February 2022

From Lisa, Our Camp Director…

A parent recently asked “what’s Capital Camps’ secret sauce for creating such a warm and inclusive community?” My go-to response to this question is to explain how our Atzma’im (inclusion) program has influenced the culture of camp. From its inception, Capital Camps has had an abiding commitment to the concept of “camp for all’. We welcome campers of all backgrounds, denominational affiliation, gender, race, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic status, including those with a range of intellectual, emotional, and physical abilities. Our Atzma’im program provides additional daily living and social/emotional support for campers with disabilities, medical or mental health needs. Even though we have a limited number of campers with evaluated needs necessitating extra support, the benefits of having an inclusive mindset help shape our entire community. We live the values of inclusion in how we set up our community, how we guide and mentor our staff, and in how we partner with parents to learn about their individual camper’s needs. Being an inclusive community is not something we do; it is who we are.

At Camp we define fairness as everyone getting what they need, not everyone getting the same. Our Atzma’im program highlights the important difference between equity and equality. When living alongside a camper with a disability, campers and staff gain a better understanding that a person may have different abilities but our goal for all is to figure out how to give everyone a fun and meaningful summer. As a nine-year-old camper once explained to me, it is fair that his friend who has Autism had the support of an Atzma’im counselor in the same way that it is fair that he uses an inhaler for his asthma and another friend needs some extra time from the Yoetzet (camper care specialist) when feeling homesick.

Camper care is a priority for us. This starts with taking the time to get to know each camper as an individual. Before the start of camp, parents complete an “About My Camper” form and campers complete an “About Me” form as a way to begin building a meaningful relationship with their specific counselors. Prior to camp, our Yoetzot (plural of Yoetzet) team works with all our counselors to understand the developmental and social-emotional needs of all the campers they will be working with. For the handful of campers that have more specialized needs, parents can complete the optional Atzma’im Intake Form. Our new Community Care Coordinator reads these forms and works with the camp team and parents to determine what kind of supports may be needed. It may be sufficient for a Yoetzet to be aware of the needs and help counselors make some individualized adjustments. We may set up a system where a Yoetzet has frequent check-ins with a camper. For campers with more significant support needs, we may determine that they should receive extra staff support though our Atzma’im program.

Our Atzma’im program includes a Coordinator, an Assistant Coordinator and a team of inclusion counselors. We have invested in additional training for this team, capital improvements, purchased adaptive equipment, and rented accessible vehicles, etc. In the past, this added cost was shared with families of campers who needed this extra level of support. Starting in summer 2022, campers with disabilities will not be charged an additional fee. This change is aligned strongly with our values, and we are very proud to be able to support all our families.

February is Jewish Disability Awareness and Inclusion Month (JDAIM) and is a time to pause and reflect on how our camp community is including individuals with disabilities. The goal of JDAIM is to create a Jewish community where everyone can determine how they wish to participate and where those who need additional support receive it in a seamless and respectful manner. Our Atzm’aim program does this; it extends our continuum of built-in supports and by doing so helps us create a warm and inclusive community for all.

January 2022

Some of the most common New Year’s resolutions have to do with improved physical, mental and spiritual health. We often talk about healthy eating, increased exercise, taking time for meaningful reflection, and connecting with family and friends. As we welcome 2022, the Capital Camps team is likewise focused on ways to enhance our ability to foster wellness.

We have created two new year-round positions; a Clinical Care Coordinator and a Community Care Coordinator. Em Candaffio, who has been part of our summer health team for several years, will be our new Clinical Care Coordinator. She will be working with families to strengthen communications about physical health and medications prior to the start of camp. Em will oversee the process of collecting updated health forms, guide families through the process to arrange for campers to receive prescriptions and over-the-counter medications while at camp and help recruit additional nurses and doctors. We will be working with a new pharmacy, PackMyRx, and Em will also help integrate PackMyRx into our camp medical program. The great Jewish scholar, Moses Maimonides, wrote that “when keeping the body in health and vigor, one walks in the way of God”. Having a Clinical Care Coordinator will strengthen our ability to foster physical wellness.

