Our campers come from a wide variety of Jewish backgrounds. Some come from Jewish day schools, some from two-night-a-week religious school, and some have no “formal” Jewish education. The beauty of camp is that everyone feels comfortable. By living in a Jewish environment for a period of time, any and all Jewish practice “feels” natural and it is not awkward at all. We are very aware of our campers' diverse backgrounds and ensure that all of our practice and education is appropriate and accessible to everyone in our community.

The majority of our campers come from the greater Los Angeles area, with significant numbers attending camp from San Diego, Orange County, Arizona, Las Vegas, and Northern California. In fact, campers come from more than 65 different congregations from all over North America! Camp Hess Kramer and Gindling Hilltop Camp are a community service of Wilshire Boulevard Temple.

One of the main focuses of staff training is understanding the child’s feelings in their first 24 hours of a session, and how that time parlays into the rest of the camper’s time at camp. We know that by ensuring the child feels comfortable with where he is sleeping and eating, only then can he get comfortable with camp as a whole. When dealing with homesickness, our counselors know how important it is to listen to campers' concerns while at the same time encouraging them to continue to participate fully in camp. The more time the camper spends at camp doing those things they cannot do at home and things they have never done before, the less time they have to think about home. But don’t worry, they will not forget about their parents!

Camp was created to be an oasis from the everyday world. We strive to create a community where everyone grows and matures while at camp. One of the ways that campers do this is fully investing themselves in their community, and relying on themselves—with the guidance of our staff—to make their own decisions, find their way with their friends, and become confident in themselves. By not allowing campers to speak with their parents, we believe that campers find a sense of independence, maturity, and self-confidence. We do encourage parents to be in touch with our staff whenever they wish to talk about their child’s progress or just to “check in."

We serve all our meals “Kosher style,” which means that we will not serve pork or shellfish, nor will we mix milk and meat. We do not serve Kosher meat, and we maintain only one set of dishes and cookware. If your child is a vegetarian or lactose intolerant we always have these options available. We are constantly updating our menu, but we have everything from pizza to BBQ to Hawaiian chicken to grilled cheese and tomato soup. Read more about our food here >

If your camper is interested in spending more time at the beach our intensive tracks might be just what you are looking for. Choose between our Yahm Surf and Yahm Scuba sessions. These are our 8 day specialty programs for entering 6th to 9th graders. Campers will spend the mornings diving deep into instruction so they can hone their surfing skills or get SCUBA certified. After morning intensives campers will integrate into the rest of camp choosing electives, enjoying free choice and participating in evening programs.

Scholarship is available on a need-basis through a separate application. As part of the scholarship program we strive to partner with the parents, other temples, federations, and organizations to ensure participation. As much as we have campers that can go to camp without scholarship, we have campers that need assistance. Campers and staff do not know or care who attends on scholarship and who does not. To receive a scholarship application, please indicate your desire on the camper registration form.

We often host open houses where our staff members will take you around the facilities and answer any questions you may have.

Join us for an in-person tour! We have scheduled 3 Open-House visit days for you to tour the site and see the magic we are excited to bring to summer 2025: 

• January 12
• February 23
• March 16

Tours are scheduled for 12pm and 1:30pm

Sign up for a tour here.

If going to camp for 2 or 3 weeks seems like it is too long for your child to be away check out our specialty programs we are offering. Yahm Surf and Yahm SCUBA. This 8 day session will give entering 6th-9th graders the chance to join an intensive surf or SCUBA course in the morning while in the afternoon fully integrated into the rest of camp choosing electives, enjoying free choice and participating in evening programs. Scuba campers will get SCUBA certified if they pass the course. For more information check out the Speciality programs in more detail by clicking this link. 

Cancellation & Refund Policy

·       Parents/Guardians can cancel for any reason by March 31^st and request a full refund.

·       For cancellations from April 1^st to 30^th, we hold onto $100 of the deposit, but we can refund the rest.  The credit ($100) is good for one year.  If not used for camp fees the following summer, it’s forfeit as a withdrawal fee.

·       For cancellations from May 1^st until 2 weeks prior to your session start date, we retain the entire deposit of $350, but can refund the rest.  The credit ($350) is good for one year.  If not used for camp fees the following summer, it’s forfeit as a withdrawal fee.

·       For cancellations within two weeks of camp, the family is responsible for the full fees.

·       Exceptions are made if the camper is withdrawing due to a medical/psychological issue or if they have applied for financial aid and did not get enough to make camp possible for the family.

Refunds must be made the same way the payment was made.  Payments made by credit card are refunded back to the same card.  If the account is closed – and we are notified when requesting the refund  – we can send a check.  Also, if a refund is required after the season has been closed (usually September), we have to send the refund by check.

Camp has two nurses and a doctor or nurse practitioner who have specific hours for health calls for campers and staff. The health center at camp carries most over-the-counter medications such as Tylenol, Advil, Benadryl, etc. For prescribed medications, we have found that pre-packaging medications is the best possible solution. WellspringRX provides an easy service that dispenses, packages, and ships medications directly to camp. This pre-packaging program is in compliance with all regulations regarding medication for camps. To Register your medication with camp. Go to WellspringRX.com 

If your doctor is NOT licensed in the state of California, please log into your camp minder account to fill out the Medication Administration form to insure our nurses can properly medicate your camper. 

Absolutely!!!! Camp is the best experience you can give your child. They get to experience all sorts of sports, adventure programming, arts, and they will make the best friends of their lives.

We’re always here to answer your questions! Please feel free to be in touch with us at info@wbtcamps.org or by phone at (213) 835-2196. We’re looking forward to serving you this summer.

For more info about the new location in Carlsbad click here