our community, please leave your pets at home, and of course, smoking is not permitted anywhere on camp grounds.

VISITING DAY 

FOR FULL SUMMER CAMPERS ONLY – Saturday, July 25 9:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. 

VISITING DAY ARRIVAL & SHABBAT 

At 9:30 a.m. we’ll open the gates to welcome families with full summer campers. After parking in one of our parking lots or fields (we’ll direct you!) you’ll walk over to our Outdoor Sanctuary. All campers will be in their cabins cleaning up after breakfast and will join you in the Outdoor Sanctuary 10:15 a.m. You’ll be able to relax in our newly renovated Outdoor Sanctuary while you await the arrival of your camper, and we’ll have cold water and bathrooms available for you.   

Together we’ll enjoy a short Shabbat morning T’filah. We are so excited for you to join us for a camp-style Shabbat morning T’filah so you can experience the ruach, joy and energy, of our T’filah at camp. No families will be able to take their camper out of camp or go to their camper’s cabin until AFTER our T’filah has ended. 

TIME ON CAMP (optional) 

Following t’filah, you’ll be invited to the Main Lawn for a Kiddush, a Shabbat snack, during which you’ll be able to meet counselors, unit heads, and your camper’s friends! At this time, we welcome you to spend time on camp, bring a picnic lunch, visit your camper’s cabins, and play on our fields and courts (sorry, the waterfront and outdoor adventure areas will not be available at this time!). 

BERKSHIRE TIME 

By 12:30 p.m., we will ask you to sign your child out of camp and venture off into the Berkshires for the afternoon. At this time, our staff will no longer be available to you as they will need to begin the final preparations for the next morning when we’ll welcome nearly 200 second session campers!  

To help plan your day, we’ve created a list of things to do in the Berkshires. We recommend making restaurant reservations in advance!  

VISITING DAY DROPOFF 

By 5:00 p.m. you will drive onto camp to drop off your camper. You will say good-bye with one more hug and your camper will run to their counselors who will be waiting to welcome campers and escort them back to their cabins.  

It is essential that ALL our campers are signed back into camp by 5:00 p.m. Some of our campers who may switch cabins for second session will need time, with their counselors’ help, to move their belongings. We also want to ensure that all campers will have plenty of time to ready the cabins for the next morning, when they’ll greet their new bunkmates. And then we need time for dinner and a fun evening program which will end with an early-to-bed after what we know will be an exhausting day for our campers. 

FAMILIES WITH CAMPERS IN DIFFERENT SESSIONS 

Please contact  Alyson Bazeley if your family will need to make special Visiting Day arrangements. 

Families with a first session camper and a full summer camper 

If you would like to have your first session camper stay at camp for an extra day (NOT leave on Closing Day, Friday, July 24) you certainly can. We’ll need to know if you plan to have your first session camper stay the extra night by June 15 (please email Alyson Bazeley to make this special arrangement). We’ll ask that on Visiting Day you return to camp at 5:00 PM with the rest of the cars. On your way out of camp, you’ll drive past our hockey pavilion, where your first session camper’s belongings will be ready to be packed in your car. 

Families with a second session camper and a full summer camper 

If you would like to leave your returning (not new!) second session camper with us at the end of Visiting Day, you certainly can. We’ll need to know if you plan to leave your returning second session camper with us by June 15^th (please email  Alyson Bazeley to make this special arrangement). You’ll return to at 5:00 PM so you’ll have ample time to drive to the cabin area to move your second session camper into their cabin before all our full summer campers return to camp at 6:00 PM. Your full summer camper can help their sibling move in! 

PLEASE REMEMBER TO LEAVE YOUR DOG AT HOME!! 

Staying in touch

SUMMER OFFICE HOURS

Sunday – Thursday     8:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. EST
Friday                            8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. EST
Saturday                       1:00 p.m to 8:00 p.m. EST

In case of a true emergency, you will always be able to contact one of the directors. Just call camp, and follow the prompts on the recording.

