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Westside Jewish Community Center
5870 W. Olympic Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323) 938-2531
eappel@westsidejcc.org

JCamp 2023 Program Information

A Place Where You Belong

 Give your children an amazing summer experience with JCamp! 🎉 

Our day camp is designed to create a safe, fun, and engaging environment for your children to explore and grow. 🌱 

With a variety of activities, including outdoor play, arts & crafts, and sports, your children will have the best summer ever! 🤩 

Sign up for JCamp to give the gift of memories that will last a lifetime. 💝

Register HERE!


June 12 - August 18 2023

Hours: 8am - 5pm

Cost per week: $575

Discounts:
Member - $50 off per week
4th of July - $50 off (JCamp is closed Tuesday, July 4th)

Theater Session 1 - Jungle Book - 3 weeks - $1600
Theater Session 2 - Encanto - 2 weeks - $1150


Scholarship opportunities available for Russian Jewish families (with one Russian speaking grandparent).

Financial aid also available.

All enrolled children are required to be fully vaccinated, including for Covid-19.

For questions or more information contact Edana Appel,
JCamp Director, at eappel@westsidejcc.org or 323-556-5205

*drumroll Please*

Specialty Schedule

Below is the schedule and set of options for JCamp this summer!

On mobile devices, this section may be best viewed in Landscape (sideways) mode.

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JCamp Values

community

Community

Kehillah/קהילה

Building meaningful relationships creates stronger individuals, lifelong friendships, and an ongoing sense of belonging.

joy

Joy

Rinah/רינה

 We take seriously the mitzvah (commandment) of increasing joy in life. We aim to bring joy to ourselves, our community, and everyone in our lives.

creativity

Creativity

Yetzirah/יצירה

We construct a safe space for exploring, challenging ourselves and cultivating our talents.

respect

Respect

Kavod/כבוד

Designing a space where everyone can be themselves by treating everyone with kindness and compassion.

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Growth

Gedilah/גדילה

 Learning through experience builds confidence in our abilities and teaches us that growing up is truly about discovering our highest potential.

A Day In the Life at Camp

Specialty Descriptions

Use the arrows to scroll through each, or find a full list of all Specialties here!

Martial Arts:
Loyal Monkey 

Week 1  K-1st grade 
Week 3  2nd-3rd grade

The monkey swoops through the trees as if easily swimming through the air. The effortless sense of flow the monkey shows, displays his sense of loyalty to the jungle, and the environment in which he lives. In order to earn your blue headband, you must learn to be loyal to your environment, for it is your environment that gives you the power to succeed. 

Martial Arts: 
Positive Dragon   

Week 2 K-1st grade
Week 5 2nd-3rd grade

The red headband is reserved for the dragon. Dragons are powerful mythical creatures that soar through the air with immense intensity and energy. A beast that cannot ever be truly tamed, the dragon represents one of the highest levels one can achieve.

Martial Arts: 
Confident Eagle 

Week 7 K-1st grade 
Week 8 2nd-3rd grade

Across cultures of all kinds, the eagle represents an unwavering spirit, who, above all, shows unbreakable confidence. To earn your purple headband, you must learn to embrace what makes you unique, and hold that with confidence, just like the eagle.

Martial Arts: 
Skills, Drills & Games 

Weeks 4 and 9  K-1st grade

Are you ready for a high-energy program introducing children to fundamental martial arts elements, like blocks, kicks, strikes, and the all important KI-YAH! Through skill training, fun games, creative challenges, and pad work on foam targets, children develop self-confidence and learn to enjoy being physically active in a non-contact setting. KI-YAH!

STEM LEGO®

Week 1  4th-7th grade

Master your engineering skills with Play-Well TEKnologies and tens of thousands of LEGO® parts! Apply real-world concepts in physics, engineering, and architecture through engineer-designed projects. Projects are rotated seasonally to ensure that even returning students get a new experience, so join us to design and build as never before and explore your craziest ideas.

Minecraft LEGO® 

Week 2  K-1st grade
Week 3  2nd-3rd grade

Venture into the world of Minecraft in our unique LEGO® experience. Get ready to build your base, craft your tools, use your Minecart to harvest raw resources, and battle to stop the Ender Dragon from ending the world. 

Mandalorian LEGO® 

Week 4  4th-7th grade

Master The Way of the Mandalorian in this Star Wars inspired LEGO® Engineering experience. Venture through the galaxy in your custom gauntlet fighter to rescue Baby Yoda, build grappling hooks to pull ourselves to safety or rescue an ally from the treacherous Sarlacc Pit. 

