Cornerstone Fellowship

Prayerful Moments

Inspired by prayer/spirituality, these sessions provide participants with a moment in the morning and evening to be intentional and model great ways to reimagine t’fillah/prayer at camp. These sessions could be replicated in many ways back at camp.
See Prayerful Moment: Morning Motivation offerings
See Prayerful Moment: Wind Down Your Day offerings

Staffter Hours

These sessions are modeling great programming that participants can lead for camp staff this summer, including activities that increase staff morale, deal with self care, show appreciation, and/or create community.
See Staffter Hours offerings

What is a Senior Fellow?

Specialty Tracks

Senior Fellows Fellows are eligible to register for Specialty Track B, a three-part deep dive into a topic with the same small group. These sessions are an opportunity for participants to learn new content, reflect on their connection to it, and learn how to teach this content area back at camp through different modalities. Specialty Track B is specifically geared towards common topics or skills that come up at camp.
See Specialty Track B offerings

Prayerful Moments

Inspired by prayer/spirituality, these sessions provide participants with a moment in the morning to be intentional and model great ways to reimagine t’fillah/prayer at camp. These sessions could be replicated in many ways back at camp.
See Prayerful Moment: Morning Motivation offerings
See Prayerful Moment: Wind Down Your Day offerings

Staffter Hours

These sessions are modeling great programming that participants can lead for camp staff this summer, including activities that increase staff morale, deal with self care, show appreciation, and/or create community.
See Staffter Hours offerings

Specialty Tracks

Specialty Tracks allow you to explore an area you’re particularly interested in and form a stronger bond with an experienced Educator. Specialty Tracks also provide continuity across three sessions throughout the seminar. You’ll register for ONE of each Specialty Track.

Specialty Track A

Specialty Track A is specifically geared towards programmatic areas of camp.

Specialty Track B

Specialty Track B is specifically geared towards common topics or skills that come up at camp.

Prayerful Moments

Inspired by prayer/spirituality, these sessions provide participants with a moment in the morning to be intentional and model great ways to reimagine t’fillah/prayer at camp. These sessions could be replicated in many ways back at camp.
See Prayerful Moment: Morning Motivation offerings
See Prayerful Moment: Wind Down Your Day offerings

Staffter Hours

These sessions are modeling great programming that participants can lead for camp staff this summer, including activities that increase staff morale, deal with self care, show appreciation, and/or create community.
See Staffter Hours offerings

Specialty Tracks

Baker Fellows are eligible to register for Specialty Track B, a three-part deep dive into a topic with the same small group. These sessions are an opportunity for participants to learn new content, reflect on their connection to it, and learn how to teach this content area back at camp through different modalities. Specialty Track B is specifically geared towards common topics or skills that come up at camp.
See Specialty Track B offerings

Prayerful Moments

Inspired by prayer/spirituality, these sessions provide participants with a moment in the morning and evening to be intentional and model great ways to reimagine t’fillah/prayer at camp. These sessions could be replicated in many ways back at camp.
See Prayerful Moment: Morning Motivation offerings
See Prayerful Moment: Wind Down Your Day offerings

Staffter Hours

These sessions are modeling great programming that participants can lead for camp staff this summer, including activities that increase staff morale, deal with self care, show appreciation, and/or create community.
See Staffter Hours offerings

General

Please bring clothing appropriate for camp (comfortable layers)! It will be warm in the sun and cool in the shade, and we’ll be outside (a few drops of rain won’t stop us from outdoor programming), inside (with some air-conditioned facilities), and camp cabins without heat for our overnight accommodations.

Make sure to pack closed-toe shoes, and rain gear.

Linens are provided, but it does get COLD at night so consider packing an extra blanket, sleeping bag and/or warm pajamas.

A camp tshirt for camp tshirt day!

Clothing

Dress code for the seminar is casual. However, please keep in mind that this is a professional development conference, and you will be representing your camp community! Be aware you’ll be asked to sit on the ground for some programming.

Additional Necessities

Suggested (Non-Essential) Items

Cornerstone is a great opportunity to share your talents, be creative, exchange ideas, and trade best practices. Consider bringing some of these:

• Song books from your camp
• Printouts of favorite programs to share with other camps
• Musical instrument (drums, guitars, etc.) (You’ll have a chance to jam…)
• Favorite games
• Camera

Jewish Ritual Items

There will be time in the program for those who have a practice of daily prayer and saying grace after meals.  We will have a limited number of benchers and prayer books available. If you prefer to pray with a specific siddur, please, BYO-Siddur! If you wear or use a kippah/yarmulke, tallit, tefillin, or other ritual garment, please bring your own. We will not have access to these religious items.

Luggage

FJC is not responsible for the cost of checked baggage. We suggest packing your items so they will fit in one carry-on bag. For additional details, see our Travel Policy.

At the May Seminar, you’ll learn how to enhance the Jewish experience for your campers by attending innovative Jewish programs and exchanging ideas with Fellows from other Jewish camps. Then, you will be expected to design and implement programs for campers and staff over the summer. For more details, speak with your Supervisor or your camp’s Lead.

The Cornerstone team is committed to your health and safety. You can see our protocols here. Download and read the Cornerstone COVID Protocol (PDF).

Registration for all participants closes on Wednesday April 16, 2025, at 11:59pm PST. Remember, sessions fill-up beforehand and are open on a first-come first-served basis.

See our Cornerstone Fellowship Information Guide for details about late registration penalties.

