We hope this FAQ page answers many of your questions. Additional information is on the other Camp pages and will be in the Camp 2023 brochure in the fall. We will also post the 2023 Parent Handbook in the spring. Don't hesitate to contact the year-round office in Baltimore with any questions.
Camp Shoresh is located on a beautiful 107-acre campus in Adamstown, Maryland in Frederick County.
First session runs from Monday, June 26 – Friday, July 21.
Second session runs from Monday, July 24 – Thursday, August 10.
Visit the Camp Dates & Rates page and the calendar on the Programs Events page for additional information.
Our first session runs 4 weeks and our second session runs 3 weeks. Most of our campers attend for the full summer, but many attend for just one of the sessions. We will try to accommodate families if their camper is unable to attend for an entire session.
Yes! We will hold at least one open house in both Fall 2022 and Spring 2023. If you’re not able to attend an open house, email shoresh@shoresh.com and we will attempt to schedule a private tour.
There is typically one boys bunk and one girls bunk per grade so if your camper and their friend are the same gender and grade, they will likely be together. The camp application allows for up to three bunkmate requests; we make every attempt to honor at least one of these requests if reciprocal.
We typically have 6 coach buses with stops in Baltimore, Montgomery County and Loudoun County, Virginia. We also have several vans that come from Baltimore and a van stop in Frederick. Parents indicate their preferred bus stop on the camp application; these requests are filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
Buses are scheduled to depart bus stops so they arrive at camp by 9:15 a.m. This ensures campers and staff are ready to begin the camp day at 9:30 a.m. Campers should be dropped off and on board their bus 5 minutes before scheduled departure time.
Buses leave camp after dismissal at 3:30 p.m. (2:20 p.m. on Fridays). Parents are expected to be at the bus stop prior to bus arrival.
Scheduled morning departure and afternoon arrival times will be communicated just prior to camp.
Parents should inform their bus head in advance if their camper will not be on the bus to or from camp. Bus heads then communicate with the camp office and counselors so that everyone is aware of all campers’ attendance. If the need for an early pick-up arises during the camp day, parents should call or email the camp office. The office will then inform the bus head and counselors.
Parents arriving at campus to drop off their camper need to request entry from the security guard. They will be told where to bring their camper so they can join their bunk.
Parents arriving at campus to pick up their camper early need to request entry from the security guard. They will report to the camp office and their camper will meet them there.
Yes. Campers receive a camp t-shirt on Picture Day, which is typically held on the second day of camp. Second session campers receive a camp t-shirt on second session Picture Day. Campers absent on their first Picture Day of the summer will receive their shirt when they return to camp.
Camp shirts must be worn on all trips. There is a charge for replacement camp shirts.
We have a fully-licensed Registered Nurse on duty whenever camp is in session, with a fully-equipped, centrally-located health suite. The nurse takes care of campers and staff should they fall ill or get hurt during the camp day, and also administers campers’ medication as needed.
Camp Shoresh has an armed security guard on duty at all times when campers and staff are on the premises. There is a security gate at the front entrance to camp which is closed throughout the camp day (except during dropoff and pickup times when it is supervised by the guard). All visitors to the campus during the camp day need to request entry and are logged in at the office. In addition, security cameras are installed throughout the campus.
Parents and siblings are invited to attend our pre-camp Meet, Greet & Eat event in June and our Closing Ceremonies in August. Grandparents’ & Special Friends’ Day is held during the first session and is an opportunity for other adult family members and adult friends of the family to spend time with campers.
Campers may not bring relatives or friends to camp or on trips. Anyone participating in camp activities must be a registered camper.
We love to celebrate birthdays at camp! We will sing to your camper and give them lots of fun attention during lunch.
Due to many camper allergies, we cannot allow any outside food (whether prepared at home or store-bought) to be shared with other campers. Parents who would like to order a cake for the bunk should do so & pay using CampMinder and email shoresh@shoresh.com with the celebration date, and we will order a special cake from our nut-free/dairy-free bakery. The cost is $30 and we must have at least two weeks’ notice.