We are also proud to announce that we have been selected to be part of the Foundation for Jewish Camp’s (FJC) Yedid Nefesh initiative on mental health. Yedid Nefesh means “beloved soul” and is also the song that some congregations sing just before the Kabbalat Shabbat service on Friday nights. This song imagines that as we usher in Shabbat we are also opening ourselves, body and soul, to being uplifted and healed. As part of this initiative we will be joining a cohort of camp professionals working to address increased mental health needs. Being part of this initiative means that we’ll be receiving a grant from FJC to help fund a year-round mental health professional, as well as supporting additional summer staff training. We are looking forward to adding a Community Care Coordinator to our team of seasonal Yoetzot (parent liaisons). Our Yoetzot are licensed social workers, therapists, clinical psychologists, school guidance counselors, and experienced educators. Our nurses and doctors focus on the physical health of our campers and staff, and our Community Care team focuses on social, emotional, and mental health.

The term MESH — Mental, Emotional, and Social Health — was coined by the Association of Camp Nursing and is widely used by the American Camp Association. Jewish camps, in recognition of the importance of Spiritual health, have added an “S” to create the term MESSH. Our commitment to MESSH is both our New Year resolution and an example of our uniquely Jewish approach which incorporates values and mitzvot into all that we do. One way we focus on spiritual health is through our annual participation in FJC’s Cornerstone Fellowship program. Three to five outstanding staff members are selected to take on additional responsibilities at camp as role models and mentors. The focus of the Fellowship is the true blend of Jewish values and concepts into camp programming – at the staff level, in the general camp program, and in bunk-based programs. We have already begun accepting applications for our 2022 Cornerstone Fellows.

Jewish tradition calls the mitzvah of health, Sh’mirot haguf which means “guarding the body”. This mitzvah is generally understood as taking care of both the body and the soul. At Capital Camps we have always been committed to supporting physical, mental, emotional, social and spiritual health. We enter 2022 with a renewed commitment. Our ability to foster individual growth and build strong Jewish community demand this focus.

December 2021

As our campers and staff put down their school books and head into winter break, I want to share with you some of the ongoing learning the year-round staff has and will be doing. For many of us, education and lifelong learning are top priorities and Capital Camps is proud of the immersive, informal Jewish education experience we create every summer. At camp, we give everyone in our community the opportunity to live Jewishly and embed values such as teamwork (avodat tzevet), social responsibility (achrayut), gratitude (hakarat hatov), kindness (chesed), and curiosity (sakranut) into everything we do. We use some of the time during the “off-season” to continue our own learning journeys.

As we prepare to take our LITs to Israel this summer, Austin has been working hard on finding new and exciting ways to bring a taste of Israel to all of our campers and staff. He is currently enrolled in a Graduate Certificate program in Israel Education through the iCenter and George Washington University. He is one of 30 in the 4th Cohort of this program which consists of two Experiential Jewish Education courses and two Israel Studies courses capped off with a week-long seminar in Israel. This week he is finishing up his final papers on Experiential Jewish Education and has spent time learning best practices for creating fun informal educational experiences.

On the end-of-camp staff satisfaction survey, we received feedback that we can do more to professionalize the role of counselors. Melissa was invited to be part of select group through the Foundation for Jewish Camp called SURGE that took a deep dive to address the current staffing challenges across all camps. Camp Directors and Assistant Directors from 24 Jewish camps discussed why it is harder than ever to recruit and retain staff, as well as how staff development during the summer is so important. In addition, Austin, Melissa, Penny and I all attended workshops specifically focused on addressing the needs of staff. Learning leads to action and early in the New Year, we look forward to sharing professional development initiatives for our staff.

