A fundamental part of being a counselor is to support the campers. <\/i>(photo from Camp Kalsman)<\/i><\/p>\n
<\/i>Rachel Mintz worked as junior counselor, senior counselor, canoe specialist and assistant director at Camp BB-Riback in the late 1990s. In her work today as deputy chief data officer for Environment and Climate Change Canada, she\u2019s quick to credit her leadership style, passion and confidence to the skills she learned at camp.<\/p>\n
\u201cCamp actually played a role in my career path,\u201d she told the Independent. \u201cOne major lesson a person learns from work at camp is the power of passion. Anyone who came in 1998, when I was canoe specialist, would\u2019ve experienced how much I loved teaching kids the freedom of paddling their own canoe. Today, with the staff I manage, I believe in finding projects that align with their strengths and passion.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy last year of camp, I was 19 and working as assistant director, a position that gave me the confidence to apply and take on future management roles,\u201d she added. \u201cI learned the importance of a leadership role and the \u2018behind the scenes.\u2019 I came to realize that I have skills to coordinate moving parts and that I enjoy influencing others in their work.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jewish camp directors in the northwest are already recruiting counselors for summer 2026.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs a counselor at camp, you build community, work with kids, run programs and act as a role model,\u201d said Zach Duitch, executive director at Camp Solomon Schechter. \u201cThese experiences running a cabin, dealing with challenges and problem-solving teach you resiliency, which is critical for this age group. Our counselors learn from their experiences and realize that they can overcome things with patience, communication and problem-solving. It\u2019s such an important learning experience.\u201d<\/p>\n
Duitch believes strongly that a position as a camp counselor teaches teens skills they would never learn in a traditional retail environment or minimum-wage summer job. \u201cThey\u2019re learning hospitality, conflict resolution, health and hygiene for a group of eight-to-12 kids, how to run a program \u2013 these are human skills and executive skills,\u201d he said. \u201cWe even take their phones!<\/p>\n
\u201cConsider that, if our counselors didn\u2019t do this, they\u2019d likely be bumming around at home on their phones and staying up late,\u201d he explained. \u201cMy message to these teens is this: working as a counselor is an experience that truly doesn\u2019t exist elsewhere. Take advantage of this opportunity as long as you can, before you\u2019re thrown into really needing to find a job.\u201d<\/p>\n
Duitch\u2019s own work as a camp counselor set him on the path to dedicating his life to Jewish work. Another camper he knew, the late Rabbi Matthew Bellas, found his path to the rabbinate at camp. \u201cCamp teaches you skills, but it also shows you what your passions are,\u201d said Duitch.<\/p>\n
If money is your teen\u2019s top priority for the summer, a camp counselor position is not going to be a top contender. The salaries for counselors range from honorariums to a few thousand dollars. One upside of the money earned at camp is that the counselors don\u2019t spend it while they\u2019re working. \u201cWhen you leave at the end of the summer, you leave with a lump sum,\u201d Duitch said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Rather than look at it in financial terms, he encouraged parents to think about the opportunity camp counseling gives teens to create impact.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you went to camp and loved the immersive programming, the fun, the memorable moments and the joy, maybe this is your turn to give back to the kids as a counselor. There\u2019s nothing like living a fully immersive Jewish experience at camp, surrounded by a community you can rely on.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Don\u2019t look at it as a \u201csummer filler,\u201d agreed Liza Rozen-Delman, executive director at Camp Hatikvah. \u201cYour teen will build confidence and emotional maturity as a counselor, learning to manage stress, communicate clearly, lead with empathy and take real responsibility. These are skills that prepare them for university, travel and future careers.\u201d<\/p>\n Becoming a counselor is the natural next step after aging out of camp, she said. \u201cIt lets young people return to a place they grew up, one that feels safe, familiar and supportive. These roles offer structure, purpose and a guided environment where teens can practise independence, learn to meet expectations and develop accountability, something many aren\u2019t used to today.\u201d<\/p>\n The work is meaningful but demanding, she noted, with early mornings, late nights and constant responsibility, as counselors support kids, run activities and manage group dynamics. \u201cOne of my favourite sayings,\u201d she shared, \u201cis that camp doesn\u2019t just prepare young adults for \u2018work,\u2019 it prepares them for life.\u201d<\/p>\n At Schechter, candidates are interviewed for their past experience working with kids, their values, trust, accountability and communication skills.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cHave they failed before, and have they used that experience to succeed? We love to give second chances at camp,\u201d Duitch said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Rozen-Delman said she looks for counselors who demonstrate empathy, kindness, responsibility, confidence and initiative. \u201cThey need to be team players and strong communicators,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cCamp doesn\u2019t run without these young Jewish role models,\u201d Duitch added. \u201cThey bring the magic to life, and we want to continue to invest in them, motivate them, provide them with resources and challenge them.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWorking at camp is an investment in your development,\u201d said Stacy Shaikin, executive director at Camp BB-Riback. \u201cThere\u2019s no other job for young people that gives you this much responsibility and a chance to troubleshoot and think on your feet. Everyone who has ever done it looks back on it and uses these tools in their careers.\u201d<\/p>\n When Rachel Mintz\u2019s daughter returned home from camp, Rachel quizzed her on her favourite part. Her answer was immediate, and just two words: the counselors.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Lauren Kramer<\/b>, an award-winning writer and editor, lives in Richmond.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A fundamental part of being a counselor is to support the campers. (photo from Camp Kalsman) Rachel Mintz worked as junior counselor, senior counselor, canoe specialist and assistant director at Camp BB-Riback in the late 1990s. 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