MAIL

LETTERS FROM THE CAMPERS

Although they may also choose to write to their friends or grandparents, campers are required to write two letters addressed to a parent each week. A check list for each cabin will be monitored by one of the directors to make sure that every camper has written a letter and addressed it to you. Please discuss your letter writing expectations with your child prior to Opening Day. This is especially important for children who live in separate homes with each parent.

It is a good idea to send envelopes and stamps in a zip-lock bag to protect them from the humidity. For our younger campers, we ask that you send at least 8 stamped envelopes that are already addressed to you (K’tanim 1 and 2 campers need to bring only 4.) This will ensure that the letters will not return to camp because of an unclear address.

The first letter you receive may not be the happiest especially from first time campers. Please remember that campers often take a few days to feel completely comfortable at Crane Lake and we are sure that subsequent letters will be more upbeat.

Your camper’s letters may be short and contain little information. Try sending a letter template with blanks for your camper to fill in. When the blanks are filled in the letter can be returned to you. (My favorite activity is…My new friends are…, etc.).

Remember that mail from West Stockbridge can truly be “snail mail.” In the past, letters have taken as few as two days to reach home, and others have taken as long as five.  Campers using CampInTouch’s email service (see below) may write eLetter Replies as their bi-weekly letters.

LETTERS TO CAMPERS

Campers love receiving mail, so be sure to write often. If you tire of writing letters, be creative. Send comics from the newspaper, sports articles, funny cards, etc., each with a short note. Rotate through your family, with parents writing one day, and another family member the next.

What you include (and do not include) in your letters is also important. It is in your camper’s best interest not to feel like they are missing too much at home or feel anxious about your wellbeing. Be careful not to elaborate about how desperately you miss them, or how terribly quiet the house is. Instead, ask lots of questions about activities and friends. This will help your camper structure letters back to you. Keep the closing of your letters simple – “I love you and miss you,” is great, but “I’m so lonely without you. I cannot believe you’ll be gone for so long,” is not!

We have an email system in place for you as well. Prior to the summer, we will send you information about writing to your camper via CampInTouch. Emails sent to camp through CampInTouch are printed and distributed to campers daily. Crane Lake has already paid your registration fee for this service, and we’ve even started you with some free credits that you can use when emailing your camper. You’ll be able to purchase additional credits at any time.

On Opening Day, please make note of your child’s bunk number and include it when addressing letters:

Camper’s Name
Bunk #
URJ Crane Lake Camp
46 State Line Rd
West Stockbridge, MA 01266

If you would like to write a letter to your camper before they leave for camp, so it will arrive during the first few days, it is okay not to include your camper’s bunk number on these first letters.

EMAILS

EMAILS TO AND FROM CAMP

CampInTouch email allows you to send one-way messages to your child that are printed at camp and delivered once a day at mail time (this means that if you send your camper multiple emails in a day they will receive them all at once!).

Each standard email uses 1 “CampStamp,” and additional stamps can be used to add extra options to your message. Every account has been pre-loaded with 2 CampStamps per camper, per login, per week, at no cost, and you can purchase additional stamps at any time using your credit card. CampStamps are $1 each, or slightly less if you buy them in quantity: $10 for 10 CampStamps, $14 for 15 CampStamps, $18 for 20 CampStamps or $25 for 30 CampStamps. Any rollover CampStamps from last summer will be automatically uploaded to your account to use for the summer. 

If you would like, before you click SEND, you can check the box that says, “I would like a handwritten eLetter reply.” If you click this box, we will attach an eLetter Reply to your message. The eLetter Reply is a blank piece of paper with your name and a barcode on it that is unique to you. Your camper receives two pieces of paper: one is your eLetter, and the other is this blank eLetter Reply. Your camper writes you a letter on the eLetter Reply and gives it to us. We send it to CampInTouch and the eLetter Reply appears instantly in your email inbox as a PDF file. Each page of eLetter stationery has a unique printed bar code. 