Pokémon LEGO®

Week 5  K-1st grade
Week 6  2nd-3rd grade

Calling all Pokémon trainers! With the Pokémon Championship approaching, join our enthusiastic PlayWell Instructors as we build and catch our favorite Pokémon, rescue Pikachu from Team Rocket, take a ride on the S.S. Anne to uncover rare and mystic Pokémon, and battle to see who will hold the title of Pokémon Master. Come along on our journey to catch 'em all!

Disney LEGO® 

Week 7  K-1st grade
Week 10  2nd-3rd grade

Come join our fun and knowledgeable Play-Well Instructors as we use LEGO® materials to recreate our favorite animated friends and their worlds! After building our most beloved princesses, villains and sidekicks, get ready to rescue princes and princesses from towers, explore enchanted castles, and maybe even fly on a magic carpet or two. All we need is your creativity and a little magic to bring it all to life!

Video Games LEGO®

Week 8 2nd- 3rd grade

Level up your LEGO® Engineering skills in this video game-inspired experience. Our Play-Well instructors bring your favorite video game characters and experiences to real life. Using LEGO®, learn Link’s signature moves to defeat enemies, build mechanisms to make sonic spin and take out Robotnik, and even build go-karts to challenge Mario and friends in a race for the Mushroom Cup. All the fun of a video game adventure without the screen!

Animal Adventures LEGO® 

Week 9 K-1st grade

Let your imagination run wild with tens of thousands of LEGO® parts as we design and build leaping dolphins, buzzing beehives, and towering giraffes. Play, create, and learn in a world inspired by the animal kingdom. Design and build as never before and explore your craziest ideas.

Theater: Jungle Book

Weeks 1 to 3 K-7th grade

Campers will explore the popular musical The Jungle Book and bring songs and scenes to life through theater games and storytelling, creative expression all while learning valuable skills.  Camp fosters teamwork, brainstorming and confidence building in a safe and supportive environment.  Camp culminates with a last day of camp show presentation.

Theater: Encanto

Weeks 8 to 9 K-7th grade

Campers will explore the popular musical Encanto and bring songs and scenes to life through theater games and storytelling, creative expression all while learning valuable skills.  Camp fosters teamwork, brainstorming and confidence building in a safe and supportive environment.  Camp culminates with a last day of camp show presentation

Rocket Science 

Week 1 K-1st grade

Ready, set, blast off! Explore the Universe as we launch everything from Film Canister Rockets, to Water Bottle Blasters, Business Card Boomerangs, and much more! Our adventures will take us to Titan, Mars, and a Galactic Cluster as we learn about comets, constellations, and our galaxy! This class is out of this world!

Magic

Week 1 2nd-3rd grade
Week 3 4th-7th grade
Week 7 K-1st grade

Ever wonder how a Magician does a magic trick? This class unlocks some of the secrets to the techniques of magic. Students will gain skills in acting, comedy, and memorization that are essential to a magician’s performance. They will use a variety of normal household items such as cards, coins, cups & balls, and rope, and learn cool simple tricks!

Culinary Arts

Week 1 4th-7th grade
Week 3 2nd-3rd grade
Week 9 K-1st grade

Kids will tantalize their taste buds and have fun with food!
Explore different recipes each week including appetizers,
snacks, entrees, desserts, and more!

Recycled Art 

Week 2 K-1st grade

Turn your recyclables, found objects, and even your family’s
trash into precious art! Make bottlecap fishscapes, water bottle hanging planters, bug hotels, tin can wind chimes, and more! With the Recycled Art Workshop, students will
develop an appreciation for used materials, learn about
cultural differences regarding recycling, and further their
understanding of saving the planet

Coding

Week 2 2nd-3rd grade 
Week 9 4th- 7th grade

Create your own animations, programs, and games with MIT’s Scratch, Python, Box Island, and more! Computer programming helps with brain development, math skills, and logic, and is tons of fun!

Robotics

Week 2 4th- 7th grade 
Week 9 2nd-3rd grade 

Build 3 awesome robots to take home! Learn engineering principles such as levers, pulleys, and gears, as you design amazing robots that can walk, crawl, and jump on their own!

