Families With Young Children

Experience joyful Judaism by sharing traditions and community with your little ones. The Federation proudly supports PJ Library, preschool educators, children's events, summer camp, and schools that feel like family. We do it because warm and meaningful Jewish experience can light the spark of a Jewish soul from an early age and and inspire young people to embrace their Jewish identity.

 

PJ Library

Jewish Federation in the Heart of NJ gifts the Harold Grinspoon Foundation's PJ Library books and music, each month, to more than 3,600 Jewish children six-months to eight-years-old throughout Monmouth and Greater Middlesex counties. Arriving through the mail each month, age-appropriate books and music celebrate Jewish holidays, themes, and traditions. Local events extend the PJ experience, including little ones in community fun with family and friends.

Activities 

From synagogue-based preschools or monthly bagels & blocks get-togethers to kiddie concerts and pop-up mommy-and-me groups in public spaces, the Federation supports dozens of programs and partners offering ways for families with young children to enjoy a sense of community and instill feelings of Jewish joy in their littlest members.

Summer Camp

 

Jewish summer camp is a great way to inspire kids to embrace their Jewish identity, gain valuable life skills, and make good friends.  The Federation supports and offers many ways to make day camp and sleepaway camp more accessible and affordable.

 

Try Camp Short Stays

 

If you or your child are not sure he or she is ready for camp, find out with a Try Camp short stay. Options range from a weekend or five days to 12 days. These camp trials are available in partnership with New Jersey Y Camps.

 

First Step

Camp Nah-Jee-Wah offers an all-inclusive, five-night introduction to Jewish overnight camp for children entering first through fifth grades who are almost ready to take the leap from day camp to sleep-away. When the weekends, campers will have developed new skills and friendships, eager to come back for more!

Family Camp

Family Camp is a perfect mix of active recreation and relaxation for families that want to spend time together and enjoy a beautiful camp experience. Children will enjoy fully-supervised morning day camp on land and on lake while adults take part in sports, arts, yoga, and more! The fun-packed day ends around a campfire with s’mores and song.

Machane B'Yachad

Machane B'Yachad provides an Israeli experience for families with children who are comfortable in a Hebrew-speaking environment. Friends of Israel Scouts, Tzofim has partnered with the Israeli-American Council and NJY Camps to present 12 days of overnight camp offering hours of sports, arts, sciences, and Tzofim-led activities.

 

Camp Grants & Scholarships

 

Incentive Grants for First-Timers

For those who don’t know if Jewish camp is for them, incentive grants, offered in partnership with The Foundation for Jewish Camp’s One Happy Camper program, encourage families to try it. Exciting kids about Jewish camp is a great investment in our future, as 65 percent of kids who try Jewish camp return, and attending Jewish camp is a known predictor of future involvement in Jewish community.

Scholarships for Families In Need

For working families who need help affording child care when school's out, summer camp is not a luxury, it’s a lifeline. Their children spend the summer in a warm, safe, Jewish environment filled with fun, learning, and friendship.

Special Needs Camp Scholarships

Children with special needs can share in the magic of Jewish camp to learn new skills, build self-confidence, and make lasting friends and memories. Scholarships from the Jewish Federation can put camp within reach and enable all Jews to find their place in the warm and supportive community of Jewish summer camp.

More for Young Families

Jewish Education

The Federation backs Jewish education for students of every age because we know today's children are the keepers of a bright Jewish future. Our support includes advocacy for state funding of day schools, grants for after-school Hebrew schools, equipment for students with special needs, and continuing education for preschool and Hebrew school teachers. Find the school that suits your child's needs.

Kveller Local Edition 

The Jewish Federation presents a wide array of resources for young families through a local section of the well-known, national Jewish parenting blog, Kveller.com. It’s packed with ideas for navigating Jewish life with children and includes useful listings of preschools, camps, synagogues, Jewish food and much more.

Look What Else We Have for Young People