June 11, 2026

With summer camp season approaching, families across the Jewish community are watching closely after the parent company connected to dozens of camps entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings amid significant financial pressure.

Simad Holdings, controlled by brothers, has sought bankruptcy protection in New Jersey while working to restructure its debts. The company is tied to a large network of overnight and day camps throughout the Northeast and beyond, serving thousands of children each summer.

Court filings indicate the company is facing liabilities estimated at more than $500 million. The financial situation drew wider concern after missed obligations to bondholders and questions over tens of millions of dollars that were reportedly transferred to affiliated entities. The matter has also prompted scrutiny overseas, where bond investors had financed part of the camp network’s expansion.

Despite the legal and financial turmoil, camp leaders have been moving to reassure parents that summer programs remain on track. A message sent to SHMA Camp families said the issues involve financial and organizational matters connected to the broader support structure, not camper safety, programming, staffing, facilities, or daily operations.

The letter emphasized that Camp Sternberg and related SHMA programs remain fully operational, with leadership and staff preparing for Summer 2026 as planned. Other camps connected to the broader network have also sought to calm families, stressing that camp operations are expected to continue.

Among the programs reportedly connected to the situation are several well-known Jewish camps, including SHMA Camps in New York, Camp Lavi in Pennsylvania, Camp Mesorah in New York and New Jersey, Camp Malka in New York, and others.

Chapter 11 protection allows a business to keep operating while it attempts to reorganize its finances under court supervision. For parents, however, the timing has created understandable anxiety, with many families having already paid tuition and finalized summer plans.

For now, camps are telling families that the summer experience should proceed as scheduled. Still, the bankruptcy case will be closely followed by parents, staff, vendors, and community leaders as the court process moves forward.