Dinosaurs

Week 3 K-1st grade

Learn all about Dinosaurs in this fun, hands-on class! Explore
the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous eras through all sorts of project-based activities: Dino Digs, fossil hunts, and ‘Dino of the Day’ activities! You even get yourown Dinosaur Egg to take home with you!

Chem Kidz

Week 4 K-1st grade 
Week 7 2nd-3rd grade

Chemistry is amazing! Conduct physical and chemical
experiments and learn what makes them work. Learn about atoms and the Periodic Table as you investigate Elephant Toothpaste, grow your own crystals, and so much more! Chemistry has never
been so fun!

Game Design 

Week 4 2nd-3rd grade
Week 5 4th-7th grade

Students will learn how to design and modify their own exciting arcade-style video games using Scratch, Hopscotch, Code.org, and more! They will learn how to control characters, objects, and outcomes in their games as they increase the difficulty level and add more features.

Fashion Design

Week 4 4th-7th grade 
Week 6 2nd-3rd grade

The Fashion Design class is all about you! Create a “line” of clothing, from formal gowns to casual chic! Come up with your own design for a school uniform and make an outfit for yourself using clothes from your closet. It will be fun...and chic too!

Chess

Week 5 K-1st grade 
Week 7 2nd-3rd grade
Week 10 4th-7th grade

We introduce chess to students in a fun and exciting way! For all students and all levels, we teach students to play chess and help them succeed in school by stimulating their problem-solving skills, analytical skills, and critical thinking. 

Hogwarts Academy 

Week 5 2nd-3rd grade
Week 8 4th-7th grade

Perfect your Wizardry skills in this interactive, creative, spell-binding class! Find out which house you belong to and learn how to make potions, use your wand, identify creatures, and more! Witches and wizards of all ages will graduate the Academy with the supplies and skills to use their magic for good.

Super- Powered Science

Week 6 K-1st grade

Science can be so much fun–it’s super! Harness the power
of electricity, sunlight, air pressure, and so much more through hands-on exploration. Kids won’t be bored for a minute as they investigate forces, motion, and energy to
see how they power our world!

Kids Acting Workshop 

Week 6 K-1st grade

Acting exposes students to characterization, plot structure,
ensemble acting, creativity, the art of listening and silence, and following directions all through the use of various theater games. Come join the fun!

Art Adventures 

Week 7 K-1st grade

Children learn about famous artists such as Georgia O’ Keefe, Henri Matisse, and Andy Warhol as they make wonderful creations each week using a wide variety of artist’s materials. Art is fun--come join the
adventure!

Weird Wacky Science 

Week 8 K-1st grade

Come join us for some fun with Weird and Wacky Science! New,
cool, and hands-on experiments each week! This class is filled with fun science activities: amazing crystals, magnetism, static electricity, gravity, and so much more! Experience the Scientific Method as never before!

Creative Sculpture 

Week 8 K-1st grade

Students learn how to make figurines, mosaics, multi-media sculptures, and more while they learn about famous sculptors like Jeffrey Koons, Kenneth Price, and Walter Furlan! We teach the principles of sculpture, and allow students to explore with various media. Come join the fun!

Spy Kids 

Week 10 K-1st grade

Take fingerprints, decode secret messages, search for clues, go on a scavenger hunt, and decipher our Escape Room! Explore the fascinating world of solving mysteries and develop observation and reasoning skills! Every student also receives their very own ID Badge and detective kit!

Anime, Cartooning and Comics 

Week 10 2nd-3rd grades

Cartooning is a great way to learn how to sketch and draw. You will learn to create your own characters as well as popular characters from Disney, Anime, and more! Learn about storylines, design, coloring, and lettering, as you create your very own comic book!

Kawaii Art 

Week 1 K-1st grade
Week 5 and 8 2nd-3rd grades

The word “Kawaii” means “cute” in Japanese, this form of art has a huge following worldwide. This summer campers will learn how to draw kawaii characters and create small sculptures out of clay. Join us for this extremely cute and explorative specialty!

Intermediate - Advanced Painting 

Week 2 4th-7th grade

In this class students will learn various aspects of painting including perspective, color theory, shading, and composition. We will focus on painting and create beautiful works of art. Each day we will learn new techniques and put them into practice onto canvas.  

Art Lab

Week 2 and 3 K-1st grade

Art exploration and experimentation is so important for our campers. In this specialty we will be playing with different mediums such as paint, upcycled materials, drawing, and mixed media. This specialty, while playful and exploratory, will promote motor skills and concentration. We will be learning new techniques each week and putting them into action!