The form works best when accessed from a desktop. If you’re having trouble with the session selection buttons not responding, try accessing the form from a desktop (not a laptop nor mobile device).

Don’t see the session you wanted to take listed? Once a session is full to capacity, you will no longer see it listed as an option. Please make sure to be prepared with your second-choices.

Unfortunately, we do not allow Fellows to change sessions. Please be sure to review all your session choices with your Supervisor BEFORE registering!

For details, see our Packing List. Capital Camps and Retreat Center will provide all bedding and linens, as well as towels, mini shampoo & mini bar soap. However, it does get very cold at night in the cabins (which do not have heat). You may wish to bring an extra warm blanket, a sleeping bag and/or sweatshirt to sleep in (we will not have extra blankets)!

During the seminar, Cornerstone’s office number at Capital Camps will be: 717-794-1449

Prior to the seminar, you may contact FJC’s Associate Program Manager, Henry Weltman, at 646-278-4529 during typical weekday business hours (M-Th:9AM-5PM ET, Friday:9AM-2PM ET) or email Cornerstone@jewishcamp.org.

There is wireless connection in the main program spaces, and some other areas of camp. There is some cell phone service (Verizon, Sprint, and AT&T tend to get better reception). Fellows are welcome to use these services during free time, but should refrain from doing so during programming.

Yes, and we ask that you indicate your dietary restrictions and food allergies fully and completely in your online registration form. Capital Camps is a kosher and nut-free campus!

Fellows & Baker Fellows will be in gender-specific cabins (based on gender self-identification*) with Fellows from their camp when possible, along with Fellows from 3-4 other camps. Fellow accommodations include top and bottom wooden bunk beds.

Senior Fellows will be in shared-housing with other Senior Fellows.

For those who choose to opt-in below, whether identifying within or outside a gender binary, there will be an All-Gender Housing option available.

Supervisors may be housed in shared accommodations.

Guests, please connect with your FJC contact to confirm your agreed-upon accommodations.

Bedding, linens, and towels will be provided by Capital Camps & Retreat Center (Fellows may wish to bring an extra blanket for cold night).

If you have any concerns about our housing policy, please let us know.

The Cornerstone Fellowship Program is inclusive and open to participants of all genders. Housing assignments are based on gender self-identification. All Fellows will be in gender-specified cabins with Fellows from both their camps and other camps.

Yes, each cabin has private showers.

FJC arranges travel for all participants. If you are a Fellow or Supervisor coming from within 60-miles of NYC, Newark, DC/Rockville, Baltimore, or Philadelphia, you should request a seat on one of our charter buses in your registration form. For flights, our travel agent Abe will handle all bookings. All participants fly into BWI, DCA, or IAD airport, so please indicate your preferred departure and arrival airports in your registration form. Shuttle buses are then provided from BWI, DCA, or IAD to Capital Camps and back to BWI, DCA, or IAD after the seminar.

Yes. This process ensures that FJC is able to cover all costs and provide support from a travel agent in any emergency situations.

Fellows may not drive themselves to and from the Seminar, but you may get a ride with your Supervisor, or be dropped off at camp by family/friends. However, you will need to inform FJC that you will be arriving by car (including the name of who will pick you up and drop you off). All driving arrangements must be confirmed in writing to cornerstone@jewishcamp.org.

No. You may book a one-way ticket if needed. However, if you book a round trip flight and forego the first leg of that trip, the second half will be automatically cancelled by the airlines.

Additionally, you may book a two-leg flight that is not necessarily round-trip. For instance, if you are traveling from school to the Cornerstone seminar and then home, this can be arranged by FJC’s Cornerstone Team. Similarly, if you are traveling from home to the Cornerstone seminar and then straight to camp, this too can be arranged by FJC’s Cornerstone Team. If you plan to extend or alter your trip in anyway, FJC’s Cornerstone Team may invoice you for the expense. Please be prepared to pay for any additional costs associated with changing or altering your flight as soon as you confirm your itinerary.

No. The Cornerstone Seminar is crafted so that each piece intentionally builds upon the next, so we cannot allow for participants to miss any portions of the program. This helps ensure you are set up for success and have the opportunity to maximize your camp cohort’s experiences.

It’s approximately an hour-and-a-half drive. FJC will provide bus service between the airport and the Seminar for those who are flying.

There will be buses from NYC, Newark, Philadelphia, and the Metro Washington D.C. area. If you are traveling from the Baltimore area, you will meet at BWI airport and take the FJC shuttle to Capital Camps with those arriving by plane. FJC will provide you with information closer to the start of the Cornerstone Seminar if you note on your registration that you will be coming from or going to one of these locations.

Generally there is no cost to participants. However, if you plan to alter your travel arrangements after booking, FJC’s Cornerstone Team may invoice you for this expense. Please be prepared to pay for any additional costs associated with changing or altering your flight as soon as you confirm your itinerary.

FJC will also not cover any travel booked after April 16, 2025 (online registration close date). See our Cornerstone Fellowship Information Guide for more information.

If participants fail to register for transportation by the registration close date (April 16), or if any changes are made after the registration close date – and therefore the travel cost increases or change fees are applied – the participant is responsible for the difference in cost.

Participants are responsible for reimbursing the full cost of travel if cancellation occurs after travel arrangements are confirmed or registration deadline passes, including processing fees. If in any situation FJC is unable to recuperate costs from the participant in these situations, the participant’s camp will ultimately be held responsible. See our Travel Policy for more information about late registration penalties.