Havi, our CEO, Brad Stillman our Board Chair, Samantha Notowich, our Donor Relations Manager and myself, were recently accepted into The Harold Grinspoon Foundation J-Camp 180’s GIFT Leadership Institute. This learning opportunity focuses on implementing culture change and understanding roles within an organization towards creating a meaningful Culture of Philanthropy. This learning opportunity aligns nicely with the value of social responsibility and community mindedness (achrayut).

At camp, we have and will continue to focus on mental, emotional, social and spiritual health (MESSH). While the acronym MESH has been used widely, Jewish camps have added an “s” to represent spiritual health. The Foundation of Jewish Camp offers Mussar study groups for professionals. Mussar is the Jewish practice of character development. I was part of this study group last year and am continuing to do so this year.

The values listed above can all be found on the “Making Menshes: A Periodic Table”. At camp we are in the business of Jewish identity building and creating menshes. Ongoing lifelong learning is essential to our ability to continue to challenge our campers and staff to grow as individuals and to build Jewish community.

As formal education pauses for winter break, we hope everyone finds time to explore curiosity (sakranut), wonder (malchut) and love (ahavah) with family and friends. Thank you for being part of the Capital Cam’s community. We wish everyone a Happy, Healthy and Peaceful New Year.

November 2021

As the days get shorter and it is darker outside we know the festival of lights, Chanukah, is around the corner. This year, Chanukah follows right after Thanksgiving. In many ways, Thanksgiving mirrors Jewish celebrations. Some historians believe that Thanksgiving was modeled after Sukkot since they are both harvest festivals that take place in the fall. The main theme of Thanksgiving comes from the name itself, reminding us of the importance of giving thanks. We traditionally say a blessing of thanks before and after every meal. The additional blessing after the meal is significant because even after we are full and satisfied, we take the time to pause and be thankful. At camp singing, Birkat Hamazon, the blessing after the meal, is a ruach (spirited) communal experience full of hand motions and camp traditions. And maybe most importantly, Thanksgiving gives us an opportunity to gather with friends and family.

Chanukah is also a holiday that brings us all together. The Chanukah candles and dreidels remind us of miracles long ago. At camp when we light the Havdalah candles or candles at the lake, we remind our campers that sharing the light from one candle to the next doesn’t diminish the flame. As the light grows and spreads, it’s just like spreading kindness and good deeds throughout our community.

A Thanksgiving prayer by Rabbi Naomi Levy beautifully captures the essence of both these holidays:

For the laughter of the children,

For my own life breath,

For the abundance of food on this table,

For the ones who prepared this sumptuous feast,

For the roof over our heads,

The clothes on our backs,

For our health,

And our wealth of blessings,

For this opportunity to celebrate with family and friends,

For the freedom to pray these words

Without fear,

In any language,

In any faith,

In this great country,

Whose landscape is as vast and beautiful as her inhabitants.

Thank You, God, for giving us all these. Amen

The Camp Team is grateful to be able to start attending in-person events. From ice skating with our Rookie campers to Chanukah celebrations in Baltimore and Northern Virginia we are looking forward to the laughter of children and a chance to reconnect. Like the light of a candle, please spread the word that we will be hosting in-person and virtual meet-and-greets to introduce Capital Camps to potential new families. We continue to appreciate the importance of spending a summer at camp.

October 2021

A Message from Lisa, the Camp Director:

What happens to the camp team when camp is over? This question is very similar to the age-old question, where do teachers go when school lets out. Young children sometimes believe that teachers live at school and seem surprised when they see them at the market. As much as Austin, Melissa, Penny and I would love to magically live at camp during an endless summer, we are all back at work in Rockville. We have been using the early fall to take a short break, debrief the past summer and begin planning for summer 2022.

With Rosh Hashanah, we welcomed in the Jewish year 5782, a Shmita or Sabbatical year. In the same way, the Torah calls for us to work six days and rest on the seventh, this year is a Sabbatical year. After seven cycles of seven years, or every 49 years, the Torah calls for a “year of release” where debts are forgiven, agricultural lands lie fallow, and private land holding becomes open to the public. In September, Capital Camps & Retreat Center joined many other Jewish non-profit organizations in recognizing this important time to recharge by giving our professional teams a mini-Shmita. Many studies indicate that breaks can help improve performance, creativity, and overall mental health. We enjoyed this break between Yom Kippur and Simchat Torah by visiting family, completing home projects, and finding time to read a good book.

