Frequently Asked Questions

We strive to maintain a clean and green environment at Camp Alonim. An abundance of packages not only creates waste but increases the focus on material items that we try to de-emphasize at camp. They also raise issues of inequity and competition.

In light of this, we’ve joined other Jewish summer camps in the area in an initiative to limit the way packages are accepted here at Camp Alonim.

Camp Alonim will NO LONGER ACCEPT packages from any online retailers including Amazon, Target, Sealed With A Kiss (SWAK), Walmart, Zappos, etc.

In addition to postcards and letters, Camp Alonim will continue to accept packages so long as they are mailed directly from a home address and not an online retailer.

Packages may not contain prohibited items (such as electronic games or food of any kind).

As in previous years, all packages will be opened and inspected by Camp Alonim office staff in front of campers, and prohibited items will be removed. Prohibited items will not be distributed to the camper or returned to the sender.

We take pride in creating an intentionally unplugged community at Camp Alonim. Because of this, phones, laptops and other electronics are not available to campers and cell phones are not allowed at camp.

A camper with a cell phone would be FAR less likely to fully enjoy everything camp has to offer. Do not promise your child that they can call home, as such a promise cannot be fulfilled.

Do not send your child with a cell phone for emergency purposes. In an emergency, camp staff will notify a custodial parent/guardian.

Cell phones discovered in your child’s possession will be confiscated. We reserve the right to send a child home for violating this rule.

Camp Alonim is under very strict kashrut supervision and, therefore, cannot accept food from outside of camp. If given notice, we can provide certain items for your child under certain circumstances (e.g., medical reasons).

Please contact the office well in advance of the summer if you need to arrange that service. There are always vegetarian, vegan, and milk substitutes available at meals, and we are a celiac-friendly camp.

Camp Alonim does not have a visitors’ day. Parents can see the camp and the bunks and other facilities on opening and closing days.

Parents can write their children letters, but campers do not have access to phones while at camp. Given the time that campers are here at camp, it is easier for them to adjust if they have limited access to their usual technology.

It is also important that campers “unplug” their lives while at camp. Communicating through writing letters is new to many of our campers who communicate mostly through email and texting, and helps them practice patience, penmanship, and mindful communication.

Yes! There are 2 ways to email. We recommend downloading the Campanion App (for iPhone, for Android) for sending letters but you can also log in to your Alonim Account and click the “Email” link to access the one-way email system.

This feature is strictly one-way, however, so your child will still send letters and postcards back to you the traditional way. Be sure to pack them stationary and stamps!

Yes! The Campanion App (for iPhone, for Android) offers parents a user friendly way to view the camp photos. It also offers an optional facial recognition tool that you can use to have photos of your camper delivered directly to you in the app.

We will send more information about Campanion in the weeks leading up to camp. Please note that we do not guarantee photos of your camper and that we do not upload pictures during Shabbat.

Some boys in grade 6th and up may be housed in bunks with exterior restrooms. The bunks used by 10th grade girls, as well as those used by 11th graders also have exterior restrooms.

Yes. All campers and staff are required to wear pure white clothing on Shabbat. (Shoes and belts, however, need not be white.) Colored shirts worn underneath white shirts are not appropriate for Shabbat.

Please see the “Packing List” on your Alonim Account for further information, including suggestions for locating white clothing.

The physical and emotional health and safety of our community are our top priority. We believe COVID-19 vaccines are a valuable tool in our strategy to decrease the risk of preventable illnesses at camp.

After much consideration, and in consultation with our Medical Committee and the leadership of American Jewish University, Camp Alonim has decided that the primary COVID-19 vaccination will no longer be required for camper participation at Camp Alonim, nor will any updated boosters be required for campers that are already vaccinated.

We do strongly recommend that all campers are fully vaccinated and up to date against COVID-19 (including any available boosters if eligible).

No, there is no need to send your child to camp with money.

Camp Alonim takes pride in providing mature, professionally trained, fun and motivated staff. We employ numerous teachers with extensive experience working with children.

Our bunk counselors and specialists are all college-age and have prior experience working with children. We personally interview every staff member, and we take pride in the rigor of our interview process.

Staff members must have excellent references, and we conduct national background checks and sex offender checks on all staff members before they arrive at camp.

Most campers entering grades 2-9 are housed in bunks with approximately 12 campers and 2-3 counselors.

