Summer camp remains a pivotal childhood experience for multiple generations of American kids, and the thriving U.S. summer camp market was estimated at more than $4.6 billion in 2025, IBIS World confirmed.
The total number of kids who will go to some form of summer camp in summer 2026 is, according to one estimate, approximately 14 million.
While camps are broadly divided into day and sleepaway categories, there is what can sometimes feel like an endless array of options beyond that: scouting and wilderness, sports, specialized interest-based camps for subjects such as STEM and visual arts, and, of course, faith-based.
Jewish summer camp network Simad Holdings files for Chapter 11 protection
Given the important cultural role that summer camp plays in the Jewish North American experience, the Jewish summer camp market is another major segment of the U.S. summer camp industry.
“Jewish camps engaged nearly 200,000 young campers and staff in summer 2025 — a 5% increase over the previous year and all-time record,” according to Foundation for Jewish Camp.
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Even so, a major network operating more than 22 overnight and eight day camps in the Northeast U.S. just filed for bankruptcy in New Jersey Bankruptcy Court, Anash.org reported.
New York brothers Michael and David Shabsels, who are behind the summer camp company Simad Holdings, filed for Chapter 11 protection both personally and through their corporation.
The bankruptcy allows the camps to operate as planned in the upcoming summer season, despite the heavy debt. The 30 camps in the Simad portfolio, according to records included in the bankruptcy filing, serve approximately 200,000 children and are valued at more than $466.6 million.
Simad owed more than $100 million to cash advance firms and various other short-term lenders, the filing revealed.
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Prices start at approximately $3,000 per child for day camps such as Mohawk Day Camp and Camp Kiwi in New York, and up to $12,000 for overnight camps, including Camp Lavi in Pennsylvania and Blue Star Camps in North Carolina.
While not affiliated with any Jewish denomination or cultural institution, the majority of camps in the network offer Jewish cultural programming, with families choosing them for that reason.
Simad Holdings has not released a statement on the bankruptcy filing or its financial situation, news of which sowed questions among both enrolled families and camp staff.
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Camps in Simad network will continue operating despite owners’ bankruptcy
“These are simply some behind-the-scenes matters that are being sorted out, but nothing that affects our campers, staff, or program,” Mohawk Day Camp Director Adam Wallach said in a statement to The Real Deal.
“I really don’t know anything,” a different representative for one of the camps told Anash.org. “I just know camp is moving forward as planned.”
Chief Restructuring Officer Assaf Ravid has been assigned operational control of Simad while it goes through the bankruptcy procedure. The New Jersey bankruptcy court gave the company until Oct. 2 to present a restructuring plan.
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