Help!? Choosing Sleep-Away Camp

[betterhalf]

My daughter is only in 5th grade, but we are considering sending her to a session of overnight camp this year (we do not live somewhere where everyone routinely goes away for the summer). As I understand it there are 3 choices in or near the U.S.: Camp Emunah, CGI Detroit, and Pardess Chanah in Canada. Can anyone help me with these questions: 1) Do people really pay the $1,500 + millions of extra fees for 1 session at Emunah, or are generous scholarships given? and 2) if a child attends CGI Detroit are they and their parents branded anti-meshichist forever? I.e., is which camp a big choice that will have long-term ramifications? I hope that's not a no no to even ask that.

I don't even know if we could afford it and still pay our rent, but we're looking into it. TY

[JewYorker]

Here's my OPINION:
Emunah - it's a big camp like 220 girls in all and in order to be IN you have to be COOL. they are not very strict with their rules (ie: many girls got influenced by other girls to wear short socks, curse etc., but that's not necessarily in Emunah)

CGI - The politics is more with the boys than the girls and don't worry... you wont be branded anti-meshichist... I know plenty of girls whose families are meshichist that go there.. It's a great camp... very big grounds and they have good trips. The good thing about this cmap is that it's only 1 month so the Head Counselors are all into it and thye have great staff.

Pardas Chana - Pardas Chana is a great camp. Small, only 150 campres and thye re realy improving their name. I know lots of girls that went there that really enjoyed it. They have great head staff. I konw that Rabbi Paltiel gives Shiur to all the kids and the kids love it.

This is my OPINION...
Hope it helps..

[hishtatchus]

I'm with JewYorker on this one- don't sweat the politics issue, send your child to the best camp possible. Everyone I know who went to Detroit LOVED it, and says that it's what made them Chassidish.

Pardes Chana is also a pretty good camp, especially if you're looking for a 2 month program. I would DEFINITELY recommend it over Emunah (although, don't worry, barely anyone pays the full tuition.)

Make sure your daughter is ready for the independence of camp before you send her, because the best camp will be awful if you feel homesick and too immature for the activities.

[betterhalf]

That's basically what I was hoping to hear. I'd prefer a smaller camp than Emunah, and being the child of BTs and not from NY, I'm not sure my daughter could find a comfortable social niche at Emunah.

As far as being ready, I have no doubt it might be some of the hardest weeks of her life so far, but she's definitely getting bored at day camp, and she needs to be exposed to kids from other places to get a taste of her own strengths and weaknesses. Thanks for the quick responses.

[yaldah613]

CGI chicago
Their overnight program is only for one week, so maybe it's not for your daughter but I'm looking into it. Can anyone share their experiences here?

Also, Chayalot, it's not for your daughters age (it's for 7th, 8th, & 9th grade) but does anyone have any feedback about it?

[yaldah613]

does anyone know anything about camp chomeish?

[itsmehere]

chayalot is a gr8 camp, profeesional tachers in EVERYTHING, dance, gym, karate, photography, tennis, scrapbooking, sports, jewlery, art, calligraphy, tight rope walking etc. the thing is thoguh the rules r not strcit at all, the camp is not strcutured enough, if u dont wanna go to davening noones gonna force u- sleep in! but i f u have good chassidishe staff and couzsnelros, noone would wanna sleep in. but its a gr8 camp!

[imaamy]

My son is going to Camp Stone in PA for the first time in a few weeks. Anyone know of it?

[WWMN]

I know the girls who are working in emunah this year and the group is amazing!!! Relly really chassidishe and they are going there just for the sake of shlichus,4 the rebbe and to help the girls.

[Torah613]

Amazing how everything is "amazing" these days. {I know nothing about Emunah, besides a not so good impression from several years ago. Just a general comment].