We have also been spending dedicated time debriefing the summer with the goal of identifying strengths and areas of improvement. We met in small teams and also spent time at camp with our combined Rockville and Waynesboro staff. Thanks to all the parents who completed the Foundation for Jewish Camp (FJC) Satisfaction Survey. This in-depth survey helps us take a closer look at what parents and campers think of their camp experience. We will be meeting with a representative from FJC to further analyze the results. When taking the survey, parents were able to indicate if they wanted to talk with a member of the camp team and we are thankful to the parents who took the time to complete the survey and share more details by phone and zoom. We continue to welcome feedback from our camp families.

And of course, we have already begun planning for summer 2022. Over 618 campers have applied to be at camp next summer. We began our registration process by exclusively opening up to our 2021 families. Over 75% of our 2021 campers are already signed up to be back in Waynesboro next summer. We are currently extending an invitation to families and friends of our 2021 families and next week will open up registration to the general public.

While a young child may be surprised when they see their teacher, we cannot wait to see many of you around town and online. On Friday, we will be at Congregation B’nai Shalom of Olney for a camp-style Kabbalat Shabbat. And on Saturday, join Nick May and many of your favorite Leadership Team members for a virtual Havdalah.

What does the Camp Team do when camp is over? We look for ways to keep that campy feeling going!

May 2021

The rhythm of Jewish life is unique for in it is the simultaneous action of forging ahead while building on past experiences. After this challenging year, we are in the process of creating a new summer at camp filled with our favorite camp traditions. In this week’s Torah parsha (Torah portion), the children of Israel are about to begin the second part of their journey out of Egypt. There is a shift in narrative from focusing on the past challenges associated with traveling through the Sinai desert, to look forward towards the Promised Land. Similarly, with positive excitement and joyful anticipation, we are looking forward to another amazing Capital Camps summer.

Noah Shapiro, our newest full-time hire, has experienced the journey to camp on many levels. Way back in 2008, nine-year- old Noah didn’t know much about camp, except that he wanted to be there. His friend Becca had told him how much fun she had the summer prior, splashing in the pool and running around the soccer field, but that was about all he knew. Likewise our new campers may not know exactly what to expect. Like Noah, they are packing up all that excitement, a few stuffed animals, and plenty of t-shirts (clearly labeled in black Sharpie), ready for the challenges and fun summer will bring.

Like many of our returning campers, Noah was hooked after his first summer and returned again and again. He started out in Benjamin Village and during his eight years as a camper was in every village. Along the way he formed lifelong bonds with a growing circle of camp friends. He continued on as a staff member for four summers, including being an Atzma’im (inclusion counselor) and assistant Atzma’im coordinator. And now, Noah joins our team as our new Communications & Marketing Coordinator. This summer, Noah brings with him a lifetime of camp experiences, a dual degree in Communications and Digital Media Production from Tulane University, and that same exact excitement he had 14 years ago.

Everyone packs a little bit differently for camp, some might already have started putting things physically in a bag, some might be out buying iron-on name labels, and some might not even think about packing until the week before. After this past year full of challenges and uncertainty, we may all be feeling a little bit like nine-year-old Noah, excited but not sure what to expect.

We are here to answer all your questions. We have been closely following the latest CDC updates in the news and the CCRC Medical Committee has met repeatedly to create and revise our guidelines for a safe summer experience. We will continue to update our COVID playbook and our Medical Committee is going to be advising us right through the summer to ensure that we have the best, science-based and practitioner-informed safety protocols possible for camp.