Since you are charged a CampStamp only when your camper completes and returns the eLetter Reply to you, we recommend you print a whole stack of eLetter Replies before your camper leaves for camp so the eLetter Replies will be familiar. You can do this by clicking on the eLETTER STACK option when you’re in the email screen. Pack this stack of eLetter Replies with your camper’s belongings. Remember, you will only be charged a CampStamp for the eLetter Replies your camper completes and gives us to send to you.

More information about this service and the costs is included in the “Quick Start Guide” posted in your CampInTouch account. Please note that last year’s eLetter stationery will no longer function – you’ll need to request new reply emails with this year’s bar codes. 

Here’s how the CampInTouch email system works:

1. Log into your CampInTouch account
2. Scroll down to Online Community
3. Click on EMAIL – Your camper’s name will appear with a box next to it. If you have more than one camper, each camper’s name will appear.
4. Place a check in the box next to the camper to whom you would like to send an eLetter.

Type your eLetter in the message box, and click SEND. It is that easy.

POSTCARDS

Parents can send photo postcards to your campers, friends, and family directly through your CampInTouch account. To send a postcard, hover over the photo you want to send and click on the stamp icon.

PHOTO GALLERY

The CampInTouch Photos section is where you can view the most current photos from camp. You can mark your favorite pictures, purchase hi-res images and prints, and email photos directly to your friends and family.

Prior to the camp session, you will receive additional information about the Summer Services within your CampInTouch account. We have photographers constantly snapping pictures at camp. The photos are uploaded once each day. The upload time depends on the photographer’s schedule and the data transmission speed of our internet connection on any given day. We try to get every camper’s picture onto our site, but some campers run towards the camera and some runaway. Please be patient!

Below is our broad photo uploading schedule:

• Photos will be posted once each day, by the time you wake up the next morning.
• You can expect 200-300 photos to be uploaded each day.
• Camp wide special event photos (such as Trip Day, the play, and evening Maccabia events) will often be posted a day or two after they happen.

Additionally, parents often call after viewing a picture of their camper without a broad smile, or not standing with their friends, or not seemingly engaged in the activity at hand, or wearing long sleeves on a hot day, or wearing someone else’s sweatshirt, or standing alone, or on a different team from their best friend, and so on and so on. Please do not worry. Remember that each photo is a snapshot of one moment in a very long action-packed day at camp. We do our best to give you a taste of what is going on at camp each day. Please remember, It is only a taste and not photojournalism!

PACKAGE POLICY

Crane Lake does not accept any camper packages. This includes boxes or large mailing envelopes of any size. Camp will only accept up to a standard #10 size business envelope (4-1/8″ x 9-1/2″).  

We made this change several summers ago because:

• The volume of packages that arrived in camp each day created a community of “have and have-nots,” undermining our efforts to create a Jewish community in which each camper feels that they are valued and treated equally.
• Some campers didn’t receive any packages, which led to feelings of sadness and jealousy; others received so many packages they literally could not manage all the “stuff” in their cabins.
• Our staff spent hours organizing and sorting hundreds of packages daily, giving them less time to spend with campers.
• Empty packages produced a tremendous amount of waste.
• Campers sacrificed much of their free time during rest hour retrieving packages from the mailroom.
• Sadly, many parents did not respect our no-food policy, and others forgot to share that policy with extended family members. The food, candy and gum that arrived in these packages (hidden or otherwise) had to be taken away, disappointing the camper.
• Parents told us that it is expensive and burdensome to fill and mail packages, and that they often felt pressure to do so.

