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FAQ
Who owns Camp Hatikvah?
When does enrolment start for Camp Hatikvah?
How quickly does Camp Hatikvah fill up?
How many staff does Camp Hatikvah have during the summer and how are they selected?
How many campers attend Hatikvah and where do they come from?
How do campers travel to and from Camp Hatikvah?
What is the weather like at Camp Hatikvah?
Are there a lot of bugs at Camp Hatikvah?
What is a typical day at Camp Hatikvah?
How are Jewish themes woven into the daily schedule at Camp Hatikvah?
What is the food at Camp Hatikvah like?
Is Camp Hatikvah a Kosher camp?
What happens if a child requires a special diet?
What facilities does Camp Hatikvah have for health care?
Can Camp Hatikvah accommodate campers with challenging medical profiles?
How does Camp Hatikvah administer daily medication?
How can I communicate with my child while they are at camp?
Will my child be required to write home while they are at camp?
What do I do if I have a concern about my child while they are at camp?
What can I do to ensure that my child has a successful summer experience?
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We have compiled a list of frequently asked questions and answers below. If your question is not listed, or you just want more information, please feel free to call us anytime!
Who owns Camp Hatikvah?
Camp Hatikvah is owned by the Camp Hatikvah Foundation, a non-profit registered charity in both Canada and the United States.
When does enrolment start for Camp Hatikvah?
Enrolment begins during the second week of October and lasts until the camp is full. To enquire about available space, please call 604-263-1200 or register here.
How quickly does Camp Hatikvah fill up?
Camp Hatikvah is a popular place and most units will be full by mid-November. However, we encourage you to call the camp office at any point during the year to enquire about space.
How many staff does Camp Hatikvah have during the summer and how are they selected?
Camp Hatikvah hires between 80 - 90 counseling staff each year. Most were campers with us or have grown up in the Young Judaea Camping Program. To be eligible for a staff position, applicants must have completed high school by June of that camping year, participate in an extensive interview, undergo reference and criminal record checks and show a commitment to Jewish camping and Zionist education.
Once hired, all of our staff are trained in the areas of CPR/First aid, safety and childcare. Camp Hatikvah also hires a Vancouver based group of sensitivity trainers who attend camp before each season to educate our staff. Throughout the summer, our staff is offered constant guidance, supervision and feedback.
How many campers attend Hatikvah and where do they come from?
During any given summer, close to 400 campers will participate in our program. While the bulk of our participants are from the Greater Vancouver area, close to 30% come from cities such as Calgary, Los Angeles, San Diego, Seattle, New York, Edmonton, Tel-Aviv, and Mexico City.
How do campers travel to and from Camp Hatikvah?
Most campers from Greater Vancouver take the camp bus to and from camp unless their parents are vacationing in the Kelowna area and select to drive their children to the camp location.
Campers from all other cities should fly from their hometown to the Kelowna International Airport where our staff will meet them and escort them to the camp location.
What is the weather like at Camp Hatikvah?
Camp Hatikvah is in one of the most beautiful regions of the country, the Okanagan valley. Temperatures on an average summer day range from 28 to 35 degrees Celsius (80-100 Fahrenheit) and the sun is almost always shining!
Are there a lot of bugs at Camp Hatikvah?
Camp Hatikvah does not have a prevalent bug or mosquito problem. Having said that, we encourage families to send bug spray up with their children for an extra layer of protection.
What is a typical day at Camp Hatikvah?
Campers attend 6 one-hour periods throughout the day. About half of these periods are spent at the waterfront where campers learn to swim, ski, sail, canoe and kayak. The other half of the day is spent on land where campers participate in sports, drama, crafts and Jewish programming. Read more
How are Jewish themes woven into the daily schedule at Camp Hatikvah?
Almost all of our evening programs involve some level of informal Jewish or Zionist learning. Additionally, campers engage in special Jewish programs such as Shabbat, Israel hours and guest speakers.
What is the food at Camp Hatikvah like?
As far as camp food goes, Camp Hatikvah is a great place to eat. Meals are planned with great care to ensure that campers are receiving the essential nutrients required for them to function and flourish at camp. Most of the meals are 'kid friendly' meaning that we select our meal choices based on what kids like to eat. If a child does not like the meal being served, they are offered alternatives such as cheese sandwiches, salads, hard-boiled eggs and veggies.
Is Camp Hatikvah a Kosher camp?
Camp Hatikvah is not certified as Kosher as we do not have on-site supervision. However, all of the meat at the camp is Kosher, as is most of the food we serve. In the rare event that an item is not certified by BC Kosher, the ingredients are carefully reviewed to make sure they do not include any items that campers or staff may find offensive.
What happens if a child requires a special diet?
Not a problem! Campers under our care require all sorts of special diets. Veggie meals are available during meat servings and lactose free meals are available at all dairy servings. We are also happy to accommodate campers with more sophisticated dietary requirements. If your child will require a special diet while at camp, please be sure to inform us well in advance of the summer so we can best prepare for their arrival.
What facilities does Camp Hatikvah have for health care?
Camp Hatikvah has a wonderful on-site infirmary where non-emergency medical care, including medication distribution, is handled. The infirmary is staffed by RNs and a physician. The physician's charges will be billed to your medical insurer, and if you live out of the country, directly to you.
Can Camp Hatikvah accommodate campers with challenging medical profiles?
In most cases, yes. In recent years Camp Hatikvah has been able to take campers with a wide variety of medical challenges that range from physical to behavioural difficulties. Please call our camp office to determine if Camp Hatikvah would be an appropriate place for your child.
How does Camp Hatikvah administer daily medication?
If a camper requires medication while at camp they will be required to submit that medication to the infirmary. They will then arrange a time with the nurses to come take that medication as required by the prescription. Each visit will be documented by the nurse and a camper will be located and brought to the infirmary if they forget to take their medication on any given day.
How can I communicate with my child while they are at camp?
All communication with your child while they are at camp will be done through regular mail unless you are out of the country or overseas in which case we will accept emails from you. Please make sure that you are writing your child often, even a short note that simply says 'I love you' goes a long way.
Will my child be required to write home while they are at camp?
Campers will be required to write home ONCE during the summer. In our experience, if a child is not writing it is simply because they are having too much fun to take the time to do so (especially the boys).
What do I do if I have a concern about my child while they are at camp?
Sending your children to camp is a huge decision and requires that you place a lot of trust in the people in charge of their care. Not only do we recognize that fact, we embrace it by encouraging you to call us at our Vancouver office if at any point during the summer you have a concern about your child. We will check with your child and give you an honest review of their progress and emotional state.
What can I do to ensure that my child has a successful summer experience?
While you are not at camp with your child, you do play a huge role in the success of your child's summer. To follow are a list of things that we think you can do to help them have a more positive summer experience.
- Before your child goes to camp, talk to them about the camp rules and stress the importance of following them. If your child knows that you are aware of, and support, the camp's rules, they are more likely to follow them.
- Remind your child that the people at camp are there to ensure that they have a wonderful summer experience. If anyone, staff or camper, is bothering them in any way they should immediately find a staff member they trust (preferably their Unit Head) and articulate their concerns.
- Remind your children that they are at camp to have a good time and that they should embrace every opportunity to the fullest!
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