WYNNEWOOD, Pa. (KYW Newsradio) — Camp Kef in Montgomery County, at the Kaiserman Jewish Community Center, is closed this entire week after parents were informed of a COVID-19 outbreak there.
A woman with two kids enrolled in the camp told KYW Newsradio that she got two letters letters. One mentioned two positive cases. Another one, sent a day later, said that number had increased to eight.
"If it goes from two to eight cases in the span of a day or two, chances are it was going to balloon, so I’d rather be safe than sorry," said the mother, who preferred not to give her name. "If they went ahead and continued with the camp, if it had gone beyond eight cases, I probably would have pulled my kids out myself."
KYW Newsradio obtained one letter sent to Camp Kef families as well as a letter sent to Kaiserman JCC members.
The JCC says the closure is "out of an abundance of caution," and anybody affected by the outbreak has been contacted directly. The JCC also says it has been working with the Montgomery County Office of Public Health and a medical advisory group.
The camp is scheduled to reopen on Monday, Aug. 2.
"What I would like to hear in the days after they reopen is how many cases they discovered," the mother said. "They are making everyone take a COVID test, which is somewhat reassuring."
Indeed, one of the letters says all campers and staff must be tested for COVID-19 either Wednesday or Thursday this week — and get a negative result back before returning. The test is required regardless of vaccination status.
The mother believes the camp is handling the situation properly but said this is still disappointing for her children.
"They had finally started having social lives," she said. "They were really out of it socially for a very long time, and this was their big hurrah back. They absolutely love camp and they want to go again. We just want to make sure they are safe, that’s all."
According to the JCC website, Camp Kef was open last summer and didn’t report a single COVID-19 case during the season.
The JCC says there will be enhanced coronavirus protocols in place when the camp reopens. The camp’s current protocols for this summer, which are available online, can be seen here: