Association Of Independent Jewish Camps

THE ASSOCIATION OF INDEPENDENT JEWISH CAMPS (AIJC) TOP THREE PROGRAM SERVICES FOR THE 2023 FISCAL YEAR ARE AS FOLLOWS:1. THE AIJC NOW CONDUCTS 11 DIFFERENT PROFESSIONAL COHORTS ACROSS THE FULL AND PART-TIME STAFF OF THE AIJC MEMBERS. ALL OF THE COHORTS ARE CONDUCTED VIA VIDEOCONFERENCES EACH MONTH DURING THE NON-CAMP SEASON. THE VIDEOCONFERENCES LAST 60 MINUTES AND INCLUDE A 30-MINUTE PRESENTATION FROM SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS AND 30 MINUTES OF SHARING AMONGST THE PARTICIPANTS. IN MANY SITUATIONS, THE COHORTS HAVE SURFACED WIDER ISSUES AND CHALLENGES, WHICH REQUIRED FURTHER RESOURCES AND TIME. TO ADDRESS THIS, THE AIJC HAS CREATED A FEW WEBINAR SERIES TO PROVIDE FURTHER DEPTH TO SOME OF THE LARGER CHALLENGES. SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS IN THE SPECIFIC AREAS LEAD THE WEBINARS, WHICH ALLOWS FOR MORE TIME AND DISCUSSION. THE AIJC WILL CONTINUE TO EXPAND THE COHORT OFFERINGS BASED ON THE NEEDS OF THE MEMBERS. 2. HAVING BUILT A CRITICAL MASS OF MEMBERS AND SUBSEQUENTLY FULL AND PART TIME STAFF OF THE MEMBER CAMPS, THE AIJC CONDUCTED A TWO-DAY GATHERING IN LAS ANGELES, CA IN EARLY OCTOBER 2023. WHILE THE AIJC HAS EXECUTED MANY GATHERING FOR THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS AND CAMP DIRECTORS, THIS YEAR IS DIFFERENT. THE AIJC INVITED CAMPS TO BRING THEIR ASSOCIATE AND ASSISTANT DIRECTORS TO THE 2023 GATHERING. AS IN THE PAST, THE GATHERING INCLUDED TWO DAYS OF LEARNING AND SHARING. THERE WERE PRESENTATIONS, MEETINGS WITH PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS AND SPEAKERS IN AREAS SUCH AS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND AN INSURANCE COMPANY DISCUSSED CLIMATE CHANGE AND FACILITIES. 3. THE AIJC ALONG WITH THE JEWISH DAY CAMP NETWORK (JDCN) ESTABLISHED A JEWISH NETWORKING PROGRAM FOR THE JEWISH DAY AND OVERNIGHT CAMPING FIELD. THE AIJC AND JDCN COLLABORATED TO INCLUDE A BROAD GROUP OF JEWISH DAY AND OVERNIGHT CAMPS IN AN AFTERNOON OF LEARNING, FOOD, AND NETWORKING. AT THE AMERICAN CAMPING ASSOCIATION TRI-STATES CONFERENCE, THE TWO ORGANIZATIONS RAN A HALF-DAY WORKSHOP AND INVITED ANY JEWISH NOT-FOR-PROFIT CAMP TO ATTEND, WHICH IS AN UNPRECEDENTED OPPORTUNITY FOR THE FIELD.