I stayed here for a work training in the new building. The issues with this place seemed constant. Started with the door to the ceiling and the heating unit was open upon arrival. The thermostat was set to specific temps and when adjusted would often take 5-10 minutes before it would start to warm the room. It required inputting the temp multiple times a day to override the automatic settings of 62/64. There was construction going on and every evening there was a very very strong smell of propane. All of the outside areas were unpleasant to walk through near the buildings and there was no opening up windows or sitting on the rocking chairs with that smell. The food was not good. Sandwiches for lunch, tomato soup and grilled cheese for dinner with a salad.... I thought for adults that they would make the meals a bit more interesting but no. Lots of costco/sysco bulk food items. The first couple days we got plastic reusable plates but apparently it was too difficult to keep those kosher so they then switched us to compostable plates and silverware. Lastly, no remote for the tv in the center living room which made it very difficult to play our planned jackbox and the remote for the fireplace wouldn't work. Heaters are very very loud and can be difficult to sleep though. They sound like running water or people taking a shower right above you. Showers constantly ran out of hot water. 90% of our group experienced a cold shower during the 5 days we were there. Overall, tons of things that made the stay less than pleasant. Save your money and go somewhere else. read more

My three kids have enjoyed Camp Newman over the years. Yes, all three of my kids have spent weeks there over the course of several summers and have always enjoyed their time there. Camp Newman may not be for everyone, but my kids have spoken and they say, "5 stars for Camp Newman!" read more

My daughter was supposed to go to Camp Newman this year from June 17-28th. We did a lot of prep to go-buying new things, medical appointments, etc. and she (and I ) were very excited since it is a place she loves (this would have been summer 3 for her) and a nice break for me when I know she has a great time. In January this year, they had a long weekend middle school retreat. My daughter had the opportunity to meet some new kids (tweens) and make some new friends. This summer, she signed up for the same session as the person she met the first summer and went with last year. Though they live fairly close, it is summer camp where they reconnect and have a great time. Well, best laid plans don't always work out. Camp Newman fell victim to the H1N1 virus (aka-swine flu) just before the opening of camp. Not only were the camp staff and administration on top of this, the communication and care for everyone involved reconfirmed why I keep sending my daughter here. They made a very hard decision both financially and logistically to cancel the first few sessions of camp in order to make sure everyone working there was healthy and that the virus was obliterated before any actual campers arrived.They made phone calls and sent very informative emails and even tried to get some campers into later sessions. While we are disappointed my daughter(and her friend) were not able to go this year (and barring any unforeseen circumstances) she will be going next summer. This camp is awesome (as my daughter would say). read more

If there was a camp like this when I was a kid I'd stay the whole summer. They have brand new cabins with heating and air conditioning, dual pane windows, pleated shades, nice bathrooms, new bunk beds, some cabins have a deck. This isn't a camp it's more like a vacation resort. The camp is slowing being transformed to make old new again. When it's all done it will be the best camp around. I posted some pictures of the inside of the cabins. The one draw back of the cabins is the large door separating two adjourned cabins, you can hear almost everything. It's not a problem for the kids as the doors are open for camp, we go for family camp and can hear the family nextdoor. Bring earplugs. Other then that the air is fresh and clean so enjoy "camp". read more

