Camp Mountain Chai is located in the San Bernardino National Forest near Big Bear. At an elevation of 7400 feet, it is far away from city lights and will provide a spectacular view of this annual meteor shower. Our astronomer-in-residence and fellow congregant Mike Chasin will begin the evening with telescopes for viewing planets and constellations and then we will sit back and enjoy the shooting stars. 

The weekend cost of $195 per person includes housing, meals, and many of the activities of the camp including swimming, a rock climbing wall, human sized foosball court, gaga pits, archery, upper and lower ropes courses, zip line, basketball, hiking, and canoeing. Evening activities will include campfires with s’mores and hot cocoa. The viewing of the meteor shower will take place from approximately midnight Saturday to 3 a.m. Sunday morning, but you’ll have plenty of time to rest on Saturday before the show begins! On average, there should be 40-50 shooting stars per hour, clear weather permitting. 

This is a great opportunity for couples and families with children ages 15 and older, as there will not be any organized youth programming or supervision provided. Optional lay-led Kabbalat Shabbat evening, Shabbat morning and Saturday evening Havdalah services will be available. There will also be a Saturday information session on the Perseid meteor shower and how you can maximize your viewing experience.

Housing
Pricing for the weekend is based on families sharing cabins. All cabins have indoor bathrooms and showers and contain bunk beds.  Cabin occupancy will be limited to using just the bottom bunks unless a group requests to have more people in that cabin.  There are a limited number of private and semi-private cabins available for an additional fee; please contact us at CBI.Shabbat@campmountainchai.com if you are interested in these premium accommodations.

Transportation
We are offering bus transportation that will leave at 1 p.m. on Friday and will return at approximately 2 p.m. on Sunday at a cost of $20 per person.  Seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis; once this first bus is full, we will create a wait list and will secure a second bus if there are at least 30 people on that list. You are also welcome to drive to camp in your own car. The drive is approximately 2.75 hours. 

Food
All meals at Camp Mountain Chai are kosher. Most dietary requests can be accommodated including vegan, vegetarian, lactose free and gluten free. There is a section on the registration form for you to note any dietary restrictions so that our kitchen can prepare appropriate meals for you. Additionally, Camp Mountain Chai is a peanut and tree-nut free camp; PLEASE DO NOT BRING ANY PRODUCTS CONTAINING NUTS ONTO THE CAMP SITE. If you have any questions, please email us at CBI.Shabbat@campmountainchai.com .