What makes us different - Camp Zeke - Sleepaway Summer Camp

What Makes Zeke different? We’re glad you asked!

At every overnight camp, kids and teens make great friendships and lifelong memories. At Camp Zeke, that’s just the starting point!

Our mission!

Our campers and staff celebrate healthy, active living through cooking, sports ,fitness, arts, and joyful Judaism. And we do this in a community where kindness is our highest value. We are the first and only camp with this unique approach, and our staff members and campers come to us because camp’s mission speaks to them. This means we have a kind, mission-aligned community that draws in nice and welcoming campers, whose traits are further reinforced by the camp’s values.

More about our mission

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Group of campers on the boating lake
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Isaac, Lisa and Elliot outside in the sun

Our leadership!

Founded in 2014, Camp Zeke is a new camp that’s run by its founders and directors. They know every camper and staff member and oversee all aspects of the community.  They are joined by a team of experienced and dedicated staff — parents, teachers, social workers, doctors, coaches, and countless other professionals — who pour their hearts and souls into camp all year long. Our senior staff come back summer after summer, and our counselors are an inspiring bunch who often stay with camp until graduating!

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Our community!

With roughly 300 campers per session, camp feels like a big family. Everybody knows everybody by the end of a session. The moment you step foot into camp, staff members will greet you, you’ll hear laughter and cheering, and you’ll see that our community makes Camp Zeke truly different. We emphasize kindness and inclusion, and that theme is a thread that runs through our whole program. 🦅

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Campers hugging each other with a bus in the background
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Gymnastic camper on ribbons in the gym

Our bunks and facility!

We have heated and air-conditioned bunks with hotel mattresses and private bathrooms. We also have a 60-acre private lake, heated pool, full gym, multiple teaching kitchens, and so much more. Every year, we add more and more to our site. Whether it’s putting in a second dance studio, adding on a much-requested zipline (a camper favorite!), putting in a climbing program, or adding more camper housing, the site grows with the camp in each passing year. We hope our campers look back fondly on their summers in camp’s spectacular mountain setting.

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Our values!

Every summer, we form a joyful Jewish community based on values like being kind to others and welcoming new members of the camp family.  As campers grow up at Zeke, these values become part of the tool kits they use to navigate the world outside of camp. Whether it’s overcoming an obstacle despite various challenges (our value of building character) or making sure to choose healthy options in their school cafeteria (our value of taking care of our health), Camp Zeke instills lessons that campers take with them year-round.

More about our values

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Group of campers hands showing group temporary tattoos
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Top-down shot of food on a table

Our food!

We have tons of options at every meal, soups and salads along side our main courses, smoothies in our canteen, and lots of healthy, delicious choices throughout the day. No “bug juice” at Camp Zeke! We offer kid-friendly favorites with multiple main course options for even the pickiest of eaters. All our meals are served buffet-style so campers can choose exactly what they want. And since everything is healthy, our families can feel good about their campers’ meals, knowing that our culinary team makes food with love, just like you do at home.

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Our elective schedule!

As campers grow up at Zeke, more and more of their day becomes elective-based. This means campers can focus on personal goals — like running faster, getting stronger, learning to cook amazing meals, and so many others. By having the freedom to focus on their favorite areas, campers build skills that last long after the camp experience. Of course, our youngest campers have a more structured day so they can try everything we offer.

More about our schedule

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Campers blowing giant bubbles outside
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Group of campers being shown the facility by staff

Our camper care team!

We have a whole team that’s dedicated to making sure every single camper is having an amazing experience. In addition to their amazing counselors, each camper has a unit head who can help with anything they need during camp. For parents, the unit head is just a phone call or email away and can give you a full update on how your camper is doing. Our unit heads and directors of camper care have social tools to support each camper and ensure they thrive in the camp community!

More about our staff

Our campers have made thousands of friendships, millions of memories, and lifelong skills in athletics, cooking, and joyful Judaism. We are proudly supported by:

  • Jewish Camp
  • Jim Joseph Foundation
  • Avi Chai
  • UJA Federation
  • The Jewish Education Project
  • JCamp logo

We are fully accredited by the American Camp Association