Of course, we understand that sometimes sending items to camp will be necessary. If your camper has forgotten something (e.g., a teddy bear) or needs something new (e.g., sneakers or more sunscreen), you will be able to send these items to camp. Please email us at cranelakepackages@urj.org to let us know that a package is on its way, and what your camper can expect to find inside when opened with a staff member. Please note that this will be done on an exception-only basis and unless we know a package is coming, we will refuse to accept it at camp. We will respond to your email letting you know that it is indeed okay to send the package. Last summer we received many emails from parents telling us that they were sending things that were not truly necessities and conflicted with our package policy (i.e. nail polish, water guns, Maccabiah clothing) and we asked them not to send the package.

PHONE CALLS

It is our policy that campers are not permitted to use the phones at camp to call home.

If you have a specific concern about your child, ask for Alyson Bazeley or email her directly .  Alyson, our Assistant Director, will work with our Camper Care Team to help you with any issues that may arise during your camper’s time at camp. Our Directors Team, Debby Shriber, Brett Hausler, Aaron Gurivs and Barnett Goldman are also available to help you. With over 375 campers, we receive many phone calls and emails each day. Please be patient with us – most of the day we’re out of our offices and around camp with your children. Your call or email will be returned as soon as possible.

Please do not call just to check on your camper. If we have any concerns, rest assured, we’ll call you. Remember that the first letter from your camper may take up to a week to arrive. Do not assume that something is wrong just because you haven’t heard from your camper right away.

If you have a concern about your child’s health or medication, ask for the Health Center.

BIRTHDAYS

If your camper celebrates a birthday while at camp, we make sure It is a special one. After breakfast, a birthday cake is presented to the birthday camper along with a birthday crown, and the entire camp sings our special Crane Lake birthday song. The birthday cake is shared by bunkmates as a special dessert treat.

They will know that their day is special and that one of your presents to them is the gift of camp. We ask that you not send flowers or balloons or attempt to drop off packages (or have others send/drop off birthday packages on your behalf). Please let your camper know that they will receive all their presents when they see you in person at home.

This policy puts us in line with the policies of many other camps. We hope you agree that this was a positive change, and we are grateful for your cooperation.

 If you would like to speak to your camper on their birthday, please email our Camper Care Coordinator at clccampercare@urj.org, a few days prior to the date so we can make arrangements to bring your camper to the phone at a designated time. You know your camper best; if you think hearing your voice might be upsetting, a birthday phone call might not be the best idea. Please have all family members present for the short birthday phone call. Separate calls from parents, older siblings, grandma and grandpa cannot be allowed since the calls would be too disruptive to the camper’s schedule. 

Your camper cannot call you on your birthday, or on the birthday of other family members.  Again, as little disruption as possible to your camper’s day is best.

Please do not offer your camper’s counselor extra money for a bunk birthday party. We will not accept it and cannot hold a special party. All birthdays at Crane Lake are celebrated the same, special way. We thank you for respecting our no-package policy and give you our assurances that your camper will have a memorable birthday celebration this summer at camp. 

Remember, we will not automatically bring your camper to the phone on their birthday. We will call only if you have contacted camp to arrange a mutually convenient time.

Crane Lake Unplugged

TECHNOLOGY POLICY

At camp we live our best unplugged life! We ask our campers to unplug their electronics…and plan to plug into your friends, the outdoors, and Jewish life at camp!

Al tifrosh min hatzibur

Do not separate yourself from the community!

Please leave your electronics at home…where they will be perfectly safe until you return!

Exceptions: You are welcome to bring any of the following:

• an mp3 player without touch screen
• a CD player
• an inexpensive digital camera.

And those are the only electronics that are welcome at camp.

Like all camps, we have given serious thought to this issue. Like many camps, we have chosen to differentiate between time at camp versus the rest of the year. We have learned that camp is very different…and that is what makes it so special.

After careful consideration, our Electronics Policy is designed to:

• encourage our campers to spend more time off their beds and outdoors
• promote socialization between campers
• remove the divide between “the haves, and the have-nots”
• reduce the stress associated with the damage to and theft of electronics
• give campers a much-needed break from the world of technology
• allow campers to fully embrace and “plug into” the connections they make with other campers as they “unplug” from their electronics
• ensure that our campers are not exposed to age-inappropriate material

Check out our video about living tech free!

