Nefesh (Camper Care)
Our Nefesh team (Hebrew for soul), or Camp Care Team, is composed of mental health professionals, social workers, therapists, school counselors and generally caring adults who have dedicated their time and energy to figure out how camp can be a place of happiness and success for our campers and staff. Learn more about how we create a space of belonging for each and every camper.
Our Nefesh Team is lead by our Senior Assistant Director and Nefesh Director, Rachel Dubowe – be sure to look for her on arrival and departure day. This will be Rachel’s 9th summer in this role and she’s thrilled to be back again!
Families work in partnership with our Nefesh team to ensure the camper’s success for the summer. This may include a more comprehensive intake, collaboration with professionals who work with your child, and maintaining regular communication throughout the off season as we prepare for the summer. If you would like to talk about accommodations or extra support for your camper, please email Rachel Dubowe at rdubowe@urj.org.
Health & Wellness at Camp
In addition to our counselors and leadership team, Camp Newman’s wonderful on-site medical team, made up of 2-3 nurses and a doctor, is there to ensure every camper is happy and healthy.
Nurse Roberta Bavin, DNP CPNP is again at the helm of our amazing Medical Team, with over 30 summers at camp! Be sure to check out our Medical FAQs. Scroll down on the FAQ page to the medical section which includes a lot of information on our health center practices, policies and common questions.
There are also some things you can do as a family in advance of your camper’s session to help them know what to expect and how to handle big feelings that are bound to come up while at camp, whether it’s their 1st or 10th summer. With some preparation at home and an awesome support system at camp, we know your camper(s) will have the best summer ever! Check out this great resource on how to prepare for “Moments of Sadness”: