Kings Bay Y Partners with New Jersey Y for Sleepaway Camp

Kings Bay Y at Windsor Terrace and New Jersey Y Camps have partnered to offer PACK Sleepaway Camp, a sleepaway camp geared toward those from Jewish and interfaith backgrounds.

Kings Bay Y at Windsor Terrace is partnering with New Jersey Y Camps to create the PACK Sleepaway Camp this summer. PACK stands for Power Action Community and Kadima (which means forward in Hebrew).

The two-week camp will take place Aug. 9-20 at the NJY Camp in Milford, PA, for kids ages 9-14. Assistant camp director Ilona Zeltser says the idea came up a few years ago for Brooklyn parents to send their kids to a sleepaway camp without straying too far from home. “It’s not easy for a lot of parents to give up their kids for any period of time,” Zeltser says. “Sleepaway is something that kids want, the parents want, but it’s not as available here as we would like it to be.”

Campers will partake in activities they “specialize” in, which are selected on the camp application, such as music, visual arts, and water sports, and can choose two electives per day including ceramics, guitar, and biking. Campers will also learn about the Jewish faith and values through activities during Shabbat, field trips, and teachings by an educator from Israel. The camp is set up so kids can choose to continue the Jewish education with NJY throughout the school year at Kings Bay Y at Windsor Terrace.

Sundays through Fridays, campers will have a full schedule of activities from 8am-9pm. On Saturdays, there will be a special Shabbat program for the entire camp to do together. The camp is $999—scholarships are available—which includes lodging in the cabins, food, and transportation to and from Kings Bay Y locations in Williamsburg and Windsor Terrace. Kids do not need to be members of Kings Bay Y to apply for the sleepaway camp.

Above photo: Campers at Kings Bay Y’s PACK Sleepaway Camp can choose zip lining as an elective activity.