The phrase that best describes the recently completed Camp JCC Summer 2025 is “tremendous growth.” In addition to the number of campers this past summer, “tremendous growth” refers to the growth of the Camp JCC program over the past five years.
In summer 2025, more than 270 campers attended Camp JCC, which is the highest total since reopening after the pandemic. Campers attended from Hampton Roads, California, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Washington DC, and Richmond.
Camp JCC camper weeks grew nearly 20% higher from 2024, resulting in the need of an additional group.
This year, Camp JCC employed its largest seasonal staff with excellent counselors, multiple activity specialists, and fully staffed camper care and leadership teams. More than half of this large staff have worked at Camp JCC for three summers or more. An additional demonstration of continuity was the promotion of former Camp JCC unit head Kate-Lynn Cipolla to the role of assistant camp director, in part to help promote and manage the tremendous growth of the Camp JCC program.
Activity offerings also grew this summer. Beyond the favorite camp classics such as lip sync, boat building, surfing with Sababa, and the color run, new weekly themes and special events were added to an already robust summer calendar. Camp JCC had a STEM (Science, Tech, Engineering, and Mathematics) specialist in addition to arts, fishing, sports, and Israeli culture specialties. Each specialist added fun, meaningful, and hidden educational content to special events throughout the summer. STEM contributed greatly to the inaugural Camp JCC “Shark Week” and “Watermelon Day,” the Shinshinim added a lot to Israel Day and the visit from the Israeli Scouts Friendship Caravan, and everyone played a role in making the “Summer Superbowl” and halftime show memorable and impactful.
Camp JCC was the place where children could experience many options, while being a part of a summer of tremendous growth.
To learn more about Camp JCC or to hear about year round opportunities for teens in the community, contact Dave Flagler, director of Camp and Teen Engagement, at DFlagler@UJFT.org or 757-452-3182.
