We can’t wait to head up the Tall Green Mountain for Summer 2024 at Camp Mountain Chai! Our year-round team has been working diligently, but we need some extra help to prepare for this summer. We are asking families like yours to donate your time, skills and services, and/or tzedakah this Spring.
Camp is located on the road to Big Bear, approximately 2.5 hours from San Diego/Los Angeles. Full address of camp will be provided prior to the weekend. Arrival time at camp is between 4pm-6pm, please plan for traffic. We encourage you to leave San Diego no later than 1:30pm to beat rush hour. Shabbat programming will begin promptly at 6:15pm with dinner to follow. Families who need to arrive later should contact the CMC Office.
Upon arrival you may drive to designated areas that are closer to your cabins to make moving in a little easier. Staff will be available to direct you. After dropping off your stuff, please move your car to the designated parking area and back-in so that your car faces the exit. This is a law imposed by the National Forest Service in the event of a wildfire evacuation. Family vehicles may not be parked next to camper cabins.
Each family will be given a private, camp-style cabin with twin size bunk beds. Cabins are carpeted, winterized, and heated. Each cabin has a bathroom and shower. Camp does not supply bedding, so please bring your own pillows, bed linens (sheets and blankets) or sleeping bags, towels and toiletries.
Meals are prepared by Camp’s professional cooking staff and are provided starting with Shabbat dinner through Sunday lunch. All dietary requests made on your application will be available at each meal. Outside food is not allowed in the dining hall per kosher/allergy restrictions. If you have any other dietary needs please indicate them on the registration form. We also have snacks available throughout the weekend. You may bring your own snacks, but they must be Kosher for Passover and not contain any kind of nuts. Communal refrigerators and microwaves will be available. Food served is Kosher and we will be observing Passover through Saturday lunch. We will have Kosher for Passover foods including Matzah and gluten free Matzah. If there is another type of Matzah you prefer, please bring it up, but make sure it is Kosher for Passover.
It will be spring in the mountains so plan for cold to moderate weather during the days and colder nights. Bring the clothing and toiletries that your family requires for the weekend, but be sure to include: something white for Shabbat dinner, jackets and sweaters, hats, and comfortable, closed-toed shoes for working outdoors and hiking. We recommend bringing clothes you don’t mind getting dirty for our mitzvah (volunteer) projects.
Please do not bring items of value to camp. Camp Mountain Chai is not responsible for your personal items. Refrain from bringing heels or platform shoes as they will make it difficult to navigate rough terrain. Do not bring tobacco, alcohol or recreational drugs. No pets are allowed at camp unless they are a service animal pre-approved by the CMC staff.
For a full weather report, please visit this site. Temperatures at CMC are often 5-7 degrees cooler than listed.
This weekend is designed to get camp ready for summer. We will celebrate Shabbat beginning at 6:15pm on Friday night with dinner to follow at approximately 7pm. We will start our mitzvah (volunteer) work after breakfast on Saturday. While the primary objective is to complete our projects, we will have time both Saturday and Sunday for breaks, which may include hikes and other outdoor activities.
Full weekend schedule will be provided at a later date.
While all campers for this weekend are 10 & up, adults are responsible for supervising their children throughout the weekend, including during meals, volunteer work, family programs, free times and bedtime. Camp staff will not be responsible for supervision during Mitzvah weekend.
The camp is at an elevation of 7,200 feet. If you have health issues, including heart problems or respiratory or altitude issues, please consult your doctor, prior to Camp, to ensure that you will be comfortable at this altitude. Because of the altitude, we encourage you to double your fluid intake 24 hours prior to camp, and in the first 24 hours at camp. There are no medical staff available during this weekend. First-aid kits and an AED are readily available. The closest medical facility is in Big Bear, approximately 30 minutes camp.
We hope that you will take advantage of the opportunity to disconnect from personal electronics and reconnect with one another. Adults and youth are welcome to bring their own cell phones, however we discourage use during meals, programming or volunteer work.
Cell phone reception is limited in the mountains. Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile work best, and AT&T is limited. Wi-Fi will not be made publicly available during Mitzvah Weekend.