Camp Yavneh

Over seven decades of embracing all Jews in a summer of recreation and education.

Located in Northwood, NH, Camp Yavneh is committed to providing a K’lal Yisrael experience in a camp environment where all aspects of life reflect Jewish values. A place for Jewish learning and a fulfilling camp experience for all Jewish children.

Yavneh is one of a few Jewish camps not affiliated with a denomination and our families span all backgrounds and affiliations of Judaism. We believe that dedication to the Jewish people, to Israel and to being a member of a Jewish community are essential to pass on our masoret (tradition). These values are instilled through day-to-day interactions among madrichim (counselors), chanichim (campers) and tzevet (staff), and are reflected in camp-wide activities.

What makes Yavneh unique is our ability to create a cohesive community not separated by differences in practices. We encourage all chanichim to share in our rich Jewish traditions and we help equip them become an active part of the larger Jewish community with a greater respect and understanding of all Jews. This deepens their understanding of Jewish life and traditions, while helping them gain an appreciation for, and understanding of, alternative points of view concerning observance and philosophy.

Meet The Director

Jane-Rachel Schonbrun

Jane-Rachel Schonbrun is a Jewish educator and community builder who has spent more than two decades working in a variety of Jewish communal organizations, including camps, JCCs, schools, synagogues, and social service agencies. Prior to joining Camp Yavneh, she served as Director of Institutional Advancement at Camp Ramah in the Berkshires. Before that, Jane-Rachel worked as Director of Foundation Relations at Avodah, as a Program Director at the Oshman Family JCC in Palo Alto, CA, and as Director of Student Life at Kehillah High School (also in Palo Alto).

As a recipient of the Wexner Graduate Fellowship, Jane-Rachel earned her MS in Social Work from Columbia University and her MA in Jewish Studies from the Jewish Theological Seminary's Graduate School. A Baltimore native, Jane-Rachel studied as an undergraduate at the University of Maryland. Her college experience was enhanced by two years studying in Israel and summers leading teen programs in Israel, Poland, and across the U.S.

Jane-Rachel’s favorite camp activities include rikud (dance), all-things omanut (art), and swimming in the agam (lake). When she’s not at camp, Jane-Rachel lives with her partner, Rabbi Aaron Schonbrun, and their four kids in Deal, NJ.