Mercer Island’s Stroum Jewish Community Center is already preparing for the season that many Islanders are looking forward to, now that football season is over. Registration for the J’s summer camp, the largest Jewish camp in the Pacific Northwest, opened on Feb. 2.

The camp, for kids ages 5-16, has been operating since 1959 and is open to everyone regardless of religious affiliation. The J welcomed nearly 1,000 individual campers in Summer 2014, said communications and marketing manager Sarah Tobis.

Sessions range from one to three weeks, and themes include sports, science, arts and crafts and specialty camps like photography, survival/wilderness, Lego and film production. This year, Youth Theatre Northwest will help run the performing arts camp. The largest and most popular summer camp is Camp Kef. “Kef” means fun in Hebrew.

Camp director Mark Rosenberg said he encourages families to sign up for the three-week sessions to “really foster a sense of community.”

“On Mercer Island, we have access to incredible facilities and parks,” Rosenberg said. “We’re outside for almost the whole day.”

Last year, camp adventures included “ice blocking” at Gas Works park, kayaking, hiking with rescue dogs at Rattlesnake Ridge, paint balling and having all-camp activities: a luau, color war and Israel Day.

“One of the key differentiators for us is our low counselor-camper ratio (1:7) to ensure camper safety, comfort and friendship-building,” Tobis said.

Camp content and activities are designed to inspire and teach universal values such as respect, helping others and welcoming everyone. Every Friday afternoon, campers and counselors gather for Shabbat and a song session, which families are welcome to attend. Thirty percent of summer camp families are from Mercer Island, Tobis said.

The J also provides opportunities for high school and college students to gain job and leadership experience as staff members for the Welcome Desk, camp counselors or before and after school caretakers. The heart of summer camp is the dedicated and caring staff, Rosenberg said.

Many staff members spent their summers as campers at the J before becoming counselors. Senior counselors have completed at least one year of college. Junior counselors are 11th or 12th graders who have successfully completed pre-camp training programs. The J is currently hiring for these seasonal positions.

There is a 10 percent off early rate to all campers who register by April 8, and a $150 discount for any first time camper if they sign up for a full session. Camp scholarships and financial assistance are also available.

The J will host a summer camp open house on March 28. Online registration is also opening for Fall 2015 at the J’s Early Childhood School.

“There’s something for everybody,” Rosenberg said. “There’s Jewish content, but the values are universal.”

For more information, visit www.sjcc.org.

This story was updated on Feb. 4 at 3:30 p.m.