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Camp Gan Israel

A Jewish day camp in San Jose — trips, swimming, sports and art, in a place where every kind of Jewish family is at home. Campers call it Gan Izzy.

Gan Izzy is a hands-on day camp for children from every Jewish background. Days are full — trips, swimming, sports, nature, art, science, special events and shows — and the point of all of it is that a child comes home having made friends and feeling more sure of themselves than when the week started.

It is part of the Camp Gan Israel network, the largest network of Jewish day camps in the world. What that means locally is a staff who take training seriously and a program that has been refined over a long time.

Divisions

Campers are grouped by age, and each division has its own schedule. Children move up as they grow, and the program gets fuller each time they do.

The camp describes itself as being for ages 2 to 12, while the oldest division is listed as ages 8 to 13. If your child is near the top of that range, call and ask before you plan around it.

A day at camp

Camp runs Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 3:30 PM. After care runs from 3:45 PM to 5:30 PM for families who need it, at an extra weekly charge.

Trips are a regular part of the week rather than a rare treat — the older division goes out twice a week. Fridays are built around getting ready for Shabbat: baking, singing, and a celebration to close the week.

Lunch and snacks

A hot kosher lunch is included with registration, along with a morning and an afternoon snack. There is nothing to sign up for and no lunch tickets — nothing to pack in the morning either. Bagels with spreads and cereal are available every day alongside the menu.

No outside food is allowed on camp grounds. Camp is peanut and tree nut free. If your child has an allergy or a dietary restriction, tell the office before the first day so they can plan for it.

Getting there

Camp is held at the Chabad House, 5580 Almaden Expressway, San Jose CA 95118.

There is also daily pickup and drop-off from a few locations in Sunnyvale, for an extra weekly charge. A dedicated driver runs a 15-passenger vehicle; parents provide their own car seats. Ask the office which stops are running this season.

Cost, and help with it

Families sign up by the week or by the day, and the rate includes lunch. Transportation and after care are charged separately.

Scholarships are available. If cost is what is standing in the way, call the office — no child is turned away for lack of funds. There is also a tuition grant for first-time campers, run with Birthright Judaism for children who have not attended a Jewish day camp locally in recent years. The eligibility rules and the amount change from year to year, so ask.

Winter camp

Gan Izzy also runs a two-week winter camp over the school break in December. See what is known about winter camp.

More

• How to register — what happens, and in what order
• Questions parents ask — what to bring, the bus, staff, a typical day
• Winter camp — the December session