I sent my son to camp and was really impressed with the experience he had. The camp is mostly Jewish children so it was nice that he was no longer in the minority. Also, the religious experience was good - not too much - not too little. He went backpacking, rafting, and camping. It was a great and he came back with an appreciation of the outdoors. The camp also helps if you have financial needs. They also offer camps for adults and families - nice

A few years back, my Rabbi talked about what was most critical to Jewish identity. Observance at home? Nice, but no. Bar/Bat Mitzvah? Nope. It's camp! And I have to agree. I hated temple, but I loved Tawonga when I was a kid. There is nothing like being with your kind especially when you are the token Jew at school. I was never very good at campy type things (like hiking and sports), but the staff was so supportive. I learned the Birkat Hamazon here and I learned some beautiful prayers and songs I had never heard and truly, I believe it set the groundwork for my move from Reform to Conservative. Having said all that, I usually went for a 2 week section and only felt profoundly Jewish on Shabbat, otherwise it was just any other camp (which I think is a good thing).

A few years back, my Rabbi talked about what was most critical to Jewish identity. Observance at home? Nice, but no. Bar/Bat Mitzvah? Nope. It's camp! And I have to agree. I hated temple, but I loved Tawonga when I was a kid. ...

When I was young, I used to go to Tawonga Camp all the time. I have never been to any other camp but I do know there are a lot of them in San Francisco