BJ Community Retreat

Expect all the things you love about Shabbat at BJ, and more! Uplifting musical services on Friday night and Shabbat morning, Shabbat meals filled with connection and song, opportunities to learn from other BJ members, Torah study with the BJ rabbis—and, of course, free time to relax and explore the beautiful surroundings of the retreat center.

The beauty of a retreat is that it takes the full BJ Shabbat experience into an environment that is conducive to meeting new people in a meaningful way. Our fantastic host committee is planning many formal and informal ways to connect with other members, including name tags, ice breakers, small discussion groups, and more. This immersive experience is a great way to make new friends and get to know the staff and clergy in a more intimate setting, which can help you find your place in the BJ community.

All BJ members are welcome at the Community Retreat, from ages 0–120! Because there are several retreats and trips this year specifically for the Family Life and Learning community, this retreat won’t have dedicated children’s programming and earlier meal times. We may be able to offer night-time babysitting so that parents can enjoy the evening activities, and/or child-friendly activities on Shabbat afternoon. We will have a better sense of what we can offer when we see how many families register, and with what aged children. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you want to discuss what it would look like for your family and children to come on the retreat.

While we don’t have the full schedule finalized, it will probably look something like this.

All meals will have vegetarian/vegan, and gluten-free options, and all food served at camp is nut- and sesame-free. Dairy-free items will be available for those who request. Please indicate any dietary needs on the registration form, and we will work with the camp to accommodate those needs as best as possible. We can’t guarantee that the kitchen will be able to accommodate all requests, so if you have uncommon allergies or sensitivities, please consider bringing some food to supplement what is served at meals.

Yes, the camp has a kosher kitchen and we will have a mashgiah (kashrut supervisor) on site throughout the retreat.

Yes! Outside food cannot be brought into the dining room, but you are welcome to bring items that are certified kosher (produce does not need certification) and eat them in other spaces. The facility is nut-free, so please do not bring any nuts or items with nuts. The camp requests that if you plan to share with other people, please bring disposable paper goods and cutlery.

Yes! As per Pennsylvania state law, all alcohol brought to the retreat center must be purchased in Pennsylvania, and the retreat center will ask us for receipts that prove the purchases took place in the state. Please save your receipts and hand them in at registration.

Yes! There will be plenty of space and plenty of free time to enjoy these types of activities, so you are welcome to organize a game of ultimate frisbee, show off your magic skills, or start a raging Settlers of Catan campaign. There are several large open areas for Frisbee, as well as baseball, soccer, basketball courts, tennis, pickleball, volleyball and Gaga. The camp has some sports equipment and some board games available for our use but if there is something specific you want, please bring your own.

No.

Part of the retreat experience is that of co-creating a Shabbat community. Together we will make our space and time feel sacred and distinct from the rest of the week. To that end, public spaces will be treated like the BJ Sanctuary: no electronics, phones, cameras, electricity, and the like. In private spaces (i.e. your room), please speak to your roommates and make decisions that accommodate everyone’s Shabbat practice. Please reach out with any questions about this policy, or how to have this kind of conversation.

Highly recommended: Turn off your phone before we light Shabbat candles on Friday, and put it away until after we end Shabbat with havdalah on Saturday night. You just might be surprised at how liberating it will feel!

They say that clothes make the (wo)man—and clothes can also help make Shabbat. While you are welcome to dress in whatever way feels most comfortable, everyone is encouraged to help create a special Shabbat energy by wearing white on Friday night (top only or top and bottom). Some people may also choose to wear clothing that is a little bit dressier than weekday garb on Shabbat day, especially for services and meals.

The retreat center is in Pennsylvania, about a 2.5–3 hour drive from Manhattan and surrounding areas (the exact location will be provided upon registration). Depending on interest, we may organize either a ride share or a bus from/to BJ; please indicate on your registration form if this is something you would be interested in. The additional cost for the bus would be $110-130/per person each way.

• Suggested packing list:
• Weather-appropriate clothing and shoes (check the forecast for Lakewood, PA)
• Shabbat clothing (see FAQs for details)
• Tallit, tefillin, and kippah, according to personal practice (we will also have available)
• Jacket or sweater for cooler evenings
• Bathing suit and beach towels if you plan to swim
• Hiking shoes or sneakers that can get muddy, if you plan to hike (trails can be muddy)
• Toiletries
• Hat and/or sunglasses
• Water bottle
• Sunscreen
• Bug spray
• Medications, both prescription and over the counter
• Sports equipment, if desired (see FAQs for details)

Cancellations prior to March 26, 2026 will receive a 75% refund. Cancellations made between March 26 and April 30 will receive a 50% refund. We are not able to provide refunds for cancellations made after April 30.

Click here to register →