At the peak of summer, daytime temperatures average in the 80s and 90s. Temperatures drop significantly at night (60s), so bunks are not air-conditioned but do have ceiling fans and/or vents.

Most program buildings used for activities during the day have air-conditioning.

Laundry is provided once per session during Second and Third Session. Laundry is not provided during First Session, Mini Session, or Fourth Session.

When campers send their clothes to the laundry, it typically takes two days to return. Laundry bags and their contents should all be clearly marked with your child’s full name.

No. It is against Camp Alonim policy for staff members to accept tips in the form of money.

We believe that each staff member is integral in creating the experience that your child has. Tipping sends a message that some staff are more deserving than others, producing a level of competition that is not in line with our philosophy at Alonim.

The staff works hard and we know you want to thank them! Thoughtful cards show your gratitude as parents without creating competition amongst our staff.

Yes. Our Judaic educational staff can assist your child in their preparations. iPods or MP3 players without internet connection are allowed to be brought and used for this purpose only.

While a day at camp can differ slightly by age group, sample schedules are available on the Day Camp and Overnight Camp pages.

For a more detailed explanation of all our activities and how they fit into a camp day, feel free to call us in the office at (877) 225-6646!

Campers tend to misplace belongings while at camp. Staff make every attempt to help campers locate lost and misplaced items.

Parents can help this process by labeling ALL items brought to camp with camper’s FIRST and LAST name. Camp Alonim does not assume liability for lost or damaged personal items.

It’s generally a good rule of thumb to leave items of significant monetary or sentimental value at home.

We will make every effort to contact families after the summer ends if we find an item labeled with a camper’s name. These items will be available for pickup from the Camp Alonim office, or can be mailed at your charge.

Camp Alonim has a modern Health Center staffed at all times while camp is in session. We typically have multiple nurses, counselors based in the Health Center, and a doctor-in-residence.

Because of the communal living style at camp, it is not unusual for kids to catch the common cold during their session. Kids have two opportunities during the day for “sick call,” where your child is examined and it is determined if he/she has caught something.

Please refer to your Family Handbook with more information about when we contact parents when a child is treated by the Health Center staff.

We celebrate! There will be a cake and the singing of Yom Huledet Sameach (Happy Birthday) at a meal with the entire camp.

If you would like to send something special to your child for their birthday (excluding food), please follow our guidelines around mail and packagees.

Camp safety is our top priority. We intend to follow all regulations and recommendations put forth by Ventura County Health Department, CDC, and the American Camp Association.

Upon arrival to camp, campers will undergo a health check including a temperature check, symptom check, and COVID-19 Specific screening questions. COVID-19 testing may be required ahead of your child’s arrival and/or on Opening Day of camp.

In general, all campers except those enrolled in Mini Session will go on an overnight (sleeping under the stars) and should come to camp with a sleeping bag.

Guidelines for the youngest campers going on overnights vary from year to year and session to session (largely depending upon each age group’s readiness).

No. Gan Alonim Day Camp prides itself on being a place that provides endless fun activities on site. Because we are located at Camp Alonim, we have a variety of activities for all ages that most day camps just can’t offer on site.

As a result, we do not offer field trips. Our campers are happy to stay in camp and play all day!

Yes! Please check here to RSVP for our free Open Houses and Tours.

Yes! We offer delicious Kosher lunch for $10/meal. Menus will be provided in the weeks before camp begins. If campers bring a sack lunch from home, please note it must be dairy or pareve (cannot contain any meat at all) or any nuts, as we are a nut-free campus.

Lunches will be stored in an ice cooler until lunch time. We will provide ideas for lunch in our Family Handbook available in the spring.

Shabbat is a very special time at Gan Alonim. Although the Jewish Sabbath doesn’t actually begin until sundown on Friday night, we celebrate it on Friday during the camp day.

Campers gather together to say the Sabbath blessings, eat delicious challah bread, and everybody gets a little bit of grape juice. Sometimes campers also participate in performances with their group to showcase different Jewish lessons learned during the week, such as a new Israeli dance or a skit about the Torah portion for that week.

Yes. Families will receive a $10 (for each week) sibling discount for each additional sibling enrolled for camp after the first child. Siblings must attend the same session to receive the discount.

Yes! Please click here to see the bus schedule in Summer 2026. Bus schedule is subject to change.

