Inclusive – Exciting – Joyful – Warm
At The Cohen Camps, campers experience exciting, inspiring Jewish daily life that celebrates heritage, Israel and Jewish values. The philosophies and values we call Our 10 Commitments guide our choices every day.
Read about each of Our 10 Commitments:
Eli and Bessie Cohen founded The Cohen Camps more than 85 years ago to connect young people to their communities. They envisioned trans-denominational, welcoming summer homes in which youth could explore their individual and collective Jewish identities and prepare themselves for their role in the larger Jewish community and the world. We continue this legacy today, every day, through Jewish music, learning about Israel, Israeli dance instruction, daily prayers in the Kosher dining halls, engaging cultural experiences, and special programs designed by our staff at each of our three camps. Here, Jewish life and learning are both personal and connected, thoughtful and fun!
Shabbat is a special time at each Cohen Camp. Each camp celebrates together in ways that alumni and visitors warmly remember as one of the most memorable and life-changing parts of their experiences. We welcome Shabbat each week with services: Tevya in its gleaming community building open to the outdoors with screens on all sides; Pembroke and Tel Noar under the trees in their inspiring Shabbat groves. After a traditional Shabbat dinner, each camp hosts spirited sessions of song and dance. Shabbat evening and morning services are led mostly by campers, afternoon activities encompass a variety of Jewish and Zionist themes for all campers, and Shabbat ends with Havdalah.
Jewish life and learning at The Cohen Camps can culminate in an extraordinary experience, the Dor L’Dor (Generation to Generation) Leadership Program for our oldest campers, an intensive four-week tour of Israel. Younger campers at all three camps relish the weekly Shabbat updates sent in by the Dor L’Dor travelers. This program and its teen role models help even our youngest campers discover the deep value in connecting with the historical, religious and cultural aspects of the State of Israel.
“My son came home with a stronger bond to his Judaism and the state of Israel.”
~Tevya Parent“My daughter is proud of her Jewish heritage. Camp Pembroke has given that to her and so much more than I had hoped for.”
~ Pembroke parent“We love the way our children come home with a love of Shabbat and a sense of community.” ~Tel Noar Parent
“Shabbat services are great. They are a perfect balance of fun and tradition.”
~ Pembroke parent