Gan Alonim Frequently Asked Questions

We will notify all enrolled families of a confirmed case by email while maintaining confidentiality in accordance with current privacy laws.

If there is a confirmed case of COVID-19 in your child’s Pod, we will communicate directly with you via email to let you know.

A child that tests positive for COVID-19 may return to camp after 5 days with a negative antigen test, improved symptoms and provided they are fever free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication.  We will also follow up with an antigen test at camp upon arrival. If your child tests positive between days 6-10 they may return to camp on day 11 regardless of test results — and will not be tested after day 10 at camp.

If your child usually takes the bus, plan to bring your child to camp instead of the bus so that camp can administer an antigen test upon arrival. Parents will need to wait until results are back. When counting days, please note that Day 0 is the day the camper tests positive.

Close contacts (non-household) can come to camp if they are symptom free. If your child develops symptoms, please test them and do not send them to camp until they are symptom free.

We have a fully staffed Health Center on the campus of Gan Alonim. For Summer 2023, there will be 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 COVID-19 during the camp day, a nurse from the Health Center will come to Gan to provide a check-up to the camper. If we determine that the camper needs to go home, he/she will be able to rest comfortably in our dedicated Gan Alonim isolation space until a parent arrives.

All Gan Alonim Day Camp registrations are fully refundable until May 1, 2023.

Cancellations received on or after May 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.

Yes, there will be make-up days available.

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 obtain and provide a doctor’s note prior to sending them to camp.

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.

Yes! Campers will be able to cool down in the pool this summer with their pod and their counselors. We will maintain good hygiene practices by requiring campers to wash hands before and after swim.

The pool is a safe and fun place for campers 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. Swimming is a favorite time of day for most campers – a time for them to play, get exercise, and develop their swimming skills. Some of our younger campers do bring arm floaties to camp. If you are concerned about swim time, please reach out to us at gan@aju.edu.

Yes! Please click here to see our current bus schedule in Summer 2023.

Arrival to camp for drop-off and pick-up will be staggered. You will receive a specific window of time to arrive to camp. Morning time windows will be approximately between 8:40 a.m. and 9:05 a.m. and afternoon times will be approximately between 3:15 p.m. and 3:40 p.m. We will send you your family’s precise time before camp begins.

Each camper group will have a “home base” for both drop-off and pick-up that will remain the same throughout the summer.

Signing your camper in and out, as well as your daily health screening, will be conducted using your smart phone via the Brightwheel App. We will provide you more information about Brightwheel before camp begins.

Unfortunately, we are not able to offer extended care.

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.

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

No. Campers must bring a sack lunch from home that is kosher (dairy or pareve). We do not allow any meat products to come from home, and we are a nut-free campus as well. 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.

Yes. Families will receive a $20 sibling discount for each additional sibling enrolled for camp after the first child. Siblings must attend the same session to receive the discount.

Yes! You can sign up for these opportunities on the regular camp enrollment application.

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.

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.

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. When inside, campers will continue to wear masks and maintain appropriate distancing. And, of course, every group goes to the pool every day!

In a typical summer, Gan Alonim has little to no overlap with sleepaway camp and this summer, the small overlap will be further reduced/removed. The camps do share specialists (activity area leaders) and these program specialists will be masked, as will our overnight and day campers when with specialists.  This summer we expect our day camp counselors to lead the majority of activities for their own Pods, limiting the amount of overlap with overnight camp specialists. However, there are some areas where that isn’t possible due to the specialized training required for the activities (such as horseback riding, archery, ropes course, lifeguards etc). Those activity areas with overlapping specialists will operate their activity with strict risk mitigation strategies in place, including masking, distancing, sanitizing of equipment/spaces between camper groups, and handwashing.

Day campers will have bathrooms separate from sleepaway camp and their own first aid triage area separate from the Alonim Health Center.

A camper who has a birthday at camp is a lucky camper! Your child’s birthday will be recognized and 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.

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 never want finances to prevent a camper from experiencing the magic of camp. Please click here to read about our scholarship application process.

We’re happy to answer any more questions you have, and we love talking about camp! Feel free to contact us any of the following ways: By Phone at 877-225-6646 or by e-mail at alonim@aju.edu.