Art Explorers

Week 6 4th-7th grade
Week 7 and 9 2nd-3rd grades

Art is all about creativity and turning your thoughts and experiences into something tangible. In this specialty, we will explore different mediums and create beautiful works of art. Students will be encouraged to dive into their own interests and embrace their style. We will also learn about different artists and how they have influenced art. This is a wonderful class that will foster self-expression as well as art education.

Wire Art 

Week 2 2nd-3rd grade
Week 9 4th-7th grade 

Campers learn how to make figurines, mosaics, multi-media sculptures and more while they learn about famous sculptors like Jeffrey Koons, Kenneth Price and Walter Furlan! We teach the principles of sculpture and allow students to explore with various media. Come join the fun!

Ceramics

Week 1 2nd-3rd grade
Week 8 4th-7th grade

Get your hands dirty this summer with an introduction to ceramics! Over the course of this five day workshop students will learn the ancient art of hand building, beginning with fundamental forms like pinch pots and coil pots, stamped stab-built vessels, and finally three dimensional figurative sculpture. Students will leave with a collection of fun and functional creations, and a whole new set of skills they can continue at home.

Polymer Clay Art 

Week 3 4th-7th grade

Dive into an open ended polymer clay experience where children will be guided on how to use this versatile and colorful art medium. We will learn different techniques, such as color mixing, sculpting, slab work, jewelry design and more. Take home with one of a kind art pieces that you will hold onto forever.

RockBand

Week 5 and 7 4th-7th grade
Week 6 and 8 2nd-3rd grade

Join the Band! All campers will have a chance to learn the basics of music and experience the opportunity to play various instruments including Guitar, Bass, Keyboard, Vocals, Drums, Percussion, and Ukulele. Campers will come together to form a band and put on a rocking performance at the end of the week that we are sure will lead to some rock stars of the future!

Dance 

Week 3, 6, 8 and 9 K-1st grade
Week 4 and 7 2nd-3rd grade
Week 5 4th-7th grade

Dance your heart out with us while we learn basic movement, creativity, choreography and performance skills. Stretch, play fun dance games and learn routines that incorporate new moves, the basic skills of musicality and creativity. The upbeat music with a focus on hip hop and jazz that will include skills such as turns, jumps, kicks and more! Don’t forget the amazing final performance at the end of the week!

Sports

Week 1 and 4 2nd and 3rd grade
Week 3, 5, 6, 8 & 10 K-1st grade

Get ready for a fun and invigorating sports class! In this class we will play, learn, and work together as a team. We will explore many different forms of sports and games. Each day will start with a warmup, a few different activities, and end with a cool down/stretch.

Basketball

Week 2 2nd-3rd grade
Week 7 4th- 7th grade

If you love basketball and want to improve your game, this program is for you! Basketball coaches lead court fundamentals and skills training, as well as endurance and flexibility, to enable campers to be the best basketball players they can be!

Indoor Soccer

Week 9 2nd-3rd grade

If you love soccer and want to improve your game, this program is for you! l coaches lead court fundamentals and skills training, as well as endurance and flexibility, to enable campers to be the best soccer players they can be!

Service Learning

Week 1 and Week 9 5th-8th grade

Specifically designed for middle-school aged campers, this program will help campers develop empathy and advocacy skills by looking at the world around us and learning about the different ways we can contribute to our society. Campers will get the chance to engage in both on and off-site direct service opportunities and projects. Projects may include a focus on environmentalism, inclusion, food insecurity,  and more!

Gilboa Adventure

Week 6 4th – 7th grade

Get a taste of overnight camp with you JCamp Friends!  Spend two days at JCamp and then travel to Big Bear and Camp Gilboa.  Experience 3 days of fun including a field trip, participating in camp-wide educational activities and electives, kayaking, swimming, and more! This is a great opportunity for your camper to get the best of both worlds!

JCamp Staff

Learn more about our amazing program leaders

Year-Round Team

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Edana Appel

Director of Camp and Family Programs

Edana has been the Director of JCamp since Summer 2016.  Her time in Jewish summer camps has taken her to six different camps all across the country.  She has a Masters in Jewish Professional Leadership and an MBA in Non-Profit Management from Brandeis University and also studied there as an undergrad. Outside of the JCC, Edana loves to shop, craft and binge watch shows.

dan

Dan Chomstein

Assistant Director


Dan was born and raised in Mexico City and has been a part of the JCamp family for three years. His background is in sports management and his passion is playing games with campers. He loves hiking, hanging out with his cat, and his favorite color is purple. Dan’s favorite part of JCamp is being the snack master! 