Now for the details about acceptable electronics.

iPOD/MP3 Players

If your camper must have their music at camp, either for fun or Bar/Bat Mitzvah preparation, please send:

• an inexpensive mp3 player, or
• an iPod that does not have a touch screen (both the shuffle and nano models are welcome.)

We will not allow any mp3 players/mobile devices with touch screens. This way we can ensure that our campers cannot watch videos, TV shows, movies or access the internet. As such, campers may not bring any smartphones, even if the SIM card has been removed. We feel so strongly about not allowing our campers to have any touch screen devices in hand, that we will confiscate any iPod/mp3 player with a touch screen and return it to you on Closing Day.

GAMEBOYs, PSPs, NINTENDO DS

No electronic hand-held game devices will be allowed in camp.

We will confiscate any Gameboys, PSPs, Nintendo DSs or other hand-held electronic devices and return them to you on Closing Day.

CELL PHONES

It is our long-standing policy that campers may not bring cell phones to camp. Cell phone use at camp is counter to the values we teach and uphold at Crane Lake and interferes with an important peer aspect of the overnight camp experience. We know that one of the reasons you send your camper to camp is so that they can take a break from technology. Although cell phones have been strictly prohibited at camp for many years, some families choose to ignore this policy. When you allow your camper to break the rules and take a cell phone to camp, your camper quickly learns that the rules do not apply to them and your family.

When campers bring a phone to camp it:

• leads to conflicts within the cabin
• allows campers to focus on their friends at home rather than their friends at camp
• enables campers to call parents when they need advice instead of turning to their peers or counselors
• prevents campers from problem solving

As a result, we maintain a zero-tolerance cell phone policy. 

Our policy sends a very clear message. If we learn that any camper has a cell phone in camp, we will take it away; call their parent; and require a parent to come to camp to take their camper home for three days. There will be no reimbursement of camp tuition for this suspension.

Please take the time to discuss this policy with your camper. In the past, campers have hidden their cell phones in their bags without their parents’ knowledge. Parents will be held responsible if their camper does not comply with the cell phone policy regardless of how the cell phone arrived at camp.

LAPTOPS, NETBOOKS, iPADS, KINDLES, NOOKS

Campers are not permitted to have these, or similar electronic devices, in camp. Please make sure you purchase, and pack, any books your camper might be required to read from their school’s summer reading list.

ONE LAST WORD ON ELECTRONICS…

From our front-line experience over the years, we can reassure you that these policies prove themselves worthy and that campers are resilient. They adjust quickly, and we do our part to help them power down, unplug, and take a well-needed break from the world of electronics.

Please re-read the description of those few items that we do allow at camp. At the same time, please be respectful of the usage limitations we have in place. While re-reading we encourage you to note the sentences where we have used boldface. In your camper’s best interests, it is very important that you adhere to these requirements. If you have any questions or want further clarification, please contact one of the Directors at 201-722-0400.

Health + Safety

HEALTH CENTER

We work hard to make sure that everyone remains healthy at camp. Yet we also understand and prepare for when our campers feel unwell. We have a wonderful group of supportive medical staff that will take care of them in our newly renovated health center. The Health Center serves a variety of purposes and has rooms for campers that may not be able to stay in the bunk as well as an area with treatment rooms.

HEALTH CENTER STAFF

Registered nurses staff our Health Center 24 hours a day. Most of our camp nurses work as school nurses throughout the year and are both experienced and comfortable treating children and communicating with parents. We also have a physician in residence who is on call 24 hours a day and in the Health Center for daily health calls and for emergencies. Most of our nurses and doctors return to us summer after summer and know our campers and our procedures very well.

Policies + Resources