As we gear up for Opening Day, we will be hosting two Town Halls, one for parents and guardians on June 3rd and one for campers on June 8th. Please be on the lookout for specific emails containing information about Opening day and please check your mailbox for your camper’s luggage tags. Please check your CampInTouch dashboard to make sure that all of your forms have been completed, including our new form to let us know if campers 12 and older have been vaccinated. Additionally, we are asking parents to pre-register for COVID-19 testing that will take place during each of the summer sessions. The forms to submit your COVID testing and health screening will also be available on your dashboard.

We all come into camp with different packed bags and we all leave with different experiences and memories, but we all get to experience the summer as one big Capital Camps family. Whether it’s your 1^st summer or your 15^th, we are ready and thrilled to welcome everyone back to Capital Camps with open arms. We can’t wait to see so many smiling faces back in Waynesboro.

April 2021

For the first time in what has felt like forever, we were “home”. Last weekend we gathered our Leadership Team at camp. This traditionally starts the summer for our seasonal staff. Thanks to our song leaders Nick and Michelle there was music in the air and after Havdalah we even had s’mores. It felt so good to be back at camp!

March 2021

There are purple crocuses popping up on my front lawn and the days have started to warm up. Spring is here; time to celebrate Passover and time to accelerate our preparations for Camp. Traditionally, the weeks prior to Passover involve meticulous preparation. Likewise, Capital Camps & Retreat Center has begun the methodical process of reopening. We are readying our beautiful camp to welcome families for two Cabins@Capital weekends in May. And then in June, it will be time for camp, Capital Camps style!

We welcome spring this year with a renewed sense of hope. Last year, at this time, the pandemic was forcing itself into all of our lives. It has been a challenging year and one in which staying connected virtually with friends, family and our Capital Camps community was especially important. Both the holiday of Passover and the opening of camp offer us the chance to focus on reengagement, rededication and renewal.

Passover celebrates spring, rebirth, and renewal, which are symbolized by the green “karpas” and the egg on the Seder plate. The Passover Seder provides a blueprint for engaging in child-centered Jewish education. We are instructed to answer a child’s four questions, explain things to four different sons, and tell the story in a way that connects one generation to the next. There are parallels between the Passover Seder and the immersive Jewish education we provide at camp.

Camp is all about connections: campers to each other, campers and staff, and each connected to a bunk, a village and the full camp community. Starting with the bunk, children and staff create a cohort that touches the hearts, souls and minds of all involved. Camp is a place where children are empowered to ask questions. Camp is a place where the “wise”, the “rebellious”, the “shy” and those “who do not know how to ask” are all respected and accepted.

Camp is also all about fun and engagement. We are looking forward to the renewed energy at camp as campers engage in our full line-up of activities: sports, arts, aquatics, outdoor adventure, teva (nature), the farm and more. Fun is the necessary ingredient that allows the serious identity-building activities at camp to be embraced and absorbed.

Passover 2021 may still feel different as we gather in small family groups in person, or with extended family and friends on zoom. At the same time the essence of the holiday, the powerful themes of re-engagement, rebirth, renewal and family storytelling provide familiar constants. As always, the health and wellness of our campers and staff is foremost in our mind as we prepare to reopen camp. As shared in our recent Town Hall meeting and in our COVID-19 playbook, there will be some adjustments to how we are organized this summer. At the same time, the essences of camp, the connections, the fun, the engagement will be renewed and reinforced. With parents, campers and staff all working together, we are confident in our ability to have a safe and fun summer.

Cabins@Capital is an opportunity for campers to be introduced or reacquainted to camp along with their families. We hope you can join us May 21-23 for a weekend of camp experiences and family mitzvah projects in partnership with the Jewish Volunteer Connections or on May 28-31 (Memorial Day Weekend) for a special themed “Family Maccabi Weekend”.The count-down to the first day of first session has started. As the trees and flowers start to burst back into life, we look forward to reopening Capital Camps & Retreat Center. We wish everyone a chag Pesach samech, a happy Passover holiday. We can’t wait to see you at Capital Camps very soon!

