Camp Ben Frankel

Camp Ben Frankel Camp Ben Frankel is a coed, overnight, Jewish summer camp located two hours south of St. Louis, MO in Louis, MO in Southern Illinois.

Established in 1949 as a program of The Jewish Federation of Southern Illinois, Southeast Missouri and Western Kentucky, Camp Ben Frankel has touched the lives of thousands of children through a combination of song, sports, forging lifelong friendships, and Jewish traditions. Camp Ben Frankel is a coed overnight Jewish summer camp located two hours south of St.

Our leadership team has moved on-site! We're busy exploring our new campsite and creating exciting new experiences for t...
06/01/2026

Our leadership team has moved on-site!

We're busy exploring our new campsite and creating exciting new experiences for the summer. We can't wait to see our campers and staff soon😊

TWO WEEKS UNTIL CAMP! Woo!! 🥳✨The wait is almost over, CBF family! In exactly fourteen days, the best summer of our live...
05/31/2026

TWO WEEKS UNTIL CAMP! Woo!! 🥳✨

The wait is almost over, CBF family! In exactly fourteen days, the best summer of our lives officially begins. Get those duffel bags packed because Summer 2026 is right around the corner! See you all so soon!!

Ready for the next part of Camp Terms 101? 📝As we get closer to opening day, here are two more essential words that are ...
05/30/2026

Ready for the next part of Camp Terms 101? 📝

As we get closer to opening day, here are two more essential words that are a big part of our daily routine and community life at Camp Ben Frankel:

✨ T’FILAH [tfee LAH]
This means prayer! At camp, t’filah is a beautiful time where we gather together in the mornings and on Shabbat to slow down and express some mindfulness for the world around us.

🍽️ TORANUT [To-rah-noot]
This translates to kitchen duty! Community means working together, so our cabins take turns rotating this duty each day to keep our (new!) dining hall sparkling clean.

Which camp term should we define next? Let us know below! 👇

As staff week quickly approaches, we want to pull back the curtain and share a little bit about what makes our team so s...
05/27/2026

As staff week quickly approaches, we want to pull back the curtain and share a little bit about what makes our team so special!

Did you know that Camp Ben Frankel is number one rated Jewish camp for staff satisfaction? We know that to take the absolute best care of our campers, we have to start by taking the absolute best care of our staff.

This year we are thrilled to welcome staff members from 10 different countries! They are bringing unique perspectives, incredible energy, and diverse traditions that will enrich our entire camp community.

We can’t wait to welcome our phenomenal global team to camp in just a few days to get staff week started! 👋❤️

Wishing our entire Camp Ben Frankel community a peaceful and meaningful Memorial Day. 🇺🇸Today we join together as a coun...
05/25/2026

Wishing our entire Camp Ben Frankel community a peaceful and meaningful Memorial Day. 🇺🇸

Today we join together as a country to honor the memory of the heroic individuals who lost their lives in service to our nation.

We are incredibly grateful for the freedoms we share and hope everyone has a safe and reflective day surrounded by loved ones.

Oh my goodness, oh my goodness, can you believe it?! 😱We are officially THREE WEEKS away from the best summer ever at Ca...
05/24/2026

Oh my goodness, oh my goodness, can you believe it?! 😱

We are officially THREE WEEKS away from the best summer ever at Camp Ben Frankel! The countdown is getting so real, and the camp energy is already unmatched.

While campers arrive in twenty one days, we are counting down to welcoming our incredible staff to camp even sooner! Our counselors and leadership team are heading out to the cabins very soon to get everything ready for an unforgettable season of friendship, laughter, and amazing new programming.

Drop a 🙌 in the comments if you are already packing your bags! 🎒

Want to talk like a pro before you even step foot on camp? Welcome to CBF Camp Terms 101! 📝Whether you are a first time ...
05/23/2026

Want to talk like a pro before you even step foot on camp? Welcome to CBF Camp Terms 101! 📝

Whether you are a first time camper or just need a quick refresher, here are two essential words you will hear every single day this summer:

✨ PEULAH [PEH oo LAH]
This means a cabin activity where the entire cabin participates together. Plural = peulot!

🔥 RUACH [ROO ach]
This translates to spirit! At camp, ruach is the proud, high energy camp spirit you experience during song sessions, meal times, and Maccabiah (color wars). You can never have too much ruach!

Save this post so you can practice your vocabulary before opening day!

The candles are lit and the weekend is here! 🕊️We are wishing our campers, staff, alumni, and supporters a beautiful, re...
05/22/2026

The candles are lit and the weekend is here! 🕊️

We are wishing our campers, staff, alumni, and supporters a beautiful, restful, and rejuvenating Shabbat. As we pause to appreciate the week behind us, we are also getting more and more excited for the incredible summer ahead.

May your Shabbat be peaceful, your meals be delicious, and your weekend be filled with laughter. Shabbat Shalom from all of us at Camp Ben Frankel!

We are sending wishes for a beautiful and sweet Shavuot to all of our campers, staff, and families! 🌸Shavuot is a wonder...
05/22/2026

We are sending wishes for a beautiful and sweet Shavuot to all of our campers, staff, and families! 🌸

Shavuot is a wonderful holiday that celebrates the giving of the Torah and the harvest season. The tradition calls for eating dairy foods or something sweet.

As we celebrate the gift of Torah and community, we are also celebrating how close we are to being reunited at Camp Ben Frankel. We hope everyone is enjoying a sweet treat and a wonderful holiday!

Big things are happening behind the scenes at Camp Ben Frankel! ✨This past week, three of our staff members, Gizmo, Pink...
05/21/2026

Big things are happening behind the scenes at Camp Ben Frankel! ✨

This past week, three of our staff members, Gizmo, Pinky, and Barnacle, attended the Cornerstone seminar. Cornerstone is a conference that is basically like a camp for staff! Part of the fun of graduating from being a camper is that you could be selected for this awesome opportunities like this one!

They spent their time diving into classes and workshops led by some of the top Jewish educators in the camp world. We absolutely cannot wait to see the incredible Limmuds that Pinky and Barnacle bring back to camp this summer!

At CBF, we deeply value our relationship with the Foundation for Jewish Camp. We deliberately partner with a variety of programs that enrich the lives of both our campers and our staff through outstanding programming and Jewish teaching. Gizmo, Pinky, and Barnacle and the rest of our 2026 staff are ready to make Summer 2026 our most unforgettable one yet! ❤️

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Makanda, IL
62958

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+16182351614

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