The Connection You Can’t Get From a Screen: What Summer Camp Teaches Us About Connection
What happens when kids put down their phones and have the freedom to simply be kids?
Rachel and Jeana sit down with Tommy Hoffman, executive director of Herzl Camp, to explore why summer camp remains one of the rare places where young people can practice the art of conversation, navigate conflict, develop independence, and form meaningful friendships through repeated, real-life experiences.
Tommy shares how returning to camp after a 30-year career helped him find his “A+” calling—and what he has learned from watching hundreds of campers grow, connect, try new things, and become more confident in who they are. Together, they discuss camp as a sanctuary for childhood, the difference between witnessing connection through a screen and experiencing it for yourself, and the lessons adults can borrow from camp to build richer relationships of their own.
Plus, Rachel and Jeana tackle one of the least glamorous—but most important—parts of adult friendship: Who is responsible for making the plans? They talk about the invisible labor of being the group planner, rotating responsibility, creating standing dates, and why we could all use more low-pressure “barefoot plans.”
Media within:
- Herzl Camp
- The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt
- Eventually Ticketing — with code CONNECT10 for 10% off the first year
- Cut article about the AI-driven summer camp here
- This Closure Instagram video discussing the weight of being the friend who makes plans!