Herzl Camp offers summers filled with friendship and fun! We are a welcoming, independent, pluralistic camp where young people become self-reliant, create lasting friendships, and develop commitment and love for Judaism and Israel. Our mission is to create a vibrant Jewish community of future leaders.
Founded in 1946, over 30,000 campers have spent their summers immersed in our unique brand of joyful Judaism. We are located on 120 acres in Webster, WI on the shores of Devils Lake. Our campers and staff come from all over the United States and Israel to try something new and be part of long-standing Herzl traditions.
Herzl Camp offers a wide variety of activities to excite and engage all types of kids. Campers choose three activities (chugim) each day and cabin groups can sign up for an activity together once a day. Our goal is to provide opportunities to try new things, build skills, and have fun! Some favorites are waterskiing, rock climbing, Ultimate frisbee, cooking, ceramics, dance, philosophy, newspaper chug, tennis, basketball, farm & garden, aerial park and challenge course!
Our sessions are designed to fit your child and your families’ schedule. Younger campers start with shorter program lengths, choosing from a 1, 2, or 3 week program. As campers become more independent, campers have the opportunity to stay for longer periods of time by adding sessions. Click here for program dates and tuition.
Herzl Camp provides medical coverage 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with nurses and doctors on site. Our Marpeah (Health Center) staff care for all routine health issues at camp without charge. Emergency services are provided at nearby Burnett County Medical Center, a fully-equipped trauma center.
Covid-19 vaccination is strongly encouraged but not required for all campers and staff. We will implement Covid readiness strategies as needed by the prevalence of the virus at that time and in compliance with CDC guidelines. Click here to review our 2023 Covid Policies.
FoodWe serve three healthy kosher meals and a nosh (snack) each day. Meals are served family-style with vegetarian options for all meals. Whole grains, fresh veggies and ripe fruit are always on the menu.
Herzl Camp is screen-free! Our campers disconnect from electronics and enjoy a summer spent outdoors, playing games and making friends. This time in nature and in community creates opportunities to develop important social skills.
As an independent, pluralistic camp, we’ve created uniquely “Herzl” Jewish and Zionist programming and education. At Herzl Camp, Conservative, Reconstructionist, Reform, and Modern Orthodox children pray and learn together daily.
Through daily experiential programming, we build camper connections to Judaism and their Jewish community. Each morning, campers and staff share Zman Kodesh and take a deep dive into Jewish values, prayer, and Torah. We do this through a variety of activities including music, meditation, art, movement, drama, or cooking.
Throughout the week, campers participate in several programs centered around Israel. In addition to specific educational programs about Israel, we weave Israeli culture, food, dance, and music into daily activities. We also bring Israel to life through our Israeli staff and our Israeli camper exchange program.
Shabbat is a restful time at Herzl and rich with tradition. Throughout Shabbat, we alter our activities to make the day more restful, more reverent, and different from the rest of the week. Shabbat services are led by a different camper program each week with guidance from our staff. We dress in white and welcome Shabbat with song and a caravan to services. Candles are lit. Hands are washed. Kiddush. Motzi. A delicious meal followed by Birkat and singing. The Torah is read. Shabbat ends with the entire camp participating in camper-led Havdala together.
At Herzl, we believe that camp is for everyone! Whether a camper needs support for nutritional, medical, social or behavioral, or physical needs, Herzl Camp staff are here to make the summer successful. We work to make sure that campers of different backgrounds and needs can participate and can create meaningful experiences, long-lasting friendships, and unique Jewish moments .
To do this, we partner with parents, learning as much as we can about our campers, and a building a individual camp plan for those who need it. We provide one-on-one staff or a point person to help campers navigate the camp world. Our facility is ADA accessible and we have a variety of programming to meet everyone’s interests.
Herzl Camp is accredited by the American Camp Association. This means that we meet or exceed the industry standards in over 300 measures of health, safety and professionalism. Herzl Camp is also a proud member of the Association of Independent Jewish Camps and an active participant in JCamp180 programming, groups dedicated to pursuing best practices for Jewish camps.
