Welcome!

We are so excited to have your family as a part of the Camp Kulam community! We look forward to collaborating with campers and their families to co-create a warm, joyful, connected, and safe experience in a Jewish space and experience a sense of belonging in the rich mosaic of Jewish life during the February school break. 

Important Dates & Times | Camper Forms | Health and Wellness

Getting Ready (Important Camp Reminders) | Our Program | Staying in Touch

Camp Kulam Family Shabbat

2024 IMPORTANT DATES & TIMES

Daily drop off for camp is between 8:45-9:00am

CAMPER FORMS (Required for Participation) 

Registration of your child is not complete until registration fees are paid and all forms have been submitted in full. Forms are due by Friday, February 16, 2024 and any outstanding payments must also be made by this date (unless otherwise arranged with the camp administration).

No child will be permitted to attend camp unless all completed forms have been received and tuition is fully paid.

Forms Checklist

• Child & Adolescent Health Examination Form** – download, complete and return via email to jmaxner@hannahsenesh.org
• Camper Info & Authorization Form (includes photo upload) – complete online

**required for all campers enrolled in schools other than Senesh

HEALTH AND WELLNESS

Health & Safety

The health and safety of our campers is the primary concern of everyone at Camp Kulam and Senesh.

We will have our nurse on site throughout the camp week to support the health and wellness of all of our campers and staff.  

In the event of minor injuries, minor first aid will be given at camp and a parent/guardian will be notified if necessary. 

In an emergency, if a parent cannot be reached or cannot retrieve the student in a timely manner, the child will be taken to the nearest hospital by EMS ambulance transport and the parent/guardian will be notified.

On a daily basis, we encourage all families to do a self-check to ensure that campers are healthy and not displaying any new symptoms of illness. If your child has any symptoms (fever, chills, headache, runny nose, congestion, sore throat, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, fatigue, body aches, or loss of taste/smell) they should remain at home.

Our community depends on one another to keep a safe and healthy camp environment.  Thank you in advance for your support!

Medical Information

The Child & Adolescent Health Examination Form** must be completed prior to the start of camp.  No child can participate in camp without a signed and completed form.  Copies of this form previously submitted to your child’s school are acceptable, as long as they are dated within one year of the last day of camp (Friday, February 23, 2024).

**Students who are currently enrolled in Senesh do not have to submit this form again, as the school already collected this form and has it on file for the current school year.

Our nurse will carefully review this form along with any others where relevant health details have been provided for each camper.  Any special needs and considerations are communicated only with those staff members and medical professionals who we believe need to know about any condition that your child may have, or as required by law. 

Immunization Policy

Camp Kulam campers must fulfill the requirements of the State of New York for immunization. We also require all campers and staff to be vaccinated with the COVID primary series, and recommend COVID boosters for everyone ages 5 years and older, if eligible.

The current vaccine schedules can be viewed at: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/schedules/downloads/child/0-18yrs-child-combined-schedule.pdf

Insurance

Every camper must have medical insurance and prescription coverage. Camp Kulam and Senesh will not be responsible for any medical expenses incurred during camp. 

GETTING READY (Important Camp Reminders)

What to WEAR

• Clothing that kids will be comfortable in doing a variety of activities, including sports, art, and more.
• Comfortable shoes, such as sneakers, that will allow campers to enjoy the full range of activities during the day.
• In the event of inclement weather, we ask that you send campers with an extra pair of indoor shoes, so that their outdoor shoes (ex. Snow or rain boots) can be taken off upon arrival.

What to BRING

• Backpack or bag to carry personal items
• Water bottle 
• Lunch and snack: Food brought from home must be dairy or parve, but does not need to have a hechsher (a rabbinical product certification, qualifying foods conform to the requirements of kashrut). Please send food that does not require refrigeration. No meat or shellfish is permitted.  NOTE: our program and facility is NOT nut-free.

REMINDER: ALL items brought to camp should be labeled clearly with the camper’s name (even shoes). 

Drop Off / Pick Up at Senesh

Camp Kulam takes place at Hannah Senesh Community Day School, located at 342 Smith Street, Brooklyn, NY.  Senesh is easily accessible by public transit and is next to the F/G subway stop at Carroll Street.

Camp Kulam uses the school’s main entrance on Smith Street. Security guards will be posted at the front door and will be checking photo ID for all adults.  Grown-ups will be permitted into the lobby just inside the main entrance for drop off and pick up.

• Drop off for all campers is between 8:45am to 9:00am.  
• Pick up is at 4:00pm for Regular Day campers and at 5:00pm for Extended Day campers.
• Please note there is no extended day on Friday due to Shabbat. 

Arrival / Departure Changes

Thank you for notifying us as soon as possible about any late arrivals or early pick ups so we can be sure to have a staff member ready to greet you. If you know about the change in advance, please send an email to Camp Director, Jamie Maxner, at jmaxner@hannahsenesh.org.  If you are running late, please call the Senesh main office at 718-858-8663.

Absences

If your camper will be out of camp, please let us know as soon as possible.  Unfortunately, we are not able to prorate camp fees for days not attended. 

How to Reach Camp

During the camp week, Jamie Maxner, our Camp Director, is your primary point of contact and can be reached via email at jmaxner@hannahsenesh.org.  Please note that during camp hours, all of our staff are engaged with our campers and the program, so please understand that you may not receive a response right away.

If there is an urgent matter that requires immediate attention during camp hours, call the Senesh main office at 718-858-8663.

OUR PROGRAM

Throughout the week, we will be exploring themes of identity (Who am I?) and community (Who are We?).  Each day, campers will participate in fun and diverse activities—including arts, sports, cooking, music, nature, dance, and more—infused with a Jewish lens.  Campers will connect with their own family heritage, learn about Jewish communities around the world, and celebrate that there are many ways to look, feel, act, and be Jewish!

Feel free to take a peek at our sample daily schedule, to get a sense of what a day at camp looks like.

STAYING IN TOUCH (Communication)

Here are some of the ways families can catch a glimpse of the Camp Kulam magic!

Email Updates:

Camp families will receive emails throughout the week that will include recaps, reminders, and any other information you or your campers need to know.

Photos:

You will be able to view photos from camp at this link—new photos added daily during the camp week!  

Social Media:

Follow along as we post updates from Camp Kulam on social media #CampKulamBK –

• Facebook: Hannah Senesh Community Day School
• Instagram: @hannahseneshschool