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This is a long read but I am writing this review in faith that parents, guardians, or anyone sending their children here understand what happens behind the scenes at URJ Camp Newman by sharing a few examples. (I was a camper for 8 years, and a counselor for one summer). TW: Rape/SA As a camper in one of their month-long high school age sessions, I was raped by another male cabin mate. After telling my counselors what had happened, they brought it to the upper staff in hopes of getting some justice for what had happened or an apology from my rapist. What I was met with was now the current Camp Director sitting me down with my rapist to talk about what had happened. I thought I was going to finally receive the apology but instead, they had ME apologize to him for "trying to ruin his reputation with false allegations." On top of that, they had me apologize to my whole cabin (10 teenage boys, and 3 college-aged counselors) for "engaging in sexual acts while in the same cabin without the consent of everyone in the room because some of them would likely be uncomfortable with knowing that was happening without their knowledge. They had ME, a rape victim apologize for being raped and give 0 punishment to the person that did it. Fast forward to after the fires that unfortunately burned down camp, I decided that maybe the staff had changed enough and their disciplinary actions had been revamped to where I could be comfortable working for them as a counselor. To my dismay, the leadership hadn't changed their view on victims as well as the topic of sexual assault/ sexual misconduct since my experience 4 years prior. During the past summer, there were multiple instances where Camp Directors chose the wrong decision again and again when put into situations regarding campers who made decisions that should send them home immediately. One instance was these two elementary school-aged brothers would get into physical altercations with one another and if one of their cabinmates tried to intervene, the brothers would then turn onto the other camper and start punching them. They got into 13 fights and even tried to assault a counselor before being sent home in the name of "being a camp of second chances." The second instance still makes my blood boil from how incompetent the camp directors were in handling this situation. One high school-aged camper was caught writing rape fiction about the girls in his session, making elaborate stories so detailed he even included which locks on the girls' bathrooms were easiest to force open. When brought up to the Directors, instead of removing the problematic child from the rest of the group they had all the girl cabins stay inside during "menucha" which was a rest hour for campers to socialize outside of camp-led activities. They allowed the writer to continue creeping on and writing these stories for another couple of days until it was brought up to them that his behavior was continuing, even getting worse. To this, the directors completely ignored my fellow counselors pleading for him to be sent home because he made everyone around him uncomfortable. It took him directly threatening another girl camper by saying "it could be you," and staff threatening to quit working for them to finally send him home. After leaving camp a fellow counselor shared with me that there was a private investigation into the URJ regarding all of the sexual misconduct, harassment in the workplace, cover-ups for staff and clergy members, as well as sexual interactions between staff in children. The investigation ended with them publishing a 72-page document regarding all of the above topics. I will include the link to this document below so you can read it for yourself. https://urj.org/sites/default/files/2022-02/URJ_Investigation_Report.pdf If you've made it this far into this review I hope that you take all of his information to heart and think about if you want your child in the care of camp directors who view campers as money signs. Camp Directors that try and keep everyone there as long as they can, to ensure that all campers come back and pay them. These experiences are my own, and many of you may not care but I want to share them with you so you may know the full story of this camp. read more

Beautiful setting in the forest. The camp has such a warm community feeling. Everyone feels welcome from the moment they arrive. Very high ratio of staff to campers means lots of personal attention. read more

This place has been pure magic for my family. My boys have developed lifelong friendships and a deeper understanding of community and being a part of the solution. The confidence to be themselves in a safe environment with no judgement has been invaluable for them. I highly recommend checking it out!!! read more

Not good for little ones. My 4th grade son, 9 years old, got back a few weeks ago and did not have a good time. He told us that at Shabbat dinner he couldn't find a seat to sit down to eat. No one including his counselor helped him find a seat. He said he had ice water that night. Unacceptable. He needs to wear sunscreen and still needs a little help putting it on. He definitely needs to be reminded to put it on. He told me he didn't use sunscreen or bug repellant once because no one told him to. He told me that some of the kids were bullies, physically aggressive, and no one did anything to stop it. Not much supervision and no "nurturing" environment as indicated by the camp. Basically too many kids and the little ones don't get enough assistance. We will not be returning, or recommending read more

I worked at Camp Newman the summer of 2003 and I go back every summer to visit. I had wonderful memories of my own summer camp experience and had a blast helping to make wonderful memories for thte kids at my synagogue. Ruben Arquilevich and his staff are top notch. It's also great to have different Rabbis that come for a week or two. The kids love the Israeli staff that URJ brings in as well. If you have the opportunity to send your kids to Camp Newman, don't pass it up! read more

I just stayed at Camp Newman for a wedding weekend. I do not recommend it for future guests. This is a militant camp that thinks yelling at adults is exceptable behavior. The lifeguards are over active with their whistle and the ropes course instructor told us 20 times to not take her picture. The adults with no intent to do the course heard repeatedly about no sandals on the course. Do no send your kids here. It is an awful militant place. read more

My daughter will be attending her 4th year of summer camp at Newman in a few weeks. This year she is going to 22 days. She would certainly choose to go for the whole summer if she could. This is a wonderful place from many perspectives. The kids have fun, they make friends, and they learn more about being Jewish - but the biggest thing that I notice is how much focus there is on character, personal ethics, social action, etc. My daughter has matured and grown so much personally from her experiences at camp - that alone is well worth the money. This is an amazing place. read more

Camp Newman is a wonderful place! My kids have been attending summer camp and year-round events there for the past ten years, and always come back with smiles. The camp is beautiful and safe, the staff are supportive and proactive, and the experiences my kids have had will be treasured for their lifetimes! read more