The pool is a safe and fun place for campers of all swim levels to cool off and have a good time! Every counselor in your child’s group will get in the pool to play with the campers.

In addition to the counselors, there are always trained lifeguards on duty watching the pool from the deck. Some of our younger campers bring arm floaties to camp. If you are concerned about swim time, please reach out to us at gan@aju.edu

Camp is fun! During a session, campers rotate through a variety of activities including teva (nature), the ropes course, horseback riding, Israeli dance, art, swimming, archery, performing arts, and sports. On Friday, we have special activities for Shabbat.

Campers at Gan Alonim are entering grades K-6. Campers must turn 5 by September 1, 2026, to attend Gan Alonim.

We open the gate at 8:45 a.m. for day camp arrival. The gate opens at 3:15 p.m. (3:00 p.m. on Friday only) for pick up.

Signing your camper in and out will be conducted using your smartphone via the Brightwheel App. We will provide you more information about Brightwheel before camp begins.

On most days, we try to keep the campers cool by having them drink water, wear their hats, and stay in shady areas. On some days, it becomes necessary to move the campers inside to air-conditioned buildings for the times when they would normally be outside.

And, of course, every group goes to the pool every day!

A camper who has a birthday at camp is a lucky camper! Your child’s birthday will be celebrated by the entire group, and the counselors will plan something special for that camper during the day.

Please do not bring any treats to camp to celebrate your child’s birthday. Due to our kosher supervision, as well as the prevalence of camper allergies, no outside food may be brought into camp.

If you do want to help the group celebrate with your child, you may bring something appropriate for the entire group to wear such as matching party hats, leis, beaded necklaces etc.

Make-up days are available at Gan Alonim. We will try to reschedule your camper if they miss camp due to illness.

Partial refunds will be available if a camper misses 5 or more days of a session due to illness if make-up days are not available or possible for the family.

Regarding Refunds: Gan Alonim Day Camp and the camper’s family will share the cost of missed camp days. Gan Alonim Day Camp will issue a 50% refund of the days missed, in the form of a credit to be used in the future. A doctor’s note is required to qualify for these partial refunds.

All Gan Alonim Day Camp registrations are fully refundable until April 1.

Cancellations received on or after April 2 and more than 14 days before the applicable session start date are subject to a $100 cancellation fee.

Cancellations received less than 14 days before the applicable session start date are subject to a $200 cancellation fee.

The entire tuition amount is forfeited for cancellations received less than 7 days before the session start date.

Cancellation fee payments cannot be applied to other campers’ tuition, other sessions, or possible future enrollments. There are no refunds due to absence.

Any requested Gan Alonim Day Camp cancellations must be submitted in writing to gan@aju.edu

Gan Alonim has little to no overlap with sleepaway camp. The schedules are arranged in a way that the 2 camps do not use the same activity spaces during the same activity blocks throughout the day.

Campers may see one another “in passing” while moving from activity to activity but there is no intentional overlap between day camp and sleepaway camp.

Please do not send your child to camp if they show any signs of illness. These may include, but are not limited to: cough, fever, shortness of breath, runny nose, sore throat, vomiting, headache, loss of taste/smell, diarrhea, body aches, and fatigue.

If your child has allergies or other chronic conditions which cause any of the above symptoms, please provide a doctor’s note prior to sending them to camp.

We have a fully staffed Health Center on the campus of Gan Alonim. In addition, we maintain a triage space near the Gan Alonim office where campers will go for cuts/scrapes, headaches, bee stings, stomach aches etc.

If a camper is not feeling well and is exhibiting symptoms of cold/flu, COVID-19, stomach flu etc, during the camp day, the camper can be seen at the Health Center.

If we determine that the camper needs to go home, they will be able to rest comfortably until a parent arrives.

The counselors of Gan Alonim Day Camp are entering twelfth-graders who live at camp all summer long. Most of them have grown up at Camp Alonim and all have been through a rigorous interview process.

After the campers leave for the day, the counselors participate in educational and social activities and plan programs for the Gan Alonim campers.

Unfortunately, we are not able to offer extended care.

This summer are offering two 1-night overnights. You can sign up for these opportunities on the regular camp enrollment application. There is no 2-night overnight for Summer 2026.

Note: We have a Mini Camp (residential) at the end of the summer that is only 4 nights, and a great introductory overnight camp experience at the end of the summer!

