Nature, the Outdoors, and Summer Camps

To what extent do summer camps educate about ecology, and sustainable living? Most camps do so minimally, if at all. While overnight camps are surrounded by nature, most do not foster camper experiences with and within nature, and even fewer connect religious teachings and values to nature and ecology. For those that offer nature programming, it often involves fishing (usually catch and release, which leave a gash in the fish’s mouth), cooking meat or smores over a camp fire or gas fire, or making artwork about nature. To what extent do camps foster powerful experiences in nature? And how can they do more of it? Rabbi Yonatan Neril shares some insights.