MARBLEHEAD — The Jewish Community Center of the North Shore has officially closed Camp Simchah in Middleton, shifting all its 2010 summer camp activities to its Marblehead campus. The re-tooled camp has been named Simchah on the Hill, and organizers hope that the community will embrace it.

“This is going to be a unique Jewish day camp for kids in grades 1-7, with a program for teens in grades 8-10. We have created a hybrid model that combines the best elements of Jewish day camp with specialty camp,” said Julie Newburg, program director of the JCCNS.

Simchah on the Hill is a collaboration of the JCCNS and Cohen Hillel Academy. Newburg is working closely with Ellen Lodgen, Hillel’s director of extra-curricular programs, who has been running specialty science, cooking and drama camps at Hillel for years.

For Simchah on the Hill, Newburg and Lodgen benchmarked the competition (primarily Marblehead’s Arts at Tower School summer program) — creating a roster of approximately 20 concentrations that campers can focus on including art, baseball, basketball, chess, cooking, computers, dance, digital photography, drama, drums, movement and martial arts, Krav Maga, Hebrew language, outdoor exploration, robotics, sailing, science, soccer, swimming and tennis.

The summer season will consist of 10 one-week sessions, from June 21 through August 27. Parents can register for as little as one session. The camp day will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with extended care available in the morning and evening. The cost is a straight $340 per week, no matter how many weeks a youth attends. A one-time registration fee of $25 applies to those who are not JCC members or Hillel families.

When Simchah was in Middleton, the JCC provided bus transportation from the surrounding suburbs. If there is interest, the JCC will offer transportation to Marblehead for an additional fee.

Approximately six specialty camps will be offered each week, including a minimum of two sports. All camps will be led by seasoned professionals and aided by several “helper” counselors. The camps will be sub-divided by age and ability.

A typical day will begin at the flagpole with the entire camp singing “Hatikva” (the Israeli national anthem), reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, and listening to daily announcements. From there, campers will spend the morning in their chosen concentration, with a break for swimming lessons twice a week. 

At mealtime, campers can either bring their own food or purchase a kosher lunch prepared at Hillel. This will be followed by an all-camp activity, after which the children return to their specialties. The afternoon features a free swim and concludes with an activity that will give children a taste of the other specialty camps running that week.

Jewish tradition and Israeli culture will be interspersed throughout, and campers will participate in weekly Shabbat celebrations, overnights and family nights.

For youths ages 2.9 years through kindergarten, the JCC will continue to run the separate Kindercamp on the Marblehead campus.

For Jewish teens in grades 8-10, Simchah on the Hill is offering a special leadership development internship created in partnership with the Robert I. Lappin Foundation and the North Shore Teen Initiative. This free program will allow teens to assist in camp activities, learn skills (such as first aid), participate in service learning projects, and build their pre-collegiate resumes. Interested teens must apply and be accepted into this program.

During the summer of 2009, the JCC serviced 445 youths: at Camp Simchah in Middleton (212 youths), Kindercamp at the JCC in Marblehead (113), JCC specialty camps (88) and CHA Discovery Camp (32). There is some concern that condensing all those kids (and possibly more) onto Marblehead’s 11-acre campus will create overcrowding.

Newburg is not worried, pointing out that Simchah on the Hill will spread out over the JCC and CHA campuses, both indoors and out. She notes that combined, the fully-equipped community center and private school boast a science lab, computer lab, art rooms, kitchens, a multi purpose room, dance studio, fitness center, gym, tennis courts, basketball courts, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, soccer field, a stage and a gymnasium.
“We have plenty of room!” Newburg states.

Simchah on the Hill is accepting registrations. For further information, visit jccns.org.