Thank You

Securing our sacred space to serve the Jewish community into the future — for everyone in every season

Getting Ready for the Next 100 Years

Since its founding in 1925, Tawonga has served as a sacred space to build traditions and create memories. As we look to the future, the agency’s key priority is to make the Tawonga experience more available to more people. Facing waitlists for nearly all programs, Tawonga is poised to transition from a summer camp to an all-season facility that can serve children, families and adults of all ages throughout the year.

The Vision

Tawonga will serve more people year-round and lifelong. Our model will set the example for excellent summer camp, radical inclusion and environmental stewardship.

This campaign will enable Camp to transform lives for generations to come.Josh and Sara Leslie, Campaign Chairs

The Campaign

The Campaign to Preserve and Protect Tawonga launched in 2016. We initially focused on Camp’s most critical needs: replacing bathrooms and sewers, expanding dining areas, building a new Health Center, implementing grey water capture, undergrounding electrical wires, winterizing facilities to enable year-round use and adding cooling and air filtration systems to address climate change and fires.

We surpassed our $17 million campaign goal!
In 2022, Tawonga asked the broader community to contribute to this campaign. We soon witnessed an incredible outpouring of support. Some gave for the first time, others gave their largest gift ever and so many stretched like never before. Each donation reflected a collective love for Camp, and together we exceeded our $17 million goal!

Explore the Projects

Click on the numbers on the map below to read about the completed projects and learn more about what’s next.

[drawattention ID=”108011″]

A New Tawonga Village

When a wildfire destroyed the original Teen Village in 1999, we lost critical housing and a dedicated area for our teens. The new Tawonga Village will once again give this cohort a home of their own during the summer – an intentional space where they can explore pressing life challenges, find their footing and become their best selves. This separate area — with five new weatherized cabins and an all-gender bathhouse — will also accommodate 60 more families during the Family Camp season and more participants of all ages throughout the year. This priority project will increase both summer and shoulder season capacity, deepen community and enable more immersive year-round experiences.

The Garden Kitchen

In 2018, our garden grew from 1⁄4 acre to 1 1⁄4 acres, more than doubling its food production space and expanding programming opportunities. The Garden Kitchen is the next step in this expansion project. Right next to the garden, it will serve as a hands-on farm-to-table culinary center where campers dig into sustainable farming practices, learn how to cook from seasoned professionals and connect to Jewish food traditions.

Solar Arrays

Changes in the environment are driving key infrastructure upgrades. Grey water capture from our laundry facilities is irrigating our sports field, and the recent undergrounding of PG&E electrical wires is supporting fire prevention, increasing safety and enhancing the aesthetic of Camp. Next up is green energy – specifically solar panels to reduce our carbon footprint. Focused environmental stewardship at Tawonga will protect our campsite and inspire future generations to protect our world.

Golden Triangle Rehabilitation

It’s the heart of Camp – our trusty “go to” for campfires, talent shows and meet-ups large and small. Known as the Golden Triangle, it’s the open area between the dining hall, office and health center. On summer days, it can get more than its fair share of bright sunlight. Enhancing this space with new seating, shade structures and self-directed play equipment will make it a more comfortable space to eat, play and have fun in the sun.

Supporters – Thank You!

We are deeply grateful for the support of so many who have answered the call to help Tawonga transform into an organization that can serve everyone in our community in every season. Your generosity makes a huge impact, and Tawonga is incredibly grateful for your investment to sustain our beloved campsite on the Tuolumne River and the Jewish values we all hold dear. Click on the giving levels below to jump to the donor listings.

Gifts of $100,000 or more will also be recognized with a plaque on a wall in the dining hall.

El Capitan ($1 million +)
Half Dome ($500,000 – $999,999)
Clouds Rest ($250,000 – $499,000)
Yosemite Falls ($100,000 – $249,000)
Sentinel Dome ($50,000 – $99,999)
Vernal Falls ($25,000 – $49,999)
Bridalveil Falls ($10,000 – $24,999)

Tenaya Lake ($5,000 – $9,999)
Tuolumne Meadows ($2,500 – $4,999)
Hetch Hetchy ($1,000 – $2,499)
Early Intake ($500 – $999)
Lower Falls ($360 – $499)
The Ridge ($180 – $359)
Pipeline (up to $179)