A Time for Healing, A Time for Learning, A Time for Ramah Community
The Bert B. Weinstein Leadership Institute always comes at a time when our college-aged staff members yearn for their Ramah community. But this year, that yearning was even deeper than usual, after the events of October 7th and their impact on college campuses. Weinstein became more than just a mid-year opportunity to be in Ramah community and to learn new skills as madrichim, vocational participants, and rashei edot. It was a weekend filled with Jewish joy, pride, and community. It was also a healing weekend. The following quotes from participants demonstrate this powerful impact:
“Weinstein was so necessary and so healing…This is the time when we need a camp Shabbat and general experience most.”
“After facing tons of antisemitism at school, it was so nice to be able to be in an environment where I did not feel the need to constantly explain myself. I loved having the space to reunite with my friends while having engaging conversations. It really felt like a camp Shabbat and reminded me why I love Ramah so much!”
“Weinstein was so meaningful and something I really craved. It has been so hard to be Jewish since October 7th, so being able to gather in a space like this was beautiful.”
“I didn’t know how much I needed Weinstein until I got there. It’s been extremely difficult to be a Jew on a college campus this semester and spending shabbat with people just like me who had been through the same experiences was such a great reset before we go back this semester.”
“One of the most beautiful moments of the weekend was singing slow songs at Seudah Shlishit. I alternated between closing my eyes, allowing all of the voices to wash over me, and looking around at everyone in the circle, reaffirming the power of the Jewish people and the communities we create.”
Year round Ramah professionals led sessions and modeled leadership strategies that helped Weinstein participants feel more confident in their roles at camp. Each of our elective blocks and full group sessions focused on fundamental skills for Ramah tzevet such as Jewish education, community care, and programming. Participants also spent time with their tracks, preparing to become a second year counselor, third year counselor, Tikvah counselor, vocational staff member, or a Rosh Edah this coming Kayitz. See full program guide here.
“The session on tefillot was really great! [It was] super interesting to talk to fellow counselors from other camps about ways to keep campers engaged. I feel I gained a few strategies and peulot I want to implement this upcoming kayitz!”
“I really liked how there was actual tangible research that went into every session [about mental health] and also how every session not only applied to Camp but also every day life. The sessions also helped me learn a little bit about myself and my own mental health, and how better to deal with it, which was very appreciated.”
“The ‘Making Your Camper Feel 10 Feet Tall” session had me thinking about dividing my time more evenly amongst the chanichim by using each of my “walks” of the day to check in on each one. I was able to find new methods to improve the overall relationships in my tzrif and ensure that every camper gets the attention and care they deserve.”
“Weinstein was a great opportunity to collaborate and discuss with other rashei edah about both our successes and areas for growth. The session about tzevet feedback was especially helpful to me since it is something that I struggled to incorporate regularly last summer as a rosh. I will definitely be bringing items I learned at Weinstein to my edah this summer!”
In recognition of the war in Gaza, we offered a number of sessions to help participants learn more information and work through their emotional reactions. We were fortunate to be joined by Dr. Jonathan Golden, Director of Wellspring at the Shalom Hartman Institute, who provided frameworks for processing recent events and moderating conversations between diverse community members who may not always agree. Amy Skopp Cooper, National Ramah Director, and two participants currently on gap year programs spoke about their experiences of being in Israel on and after October 7th. We set a table for the hostages still held in Gaza. The table remained set for the duration of Shabbat. Weinstein attendees shared what it was like to take part in these conversations:
“Every time we walked into or out of the chadar ochel, the table was an important reminder of the suffering of our siblings in Gaza as well as their families. While we were setting up, someone suggested to seat Omer Neutra and Hersh Goldberg-Polin, both Ramahnicks, at the head of the table. To me it’s really special that so many members of our extended community—rather than playing flag football or hanging out with friends—decided to help set up the Shabbat table.”
“Hartman is an incredible resource for teaching us how to respectfully and productively engage about Israel. I was reminded how much I value diverse Jewish thought and need to be in places with people who think differently than me.”
“While I know many individuals in Israel currently, I learn most of my information about current events from the news. Hearing from Amy and Ramah-niks in Israel, I learned about aspects of the war that pertain to the more day-to-day life for Israeli civilians and soldiers, which is something often not detailed in the news’ more broad description of current events.”
“It was powerful to hear Amy’s story and firsthand experiences as a mother with a child in the IDF, seeing some of the pain and hardships she experienced. But, it was inspiring to hear about how the community in Israel has come together in support of each other and be united. Beyond the facts and stories, I think it’s a good lesson for chanichim that even though they don’t need to agree on everything, there still must be mutual respect, acceptance, love, and support, and it’s part of what makes our camp kehillah so strong.”
This year, both Tikvah counselors and vocational participants attended Weinstein. They learned from each other about what disability support looks like in the different Ramah camps, helped lead us in tefillot throughout the weekend, and joined as active participants in all sessions. Many thanks to Orlee Krass, Maya Albin, and Deret Musselman for leading these tracks.
“It was awesome to talk to vocational participants about their experiences at camp so that I can think about my own campers and their own lives at camp.”
“[A highlight moment was] learning new things from others; it’s a good reminder to listen to everyone else’s ideas/opinions because you never know when you might learn something new. And I enjoyed getting to lead the Torah service on Shabbat.”
“I love Weinstein so much because I get to meet so many wonderful people from different camps. I just love being here with old friends and also making some new friends who I’ve never seen before.”
“To be able to talk to other Tikvah counselors and Voc Ed participants was incredibly enriching and beneficial to my knowledge of Tikvah as a whole.”
Fourteen madrichim vatikim (veteran counselors) and rashei edot stayed for an extra day of service and learning about the intersection of Jewish learning and environmentalism, which included a “Tefillot Afloat” boogie boarding experience, trail preservation work, and tidepooling at the beach during one of the lowest tides of the year. A huge Todah Rabbah to Ramah Galim educator Marci Greenberg for leading our learning on this extra day.
“Being able to appreciate nature and giving back to it with community service was incredible. I love the idea of making programming or prayer being integrated into the camp day like the learning at the sea and making surfboards our siddurim.”
“I really want to figure out a way to adapt Tefillot Afloat to the day camp in some way. I think that we often forget that we can use creative tefillot options”
“It was awesome to spend a day focused on sustainability with National Ramah. I loved many aspects of Tefillot Afloat. While I know we can’t run the program at my camp, I have so many ideas of ways to implement educational styles and pedagogical methods I learned from this day into tefillot and other programming at camp.”