Welcome to Taste of Camp 2025!

We’re off and running at Camp Tawonga with our very first session of the summer – Taste of Camp! As buses pulled up yesterday, and 250 excited campers and teens stepped onto our 160-acre property nestled in the Stanislaus National Forest, our staff lined the dirt road singing that familiar Tawonga tune:

“We welcome you to Camp Tawonga, mighty glad you’re here…”

There’s nothing quite like the moment campers arrive – wide-eyed, nervous, giddy – ready to take their first steps into a week full of connection, growth, and of course, plenty of fun. This is the very first sleepaway camp experience for 70% of our Taste campers, and we are so honored to welcome them into our inclusive Jewish community. Many of these campers are 2nd generation Tawongans, too, making the experience even more meaningful – l’dor vador (from generation to generation)!

Once the campers arrived, it was all systems go! They met their counselors and bunkmates, settled into their cabins, and dove into icebreaker games, helping turn those first-day jitters into full-belly laughs and new friendships.

Bunks are more than just a place to sleep – they’re where community is built, friendships are formed, and Tawonga’s values come to life. Campers play, eat, rest, and adventure together throughout the week, building a strong sense of community from the start. Early in the evening, bunks created their own set of “bunk commandments” – thoughtful guidelines for how to live together with kindness, cooperation, and respect. These agreements help set the tone for a joyful and inclusive week ahead and tie into a key rung of our mission – building cooperative, harmonious community.

After enjoying their first dinner in our historic Dining Hall, the whole Camp got on their feet for a spirited song session – complete with fan favorites like “Country Roads” and “B’tzelem Elohim.” From there, we headed to our opening campfire, where departments introduced themselves through skits and songs. We wrapped up the evening, as we always do at Tawonga, with the gentle Hashkivenu prayer asking for comfort and peace through the night and our beloved “Friends, Friends, Friends” closing song.

This morning, campers woke up to the sounds of the forest and a tasty hot breakfast. It’s only Day 2, and campers are already diving into all the fun! They’ve gotten creative in Arts & Crafts—sculpting with clay, tie-dyeing vibrant creations, and even building their own night lights. In our brand-new Garden Kitchen, campers rolled their own fresh veggie sushi and others enjoyed some time outside while creating calming sleep satchels using fragrant herbs straight from the garden. Bunks have been busy writing original songs and building whimsical fairy synagogues—just a taste of the creativity and magic already in the air!

Our goal this week is to give campers a little taste of everything that makes Tawonga so special – bunk bonding, nature immersion, joyful group activities, and Jewish practices that support self-esteem, community, and a sense of spiritual connection. Campers are learning blessings like the Hamotzi before meals and joining in with the Birkat Hamazon after – complete with hand motions and lots of ruach (spirit)!

Behind the scenes, our incredible Specialists and Counselors-in-Training (SCITs) – 48 of them this year! – are also hard at work, supporting the program while learning valuable leadership skills. This tight-knit cohort of rising 12th graders plays a key role in the success of the session, and we’re proud to see them stepping into leadership with heart and enthusiasm.

With campers already building friendships and gaining confidence, we know this is going to be a memorable week. Whether it’s their first time away from home or just their first time at Tawonga, these campers are off to a beautiful start.

Stay tuned for more snapshots from Taste of Camp! Click here to subscribe to our blog or get a closer peek (for parents of campers) through the Campanion app. Here’s to a joyful, adventure-filled week ahead!

P.S. 100 years ago, Camp Tawonga launched our very first summer camp season – check out our video looking back on a century of joyous Judaism in nature.