About Us
MJ Sports Camp | Since 2006
Celebrating kids' talents with sports and recreation since 2006
MJ Sports Camp is one of the largest Jewish day camps in Los Angeles, but we did not start out that way. We began with less than ten campers and a desire to provide a positive summer experience for kids. Since 2006 we have expanded our programming to include our Junior Division and Senior Division, which includes our Varsity, Junior Varsity and MJ Banot groups. Each summer we work to find new and exciting ways to engage children and keep their minds and bodies stimulated.
As we approach our fifteenth summer we look back on the road that led us to today. It was 15 years ago that Mike & Jonny "cool" planted the seeds for a Jewish sports camp in Los Angeles. We began our first summer with 7 boys and a run down Ford 15 passenger van. Since then, thousands of young Jewish boys and girls have attended MJ Sports Camp and we are grateful to continue our success.
Our Mission
Our mission is to develop and deliver fun and engaging activities in a positive Jewish environment that promotes confidence and happiness in our campers. We strive to make every one of our campers feel comfortable and welcome each day of summer. Through sports, exercise, and recreational activities we find ways to captivate the attention and more importantly the imagination of kids.
MEET OUR TEAM
Jonathan Ravanshenas
Camp Director
With over fifteen years of experience, Jonathan holds Undergraduate and Doctoral degrees from UCLA and USC in Educational Psychology and Childhood Development. Jonathan is emerging as one of the leaders of Jewish youth in Los Angeles. Him and his wife Natalie have five beautiful children, Naava, Aharon, Levi, Shaya, & Emunah. During the year Jonathan is an administrator at Shalhevet High School and is the current youth director at The Westside Shul.
Michael Karpeles
Camp Director
With over 10 years of summer camp experience, Michael has an extensive background in psychology and child development along with degrees from the University of Southern California and Indiana University. Michael considers camp his favorite time of the year and looks forward to creating new and exciting ways to engage campers. Him and his wife Daphna have three wonderful sons Abe, Sol, & Reuven.
Mika Shalom
Co-Director Junior Division
Mika
Ariel Sokol
Director Senior Division
Ariel is a dedicated sports enthusiast with a passion for coaching. He proudly joins MJ Sports Camp with a solid foundation from YULA and Yeshiva University, where he has honed his coaching skills while fostering a love for sports. Currently, he serves as a coach at Hillel Hebrew Academy, a flag football program and basketball team at YULA. With over a decade of experience working with camps, he also founded the JBA, a Jewish men’s basketball league. Ariel is the head coach for the JBA kids travel team, which fosters community involvement and athletic growth. He is thrilled to bring his knowledge, energy, and love for sports to MJ Sports Camp!
Noa Harkham
Co- Director Senior Division
Noa is the director of the girls division MJ Banot in the Senior Division. She’s been part of the MJ family for 8 years now! This past year, she worked at Maimonides as a teacher and has taught many art classes outside of school. She loves arts and crafts, planning activities, and sports. Noa also has a deep value of torah and mitzvot. Noa is so excited for camp to start and can’t wait for the best summer!
Want to join the team?
COUNSELOR-IN-TRAINING PROGRAM
Students ages 13 & 14
LEARN. GROW. LEAD.
The MJ Sports Camp experience doesn’t have to end. Students entering the 7th & 8th grades can join our Counselor-in-Training (CIT) program, where they’ll receive in-depth training and gain valuable skills.
In addition to becoming an integral part of the MJ Sports Camp team, assisting senior staff and spreading awareness and enthusiasm for our program, your child will:
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Be a part of camp setup
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Be mentored by a senior staff member
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Set and meet both personal and program goals
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Get to know other participants in his or her age group
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Help all participants to engage in the program experience
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Foster a sense of team spirit and fun
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Be a great role model
PLEASE NOTE: The Counselor-in-Training
program’s pricing starts at $145 per week.
Registration is limited, however, we will try our best to accommodate all qualified applicants. If there is not a space available when you register, we will contact you as soon as one becomes available. CIT registration closes one month prior (May 15, 2020) to the start of summer camp. You will be notified by email of your acceptance into the program.
ROBERTSON CAMPUS
Full court basketball court and jungle gym playground