Families in need of a camp scholarship are asked to register their camper(s), pay the $25 application fee and $100 deposit per camper, and then apply for financial aid. Our scholarship committee will not consider any financial aid application without a completed Camp Shoresh application on file. As scholarship dollars are limited, the earlier that families apply, the more likely it will be that they will receive financial support. As always, we are committed to working with our families to make sure they can afford to send their children to camp. Email shoresh@shoresh.com to request a scholarship application. Our Assistant Director, Rabbi Tzvi Tuchman, is the liaison to our scholarship committee. Anyone with extenuating circumstances should email him at rabbit@shoresh.com.
Camp Shoresh is certified by the Maryland Department of Health and will adhere to their guidelines. Additionally, we will comply with the requirements of the local Frederick County Department of Health. We will also review the best practices set forth by the Centers for Disease Control, the American Camping Association, and the Foundation for Jewish Camp. Finally, we will be directly guided by various local medical experts including one of our board members who is a world-renowned physician specializing in infectious disease and vaccine development.
We are opening enrollment based on the plan of being able to operate safely and with the same capacity as in previous years and with the usual transportation arrangements. We know that we will likely need to make adjustments and will do so with the recommendations and advice of medical experts. We will follow all local and state health department requirements. We will structure our bunks, daily schedule, and transportation accordingly. We will increase campus sanitation and will expect our families to work as our partners to ensure that our campus will be a healthy environment for all. As always, we will be flexible and creative, and will make this a meaningful summer for our campers. You will receive more details as to specifics as the summer nears.
Updated March 1, 2021
Please note: This has been written based on current information related to COVID-19. It is likely our policies and procedures may change as we lead up to summer. More details will be shared in our Parent Handbook as camp nears.
INTRODUCTION
The information surrounding COVID-19 is constantly changing and evolving. The policies that we have established for Camp Shoresh 2021 have been made with the guidance of our medical professionals. First and foremost, we will adhere to all federal, state, and local health department requirements. Additionally, decisions were made taking into account the best practices for summer camps published by the American Camp Association, under the guidance of the CDC. The current guidelines outlined below intend to provide camp families and staff with information about how Camp Shoresh is adapting policies and procedures to mitigate the risk of COVID-19 in camp this summer.
We ask that you partner with us in adhering to the policies we have established, in order to keep everyone in the Shoresh family safe, while providing a meaningful and fun summer experience.
BEFORE CAMP BEGINS
The health and well-being of our campers, staff, and their families is our highest priority. Parents will be required to sign a COVID-19 waiver for all campers prior to the start of camp. [This form will be in addition to submitting documentation of full immunizations and a medial administration authorization form if your camper(s) requires prescription medications at camp.]
It is the belief of our medical experts that the vaccine is effective in preventing transmission of the disease. We encourage all our staff, campers, and parents of campers to get vaccinated to help minimize the spread. Since it is unlikely that everyone on the campus will be able to be vaccinated prior to the start of camp, it is imperative that everyone do their part to keep our campus and our families Covid-19 free.
DAILY
Every morning, parents will be required to complete a temperature check and symptom screening and sign off that their camper is healthy and able to attend camp. Staff members will also complete a temperature check and symptom screening. This must be completed prior to boarding the bus or coming to the campus, if transportation is self-provided. No one will be able to attend camp if the daily health check has not been completed that morning. Self-reporting of actual or potential COVID-19 exposure and staying home when experiencing even mild symptoms are significant responsibilities that all members of our camp community must commit to. More details will be forthcoming regarding the daily process.
What symptoms require my camper or a staff member to stay home?
Campers and staff members are required to stay home if they either have a temperature of 100.0° F or higher or are experiencing any of the possible symptoms of COVID-19. COVID-19 is associated with a wide range of symptoms ranging from mild to severe illness, which may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. These include:
Fever or chills • Cough • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing • Fatigue • Muscle or body aches • Headache • New loss of taste or smell • Sore throat • Congestion or runny nose • Nausea or vomiting • Diarrhea
TRAVEL TO CAMP
In order to mitigate the spread of infection, the preferred situation would be for campers and staff to provide their own transportation to and from camp. We realize that this is not possible for many due to distance. We will be providing bussing but have not as of yet solidified if the most conducive means would be to continue our charter bus service or to switch to regular school buses, in addition to passenger vans. Either way, campers and staff will be assigned the same seats daily to ensure better contact tracing in the event of an exposure. Passengers will either sit next to a sibling or bunk mate (if applicable). Everyone will be required to wear a mask at all times while on board the bus or van.
