Shabbat-O-Gram: 5/16/26

Dear families,

With Session I just about a month away, it feels like the perfect time to pull back the curtain on one of the most complex, stressful, and important parts of preparing for summer – bunk assignments.

I know how much this part of camp matters to you and your campers, and I want to give you a peek into how we approach it with care, thought, and a lot of heart.

You might be surprised by how much time and energy we pour into this process. Our team doesn’t just glance at the requests and hit a “sort” button — although we sometimes wish it were that simple! We labor over every age group, shuffling bunk cards, trying out different combinations, and looking for the mix that will create the most cohesive, fun, and positive experience for every single camper. We read every note you send. We talk through individual campers’ personalities, needs, and histories. It’s like a giant puzzle, and we know how high the stakes feel. The bunk shapes so much of a child’s summer — and we want to get it right.

And as you can imagine… it’s really hard!

A group of four best friends from home might understandably want to stay together — and we totally get how comforting that feels during the winter months. But sometimes, placing a tight-knit group in the same bunk can unintentionally make it harder for them — and others — to branch out and connect. Our goal is always to create environments where every camper has the opportunity to build new friendships and feel a true sense of belonging — not just with the friends they arrive with, but with their entire group.

One classic challenge we see each year is when one especially well-loved camper is requested by nearly everyone in their grade. Ironically, that camper is often so easygoing and well-adjusted, they forget to submit their own bunk request altogether! For the many campers who listed them — sometimes even without a real friendship in place — it can feel disappointing not to end up in the same bunk. These requests are often rooted in admiration or a desire to feel included, sometimes encouraged by well-meaning parents hoping to help their child feel secure. Our role is to look beyond popularity and perception, and help campers build genuine connections — ones rooted in shared experience and day-to-day life at camp. What’s amazing is that those early disappointments often give way to friendships that surprise everyone — especially the campers themselves.

We also get the occasional note that says, “Please don’t place my child with X.” These requests matter, too — but they’re most helpful when we understand the why. If there’s a school or Hebrew school dynamic that might carry into camp, knowing that context helps us make more thoughtful and fair decisions that serve all the campers involved.

Of course, even with all this care, there are moments when campers arrive and feel unsure or even upset about their bunk assignment. Maybe they didn’t get placed with a hoped-for friend, or maybe they’re feeling nervous about fitting in. When that happens, we don’t just hope for the best — we stay on it. Our staff is trained to help campers through those first few days, and we follow up often. And more often than not, when we circle back, those campers are already laughing on their beds, right in the middle of a brand-new friendship.

At the end of the day, our goal is never to create a “cool bunk” or a “left-out bunk.” It’s to build a community where every camper feels seen, valued, and included — where they don’t just feel like they fit in, but like they truly belong.

So if your camper is feeling nervous — or if you are — know this: we’ve got them. We’re building something beautiful at Kingswood, and we can’t wait for your camper to step into it. There’s nothing quite like watching a bunk become a family.

Shabbat Shalom,
Jodi