Yes, there will be make-up days available, space permitting. Please email gan@aju.edu to request a make-up day.

Yes. We will provide 2 snacks a day. Each snack will be individually wrapped.

There are a few options you can explore.

One Happy Camper
If your child has never been to Jewish overnight summer camp, you are eligible for a “One Happy Camper” first-time grant this summer!

Only a limited number of first-time grants are available. As soon as possible after you enroll, please visit onehappycamper.org and apply for the grant. (Mini Session campers are unfortunately not eligible for this grant.)

Jewish Professional Discount
Year-round Jewish communal professionals receive 10% off the summer camp regular tuition rate for their children. If you qualify, please submit proof of current employment (e.g., business card or pay stub) to alonim@aju.edu after submitting enrollment application.

It will be applied to your account after your enrollment is processed. If you are not sure if your job qualifies, please email or call Jenn Simpson, Assistant Director: jsimpson@aju.edu or 877-225-6646.

Synagogues
Many synagogues offer scholarships (“camperships”) for members of the congregation. Call your synagogue to find out if there are any funds available.

Jewish Free Loan
The Jewish Free Loan Association (www.jfla.org) provides interest-free loans.

Our scholarship application is available only after you enroll for camp. Please first enroll online.

While completing the online enrollment application, be sure to answer ‘yes’ for this question: Need-based scholarships are available for Camp Alonim. Would you like to receive more information about how to apply for a scholarship?

We will then give you access to the online scholarship application after confirming your enrollment.

An anonymous Scholarship Committee meets regularly to review applications and then you will be notified by email.

Our Scholarship Committee typically gives awards ranging from 5-70% of the total tuition fees for the applicable session(s). Camp Alonim does not award full scholarships.

No amount is too big or too small. We ask that you only request the amount that is necessary for your child to be able to attend camp.

Yes! It is our goal to assist as many families who need assistance as possible. The biggest mistake you can make is not to enroll in camp because you think it’s not worth it to apply for a scholarship that you, in fact, need.

Scholarship applications are due March 1, 2026. After March 1, applications are reviewed on a rolling basis as remaining funds permit. We encourage you to submit your scholarship application as soon as possible.

The Scholarship Committee will review applications and you will then receive a written notification of your award by email.

A deposit is required in order for your scholarship application to be considered. Please call Jenn Simpson, Assistant Director, at 877-225-6646, if you are unable to pay the full deposit at this time or have any concerns.

If you have not filed taxes as recently as 2024, you can send in your most recent tax returns. In addition, you must provide your W-2(s) from 2024. Additional financial information may be requested from the Scholarship Committee.

Our goal is to help you get to camp! If the award you receive is not enough to afford the camp tuition, or if something has changed since the time you submitted your scholarship application (such as a new financial hardship), you may submit a letter of appeal to the Scholarship Committee requesting additional aid.

For more information about how to submit a letter of appeal, contact Jenn Simpson, Assistant Director, at jsimpson@aju.edu or 877-225-6646.

Additionally, we do offer payment plans so that you can pay for camp over several months leading up to your child’s session start date. The Jewish Free Loan Association offers interest-free loans for Jewish summer camp. Some synagogues also offer camp scholarships.

If, after we have explored all available options, the remaining camp tuition will not be manageable for your family, you can receive a full refund of any fees paid to date provided you cancel camp by emailing alonim@aju.edu within the window of time stated in your scholarship notification letter.

Following your successful online enrollment for camp, the Scholarship Committee will only consider your application when all of the following have been received:

1. A completed scholarship application form for each camper for whom you are requesting aid.
2. A short statement detailing your financial need and reasons for your scholarship request.
3. Copies of your completed and signed 2024 or 2025 Federal tax return (Form 1040). We strongly prefer to receive 2025 tax returns if available.

In keeping with the highest levels of tzedakah (justice), we honor your confidentiality and recognize your place as a valued member of the aju.edumunity.

Although we must require certain documentation and information to process your request for aid, it is not the committee’s intention to embarrass families in any way. Camp Alonim is dedicated to helping as many families who are in need as possible.

Jenn Simpson, Assistant Director, handles all scholarship inquiries and would be happy to walk you through the process. Feel free to contact her by email at jsimpson@aju.edu or by phone at 877-225-6646.