As an educator, I look for very specific qualities in a camp before I send my children. Camp Newman is tops on my list! The dedicated administration and staff go above and beyond to insure that every child that attends camp comes away with a positive experience. The administration and staff are friendly, caring, and knowledgable. They develop programs and activities to meet the needs and desires of campers at every level. Promoting self-esteem while connecting to their Jewish roots is reinforced daily at Camp Newman. Life long friendships are developed at Camp Newman. My children will continue to attend Camp Newman yearly. read more

I've taken a group of ~200 campers to Camp Newman twice a year for the last 6 years and always go home happy. Camp staff has always been super attentive and responsive, jumping to action when issues arise and ensuring we have what we need to enjoy our stay. They've been under construction for the last few years but now that all seems to be completed - the new cabins and conference hall are really lovely and comfortable. read more

I am leaving for Camp Newman in 3 days. I will be in the Eidah Maccabiah and this will be my 5th consecutive year! Let me tell you, every single time I go to Newman it just gets better and better. Of course, I live in El Paso, Texas, so I do have to take a very long plane ride to get there, but it is definitely worth it. All the familiar faces, the amazing sights, its almost like having a nicer, cooler, happier home away from home. (I love you Mom!)... Anyways, it truly is the experience of a lifetime. I would recommend it a thousand times over. As many of my friends know, if you asked me about my camp experience, I could ramble on indefinitely. I cant wait for every second of my 22 day session in 3 days! In short, it is well worth the money. It has provided me with the experience of a lifetime, and when I'm too old to come, I will come back as a counselor! Long live Camp Newman!!!!! read more

Flu Outbreak leads to Deliberate Silence and Stonewalling: Well after a flu outbreak had been confirmed by the health department and 15-20 staffers were in quarantine, the Camp admin scrambled to reassure camper families that they were acting conservatively regarding the H1N1 flu outbreak when they cancelled several early camp sessions. Unfortunately, they made late and limited effort to protect staffers or inform staffers' families of developments. Instead, they stonewalled about the severity and the risks; a high-level person on the Board went so far as to tell me that they were under no obligation to inform staff members families or communicate health policy decisions or information.to me or "the "public" , since we were not part of "the camp community".(Btw, I am the mother of a staffer-my children had happily attended Camp Newman for 15 yrs!) While the local newspaper reported the outbreak and published a few guarded quotes from camp administrators, the camp told me they felt no need to make public statements, share or issue a press release, nor inform us of day to day shifts in policy regarding staff. Even so, this Board member complained that the article in the newpaper had been innacurate! Ultimately some staff were released to leave the site, called back, released again, finally given tami-flu vaccine-yet this was done quietly, abruptly and without notice. Meanwhile, staffers, in close quarters, continued to be diagnosed with flu and sequestered.....without a stated and coherent approach to limiting exposure of other employees. There was neither a public health nor any other rationale given for any action taken or not taken. Under crisis conditions, good judgement collapsed here, replaced by a lack of transparency not expected of this type of organization. There was an impression that the Camp was acting responsively and responsibly, conveyed to (only) campers' parents via the website. However, I was shocked and disappointed by an administration seemingly and illogically more concerned with a misguided approach to damage-control than open and honest communication. read more

Camp Newman has been the most amazing place for my children. I knew if I got them to go once, they would be hooked. But it's turned out better than that: Literally all year long, they will say things like, "I'm camp homesick," or "Camp is my second home," or "I wait all year for camp." They sing the songs all year (and then get more camp homesick!) and have made lifelong friends. I love the values focused on at camp and the accepting environment that is created. Thank you, Newman, for being a partner is raising good kids! read more

My children have gone to camp Newman for eight summers and plan to go until they are counselors themselves. They have truly grown up there. The community is strong and supportive. They have made friends there that they will keep for their whole lives. The new facilities are terrific. The activities are fun and engaging.it's great for my kids to spend time off the grid and really engage with other children. This is the place were Jewish kids feel comfortable being themselves. The Judaism is really fun here and they have fun doing stuff together. I give Camp Newman the highest recommendation read more

My son (now 15) has attended for a few years and always has a great time! He makes great friendships, raves about the counselors and staff; and is always a bit more mature when he comes home. It's so important and great for him to be in a positive Jewish environment. He's looking forward to going again this summer! read more