DURING CAMP
In order to create as safe an environment as possible and mitigate the risk of COVID-19 in camp, we will be making adjustments to camp procedures and policies in a variety of areas. When possible (and weather permitting), camp activities will be held outdoors, in rooms with doors/windows open, or in large indoor spaces distanced from other groups.
Bunks
Campers will be divided into bunks with no more than 13 campers and two counselors. Each bunk will be considered their own pod and will stay socially distanced from all other campers and, as much as possible, staff members including head staff and specialty instructors (arts and crafts teacher, archery instructor, etc.). Bunks may be a combination of two grades primarily from the same city in order to align with transportation groupings. Unfortunately, we may not be able to take bunk requests into consideration this summer.
Masks
All campers and staff must wear masks when inside buildings with the exception of while they are eating lunch. Campers and staff will be required to wear masks outdoors when social distancing cannot be maintained. In the event that heat is oppressive, campers and staff will be allowed to take off their masks outdoors while maintaining distance.
Activities
Though this summer may look different from and be more restrictive than previous summers, our Shoresh staff is incredibly creative and talented and will ensure that Camp Shoresh 2021 is a fun and positive experience! The infectious Shoresh ruach (spirit) will still be present even if we need to be distant. Sports and activities may need to be modified but we know everyone will be thankful to be back at camp.
Campers are encouraged to bring their own sports equipment (i.e. baseball gloves), to be used only by them and labeled with their name. Shared Shoresh-owned equipment will be cleaned between uses. We also suggest that everyone bring their own refillable water bottles, labeled with their name. There will be a detailed list of what to bring to camp in the Parent Handbook as camp nears.
Meals
The social hall in the Community Center will be set up to spread out each bunk’s designated tables. All campers will eat at their table with their bunk (their pod group). In addition to having over 6 feet of space between each group, we will rotate out one division daily to eat outside in the big pavilion. Junior Shoresh will eat lunch in their outdoor pavilion daily unless the weather prohibits this.
We plan to offer our hot lunch program. It will consist of individually portioned meals – there will not be a buffet line this summer. Individually wrapped canteen items will be sold with each bunk having an opportunity to visit the canteen at a designated time.
Trips
Unfortunately, we have been advised to cancel our trips to Hershey Park and Guppy Gulch this summer. There will also be no overnights or Shabbatonim. If conditions significantly improve, we may revisit these policies.
In the event of an exposure
If a camper or staff member exhibits any symptom of the coronavirus at camp – as described in the DAILY section above, they will be immediately taken to a room designated for isolation. Parents will be called to pick up their child since the camper cannot return home on the bus or van. Specific instructions will be given regarding quarantining guidelines and the ability to return to camp; these instructions will follow health department protocols required at that time.
In the event that there is a confirmed positive case at camp and your camper had direct exposure, you will be notified immediately. Shoresh is required to notify state and local health officials of any confirmed positive test.
If an entire bunk needs to be quarantined at home due to a positive exposure, Shoresh will provide virtual programming for a portion of the day for the affected campers in that bunk that cannot attend in-person camp for the days they are out.
Cleaning, Handwashing, and Sanitization Procedures
Camp Shoresh will increase its cleaning, handwashing, and sanitization procedures this summer. Sanitization protocols will be in accordance with the health department requirements. Sanitization enhancements will include hand sanitizer stations throughout camp, and additional cleaning and sanitizing of all public bathrooms, shared spaces, and high-touch areas.
CONCLUSION
It is important to note that this document reflects the current conditions if camp were to start today. We will continue to update these policies and provide greater detail when necessary as we get closer to the summer.
While it is our full intention to run Camp Shoresh this summer, we realize that there are still many unknowns.
Shoresh Inc. is a recognized 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Baltimore Office
3723 Old Court Road
Suite 206
Baltimore, MD 21208
Phone: 410-358-8571
Fax: 443-312-3236
shoresh@shoresh.com
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