February 2021

February 2021 marks the twelfth time Jewish communities around the world recognize Jewish Disability Awareness, Acceptance and Inclusion Month (JDAIM). The two pillars of JDAIM, the Spirit of Belonging and the Structure of Inclusion, align strongly with the values embedded in all that we do at Capital Camps & Retreat Center. Inclusion is about access. It is about removing physical and attitudinal barriers. Belonging is about acceptance, friendship and community.

In last week’s Torah reading, Parshat Mishpatim, Moses informs the people of numerous ethical and ritual laws and the people answer “na’aseh ve-nishma,” “We will do and we will hear.” It seems out of order that first you do and then you hear. Yet, at Sinai, our ancestors agreed to accept everything involved in the Torah, to act before hearing or understanding. Sometimes we need to change our behavior, change the way we act before we fully understand. In this biblical response, we do and then we hear, we can find an explanation of why inclusion and belonging work at Capital Camps.

We proudly “do” inclusion at Capital Camps & Retreat Center. Our facilities meet the standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Our Atzma’im program is going on its eighteenth year, predating JDAIM, and we use it to skillfully support campers and staff with disabilities. We are a pluralistic and kosher facility, accommodating a variety of other dietary needs. We intentionally put these structures in place to allow the entire Jewish community to gather comfortably. By striving to remove physical and attitudinal barriers, we are uniquely positioned to partner with other community leaders to strengthen and sustain vibrant Jewish life and provide multiple pathways to Jewish engagement.

“Na’aseh” is straightforward, meaning “we will do.” It is about observable behaviors. “Nishama” is more complex, however. “Nishama” can mean we will listen, we will obey or we will understand. More complex issues, such as creating a feeling of belonging, require actions first. It is not enough to say to our campers, “In our bunk everyone belongs.” Rather we need to teach specific observable behaviors, create respectful group norms and role model how to accept differences. It is precisely this order of “doing” before “understanding” that explains why “doing inclusion” makes Capital Camps a place that excels at creating a sense of belonging.

One of my favorite camp stories involves a cabin time discussion in one of our Benjamin bunks. In my previous role as the Atzma’im coordinator, I was talking to this group of 9 and 10 year old boys about the fact that we all have things we can do independently and we all have things we could use help with. At one point in the conversation, one of the campers who received support from an Atzma’im counselor spoke up and thanked his peers for understanding that he needed help from his counselor and sometimes this meant stepping away from a group. Another child shared that this type of help was very natural and that just like his friend needed extra support from a counselor, he himself used an inhaler to help him get through a day full of running around. Because both boys were part of an environment that is willing to “do” inclusion, they were able to share a moment of acceptance and belonging. This is a small example of how our commitment to inclusion raises the bar for caring, understanding, and character for everyone at Capital Camps, not merely the campers and staff who require accommodations.

This summer, as we re-gather after a year of social distancing due to a global pandemic, we need to double down on what we do best: helping campers and staff form welcoming and inclusive communities. This begins at the cabin level where we intentionally create connections among campers and staff. The bunk becomes a family unit. Each bunk establishes norms, routines and rules so that all feel safe and respected. The counselors create getting-to-know-you activities and games on the first day and then follow up with nightly cabin time programs. These routines are put in place to build an understanding of the importance of belonging. When we get to know each other, when we recognize that we all need support, and when we listen to each other, we truly foster a sense of belonging.

February, this year, is also the month where we celebrate Purim. Purim is seen as a time of joy. It is a fun-oriented holiday full of costumes, treats, merriment and noisemakers. There is nothing more joyful than a sense of belonging. For those of us working year-round, Purim also reminds us that the joy of summer camp is around the corner.

JDAIM (Jewish Disability Awareness, Acceptance and Inclusion Month) is a time to pause and take stock of where we are in terms of disability inclusion and belonging. The Atzma’im program does not just benefit the campers in this program. The benefits reverberate throughout and change the environment. The more we “do” to include those with disabilities the more we are reminded of all we need “to do” to include everyone. We are looking forward to summer, to the joy of being together, to the joy of belonging.