April 4, 2001

Shalom, 

During the past six weeks I have had the privilege of visiting our staff on their own "home turf." I spent time at Rutgers, Princeton, Yale, JTS, Binghamton, NYU and Brandeis. We try to maintain a "kesher", connection, to our Ramah staff community all year round. We communicate through newsletters, email, and personal college visits. These visits are the highlight of my "off season." 

Jewish life at most of the schools I have visited seems to be thriving. Our staff is part of Conservative and Orthodox minyanim across the northeast. For example, at Yale, two of our former staff members, Jeff Gordon and Sophie Oberfield have been presidents of Hillel. The Slifka Center for Jewish life that houses Hillel is the center for Jewish activity on campus. Despite the rather gray weather the day I visited, there was a brightness emanating from the building! The cafeteria was filled with people enjoying what is reported to be the best food on campus. I also saw one of our former campers visiting to see if Yale would be her choice for school in two years. Our staff offered to show her around and bring her to a seminar. The connections from one generation of Ramahnik to the next were great to see. 

I taught at the Hillel House at Rutgers this year. Our own Barbara Labendz (Rosh Edah 2001) is the president of Hillel. The first time I visited, one of the students who came to our session (was it for the free Chinese food or the free Torah?) said that I was the first Conservative rabbi to teach at Hillel this year. There were 30 students—only half with a real connection to our camp.  

When I sat in the kosher cafeteria at Brandeis University, I met with our current staff, a new candidate for 2001, and saw others who had been campers at the Berkshires in the past. At each of the campuses the reconnecting with our staff and former campers, creates the feeling that we are one big Ramah mishpacha. 

I had never visited NYU because we rarely had many staff members studying there. This year we do! The Bronfman Center is a beautiful building downtown. It is situated in a multi-floor brownstone. Before I left we introduced Ramah to two potential staff members and one former staff is now considering on returning! 

I was told that the Hillel house at Princeton was in a small yellow building on the corner…Well it wasn’t too small! In fact it is a beautiful building with a very active cafeteria at lunchtime. Marc Melzer, a former staff member, was president last year. I met a new member of our 2001 staff who will be joining us in Al Hagovah. 

My Alma Mater, once named Harpur, then SUNY at Binghamton, now B.U. (Binghamton University) has an active Kosher Kitchen and a small growing Koach presence. I met with seven of our staff people, most of whom are returning this summer. Despite some anti-Semitic incidents this year, the Jewish life at Binghamton is flourishing. 

At each and every one of these schools in seems to me that Jewish life is doing well if one seeks it out. These new state-of-the-art facilities provide the groundwork for a strong Jewish presence at these schools. 

By the way, if parents are visiting schools with their high school juniors and would like to connect with one of our staff, please contact us at Info@RamahBerkshires.org and we will be glad to help you! 

In conclusion, I would like to wish you and your family a happy and joyous Pesach!