The ‘good problem’ highlighting a critical area for investment

For the third year in a row, Ramah Day Camp Greater DC opened registration only to wait-list it rapidly. This year, within one week of opening in November, we began telling families that we no longer had space.

People often respond by saying, “That’s a good problem to have.” But I’m no longer sure that’s true.

Every camper we turn away is not just missing a fun summer. They are missing a formative Jewish experience at a moment when Jewish identity is fragile, contested and desperately in need of joyful reinforcement. A waitlist is not just a capacity issue: it is a Jewish continuity issue.

For decades, the Jewish community has assumed that overnight camp is the primary setting for long-term Jewish identity formation. Overnight camp is powerful, but that assumption has unintentionally minimized the impact of Jewish day camps, particularly as more families seek accessible, immersive Jewish experiences close to home.

New data from Ramah Day Camp Greater DC challenges that narrative.

Drawing on a multiyear impact study conducted with EMC Consulting and national post-summer survey data from the Foundation for Jewish Camp, we now have clear evidence that Ramah Day Camp Greater DC does not merely supplement Jewish life. We help shape it.

In our study, 97% of children who reported feeling proud to be Jewish at camp said they continued to feel that pride years later as a result of their camp experience. Among parents whose children learned Jewish prayers at camp, 81% reported that their child retained that knowledge four to five years later. Parents also report that more than 80% of campers retain the skills, confidence and social growth developed at camp long after the summer ends.

Together, these findings position Ramah as a place where children not only build skills and lasting friendships, but also experience joy, pride and belonging in their Jewish identity. These outcomes translate into lasting Jewish impact: campers continue to engage with prayer and Israeli music, demonstrate increased independence and express greater confidence and pride in their Jewish identity across diverse settings.

Over 90% of parents say they would recommend Ramah DC to others, a level of satisfaction consistent across day school families, public school families, synagogue members and unaffiliated households. These numbers demonstrate that Jewish day camps are not peripheral educational experiences. The FJC 2023 Census report states, “Camp enrollment continues to grow, with the largest gains coming from day camps.” Families vote with their feet. Day camps meet real needs: they are local and community-building; more affordable than many overnight camps; and deeply immersive while also structured so children return home each night.

Yet day camps are still too often framed as secondary, as feeders rather than destinations.

The data tells a different story. Families choose day camp not as a compromise, but because it delivers what they value most. In our surveys, parents most frequently cited Jewish growth, program quality and outdoor education as the primary reasons for choosing Ramah DC. For many children, day camp is the Jewish environment where Judaism is lived rather than taught. Hebrew songs are sung loudly, Jewish values are integrated with daily activities and campers discover new joys alongside peers.

For many families, day camp sparks interest in Jewish overnight camp. Indeed, nearly half of parents whose children have not attended overnight camp report that day camp made them more open to considering it. For many others, day camp stands fully on its own. Both outcomes are successes. What matters is that meaningful Jewish engagement is happening and that it lasts.

If we take this data seriously, it demands a shift in how we invest in Jewish life.

First, scholarship initiatives supporting Jewish camping must expand to include day camps. Currently, major funding programs, such as One Happy Camper, are restricted to overnight camp enrollment, creating a significant barrier for many families. Expanding these funds is particularly vital for families whose children do not attend Jewish day schools; our research suggests these participants often experience the most profound gains in Jewish identity and literacy through the camp experience. At Ramah Day Camp Greater DC, for example, campers from non-day school backgrounds represent 65% of the population, underscoring the immense potential for day camps to serve as a primary gateway to Jewish communal life

Second, the Jewish community must commit to longitudinal research on Jewish day camps. While overnight camps benefit from decades of data documenting their long-term impact, day camps have not yet been afforded the same level of rigorous study or shared best practices. Historically, philanthropic funding has been disproportionately directed toward overnight programs as a direct result of these impact studies. The current lack of investment is not a reflection of a lack of efficacy in day camps but rather a gap in commissioned research. To ensure equitable support and data-driven growth, we must prioritize capturing the unique value proposition of the day camp experience.

Finally, we must stop treating Jewish day camps as “almost” Jewish experiences. They are not warm-ups. They are full, vibrant, identity-building Jewish ecosystems that deserve recognition, talent and funding.

So is a waitlist a good problem to have? Not when it signals unmet Jewish potential. If Jewish identity is truly a communal priority, then day camps must be part of the solution.

Article first appeared in EJewish Philanthropy, February 4, 2026.