Journeys That Shape a Summer
Reflections on Kayitz 2026 from Amy Skopp Cooper, CEO, National Ramah Commission
Our journeys continue as we visit each of our camps and engage in deep, meaningful conversations about the Jewish journeys our campers and staff embark on each Ramah summer. There is so much I wish we could convey in these short updates—the blessings of quiet walks and shared meals, coaching a staff member as they practice a d’var Torah, observing camper interactions, and having campers and staff remind me of conversations we shared years ago. I feel incredibly blessed to do this work.
My recent journeys have taken me to the LA and Boston day camps, Ramah Berkshires, and Ramah California in Ojai.
I have been to Camp Ramah in the Berkshires several times this summer, most recently when the camp hosted clergy from the New York Tri-State area. It was a pleasure watching campers gather together for photos (and snacks!) and seeing the immense enthusiasm both they and their clergy expressed about their summers thus far.
While at camp, I was also invited to be interviewed for a podcast. You can listen here to the interview, which was conducted by an incredibly eloquent 13-year-old camper. Together, we reflected on the beauty and importance of camp, what makes Ramah Berkshires so unique, and her own future Jewish leadership—which includes aspirations to become a rosh edah, following in her father and uncle’s footsteps!
Ramah Day Camp Greater Boston and Ramah Day Camp LA, the newest additions to our movement, are thriving. In both camps, budding engineers were building and presenting innovative ideas to tackle real-life problems, and it was a joy to observe the vibrant Israeli dancing that remains a hallmark of their programs. The garden at our Boston day camp is spectacular, and I loved seeing children actively planting, tending, and harvesting first thing in the morning. Meanwhile, my visit to our Los Angeles day camp fell on a Friday morning. Lively preparations for Shabbat were just getting underway, complete with special bishul (cooking) and Shabbat chugim (electives).
Ramah Day Camp Greater Boston
Ramah Day Camp LA
I arrived at Camp Ramah in California in Ojai just in time for the first Shabbat of second session. The excitement and energy at Kabbalat Shabbat and the post-dinner ongei Shabbat were palpable—campers were absolutely ecstatic to be back in their summer home.
Just a day earlier, the camp had welcomed Israeli teens from the Ramah overnight camp in Israel, the NOAM youth movement, and Campers2Gether, a program of the Jewish Agency. Bringing these teens into our Ramah communities takes intentionality, empathy, and time, and it was amazing to see friendships already developing by the end of Shabbat.
All of our camps are now past the midpoint of their season. Soon, they will embark on end-of-summer reflections, looking back on what these profound Jewish voyages—which so often span years and generations—truly mean.