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Melo Taylor

Assistant Director

Melo has worked at Westside JCC for two years. With a variety of Jewish professional experiences in summer camps, youth groups, synagogues, Jewish Day schools, and JCCs in other parts of the country, her passion is teaching young people through art, theatre, and music. Melo graduated from Chico State with a degree in Theatre Arts. In her free time, she enjoys hiking with her dog, gardening, and shopping for shoes she doesn’t need.

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Liora Bernstein

Camper Care Specialist

Liora Bernstein is currently a dual degree graduate student at Hebrew Union College's Zelikow School of Jewish Nonprofit Management and University of Southern California's School of Social Work. Prior to moving to Los Angeles, she worked at Foundation for Jewish Camp in New York City as a Leadership Development Fellow. Liora spent many summers as a camper, counselor, and unit head at URJ Eisner Camp in Great Barrington, MA. She is super excited for another summer as part of the JCamp Family!

Summer Staff


JCamp Staff are chosen for their commitment to building community and creating an environment where campers thrive.  Each staff member plays an important role in making camp happen from greeting campers as they arrive, tending to skinned knees, teaching new games, sharing in their joy of trying something new and finding a lost item at the end of the day.  Our staff is composed of individuals who represent a wide variety of backgrounds, talents and interests. 
Are you looking for a fun and exciting job this summer? 🙋‍♀️🙋‍♂️ 
Join us at Westside JCC for JCamp and make memories that will last a lifetime! 🤗 🏖️ 🤩
Apply HERE!

Read more about job opportunities with JCamp here.
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FAQ

Read up on our most frequently asked-about topics below.
tip-light%402xWhat time does JCamp start?
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Edana AppelDirector of Camp and Family Programs
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Drop off begins at 8am every day.  We ask that all families are in Carline by 8:50am.  Our camp day begins with Morning Circle at 9am.

tip-light%402xHow does pick-up work?
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Dan ChomsteinAssistant Director
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Closing Circle ends each day at 3:15pm, which is when Pick Up begins and continues until 5pm. To pick up your camper, you will send us a message on the Playground App when you are about 10 minutes away.  This will allow us time to get your camper to Carline with all of their belongings when you arrive.

tip-light%402xWhat should I pack for my camper every day?
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Melo TaylorAssistant Director
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 We recommend that campers use a backpack.  Every day campers need sunscreen and lunch.  Everyday except for Wednesday campers need a swimsuit, flip-flops/pool shoes, and towel. Additionally we recommend a plastic bag for wet clothes and change of clothes.

Most importantly, please label all of your camper’s items.

tip-light%402xWhat is the best way to communicate day-to-day issues with JCamp staff?
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Liora BernsteinCamper Care Specialist
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The best way to communicate with JCamp staff is through the Playground App. In addition to informing us when you are picking up your camper, you can also share any other information like early pick up, missing items or asking for a check in on your camper. Additionally, you can email your camper’s unit head for more information about your camper.

tip-light%402xWhat does JCamp offer for snacks during the morning and aftercare?
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Edana AppelDirector of Camp and Family Programs
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All snacks provided by JCamp are individually packaged, kosher and peanut free. Morning snacks include pretzels, popcorn, potato chips and on Fridays chocolate chip cookies in honor of Shabbat. Afternoon snacks tend to lean to include more options like gummies, popsicles, animal crackers and more.  Campers can always eat snacks sent from home.

tip-light%402xIs JCamp nut-free?
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Dan ChomsteinAssistant Director
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JCamp is not a nut-free program. However, all of the snacks we serve are nut-free, kosher and individually wrapped. We can accommodate any other kinds of food allergies and have STRICT rules about not sharing food in order to keep everyone safe.

tip-light%402xWhat if my camper does not know how to swim?
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Liora BernsteinCamper Care Specialist
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All campers have the choice to participate in swimming each day. JCamp has exclusive use of the pool during swimming. The shallow end of our pool is 3 feet, where most campers can stand comfortably.  Additionally, campers can bring flotation devices and will have access to life jackets if needed.  

Campers who choose not to swim will have other activities during swimming.

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