In 1943, Camp Kadimah was established to meet the needs of the Jewish community of Atlantic Canada, and over the years, it has truly become an international camp. Camp Kadimah is owned and operated by the Atlantic Jewish Council. It was first a community camp, bringing together Jewish youth from across the four Atlantic Canadian Provinces summer after summer. It was the brainchild of Eli Zebberman of Halifax, who desperately wanted to establish a camp for both Jewish boys and girls. Met with much resistance from the traditional-minded leaders of the Maritime communities, Zebberman garnered support from Canadian Young Judaea and financial backing from a number of supporters. The first site was purchased at Port Mouton, near Wobamkek Beach on the South Shore of Nova Scotia, welcoming 47 campers for three weeks in July 1943. Kadimah settled on its current site in 1944 – first rented and then purchased in 1946 – and it has been the most cherished address to thousands of campers and staff ever since. The magnificent property on the shores of Lake William in Barss Corner, Nova Scotia – nestled inside historic Lunenburg County – has seen up to three generations of youth (some from the same family) experience its unmatched hospitality and incredible “ruach” (spirit).

Canadian Young Judaea

Camp Kadimah is a proud member of Canadian Young Judaea (CYJ), an inclusive, pluralistic movement connecting Jewish youth across Canada with the stated mission of fostering Jewish identities and a connection to Israel.