OPINION: It’s not too early to think about summer camp safety
Campfires. Sing-alongs. Color wars. Lifelong friendships. These activities embody the identity and innocence long associated with Jewish camp, and which have made camp such a pivotal part of Jewish life for so many of us.
For me, it was summers at Camp Chi in Wisconsin—swimming in Lake Delton, running through the woods, bonding during Shabbat dinners and spending time with people who now, 40 years later, remain my closest friends.
Sadly, however, in today’s world, amidst the separation anxiety of sending one’s kids away, whether it’s for a few days or a full eight weeks, parents are increasingly asking, not if their kids have overpacked or brought enough bug spray, but—in today’s threat environment—whether it is safe to send their kids to camp at all … let alone a Jewish camp.
As the CEO of the Secure Community Network, the official safety and security organization of the Jewish community in North America, a proud alum of Jewish camp and a parent who sends his daughters to Jewish camp, let me be clear: the answer is emphatically yes, if parents do the right thing.
Planning, preparing and making reasonable investments can keep Jewish camps safe and ensure they continue contributing to the vibrancy of Jewish life.
Keeping our kids safe starts with us parents knowing the right questions to ask camp leadership ahead of sending our kids off for the summer. To assist, SCN has developed a critical resource to empower parents—“Essential safety questions to ask before sending your child to summer camp”—available for download.
I encourage all parents to review this important resource and use it as a tool to advocate for their children’s wellbeing. The questions in SCN’s resource empower parents and camps to have crucial conversations, ensuring our shared priority, the well-being and safety of our kids.
By proactively engaging camp leadership on these issues, parents can gain the peace of mind that their children will be in a thoughtfully protected and well-prepared environment.
By openly addressing parental concerns, camps can position themselves in the best position to deliver the enriching, worry-free experience that families deserve.
Yet determining how to make a camp safe can be confusing and overwhelming for camp leadership. The good news is that camps don’t have to navigate security decisions or installations on their own.
With the generous support of the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Foundation and a lead gift from an anonymous donor, SCN launched the groundbreaking Camp Security Initiative last year in partnership with the Foundation for Jewish Camp.
This initiative, led by security professionals with federal law enforcement experience, focuses on enhancing the safety of Jewish camps by providing comprehensive security assessments, expert advice for physical security, training for camp staff and counselors, and improved coordination with law enforcement agencies.
Over the past year, the Camp Security Initiative has allowed camps to undergo simple security steps like inspecting perimeter fencing, upgrading surveillance systems and assessing property vulnerabilities that can go a long way in safeguarding our camps. Additionally, SCN has conducted more than 250 security engagements with camp leadership across North America, including briefings, assessments and consultations, and trained 3,000 camp personnel at 76 facilities, a testament to the commitment of our camp community. This is how we protect our kids, so their summer camp experience is a safe one.
When deciding if and where to send our kids to camp, we shouldn’t have to guess nor can we take for granted that security measures are being implemented, and investments made. As parents and camp leadership, let us all take the time to have the essential conversations to ensure our children can focus on creating the lifelong memories that typify Jewish camp and contribute to the enrichment of Jewish life.
Michael Masters serves as the national director and CEO of the Secure Community Network (SCN).
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