The Mitzvah Corps Tzofim Program at Kutz offers a unique Jewish summer-camping experience for teens diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
The Mitzvah Corps Program operates within Kutz: NFTY’s Campus for Reform Jewish Teens, a Reform Jewish teen leadership program for high school students who are active within NFTY (North American Federation of Temple Youth) and their home communities.
The program’s mission is to honor the unique characteristics of every camper and provide access to Jewish camping by creating individualized accommodations and modifications that allows each camper to succeed. The unique feature of the “camp within a camp” model is that motivated high school students serve as peer-mentors, which allows campers to participate fully in the Jewish camp experience in a safe and nurturing environment that fosters positive self-esteem and social skill development.
The success of the program is due to careful planning for each camper, extensive parent and school input, camp staff training, mentor pre-training, ongoing mentor support and twenty-four hour staff supervision. The most important component is the Kutz community’s dedication to include campers with ASD in all aspects of the camp community.
Due to the individualized nature of the program, Mitzvah Corps is able to provide a safe, fun and appropriate camp environment for teens at virtually all levels of functioning on the Autistic Spectrum.
For more information please e-mail:
kutzmc@urj.org. Please include all contact information and the best time to reach you.
“The program is such an outstanding program. Philip has really enjoyed camp and it has been such a terrific experience for him… [Kutz] has done an awesome job of organizing the program as well as with staff development.”
“I am having difficulty finding the words to thank you for organizing and executing the best week of my son's life.”
-Feedback from Mitzvah Corps Families
