URJ’s Camp Harlam Launches Reform Day Camp

The Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) and Camp Harlam, the URJ’s Philadelphia-based regional overnight camp, announced that they will open a URJ-affiliated day camp in the summer of 2014.

The URJ’s most recent foray into Jewish day camping is a strategic initiative meant to complement the Reform Movement’s focus on Youth Engagement and the URJ’s North American Camp Committee’s strategic plan. With 14 URJ overnight camps across North America serving more than 8,000 children and young adults, this entry into day camping is expected to create exciting new opportunities for outreach to young Jewish families and act as a gateway experience into Jewish camp for hundreds of young children.

The URJ’s selection of Camp Harlam to launch this program was based on the camp’s reputation and brand, the strength of the Reform congregations and communities in the Philadelphia region, and the ability of the camp’s professional and lay leadership to articulate a compelling vision for “Harlam Day Camp.” The expectation is for the day camp to be a model, and other day camp initiatives will be considered for various target communities throughout North America in the coming years.