Ramah Begins Its 79th Summer of Excellence

June 3, 2026 / 18 Sivan 5786

Dear Friends of Ramah,

At this moment in time, our children and young adults need Ramah. They need Jewish joyfulness; caring friends and role models; safe, nurturing and kind communities; and spaces for productive and meaningful dialogue. They need to bond with Israeli campers and staff. They need space to wave Israeli flags with pride. And they need to celebrate Shabbat, and to sing, play, pray, and dance with gusto. More than 11,500 campers and staff will join us this summer—-and we are ready to welcome them home. 

Today, Camp Ramah Darom in Georgia welcomed the first Ramah campers of 2026. Next week, many of our camps will welcome their full staff for shavua hachana (staff training week). By the end of June, all of our North American overnight and day camps and Ramah Israel Seminar will have begun. Our Ramah Jerusalem Day Camp and Israel overnight camp open in July and August, respectively.This summer, we look forward to:

  • the fourth season of the Ramah overnight camp in Israel, located at the Hodayot Youth Village in Northern Israel;

  • sharing the Ramah experience with almost 250 Israeli teens, including those from the NOAM youth movement, the Ramah overnight camp in Israel, and the Campers2Gether initiative, which offers respite to teens who have been affected by the war;

  • serving almost 700 participants in Tikvah and disabilities inclusion programs for children, teens, and young adults with disabilities;

  • welcoming 600 Israeli shlichim and shlichot, who will serve as counselors, specialists, and teachers, sharing their love for Israel with our camp communities. This is our largest delegation of Israeli staff members ever!

This summer, we are also grateful for the support of many Federations, foundations, RootOne, an initiative of The Jewish Education Project, the Harold Grinspoon Foundation / JCamp180, Foundation for Jewish Camp (FJC), and our partner synagogues, as well as the extraordinary efforts of our camps' professional leadership, boards of directors, and individual philanthropists and donors, helping Ramah to meet the financial needs of the overwhelming majority of families seeking a Ramah experience for their children.

As we begin our 79th summer of intensive Jewish identity-building within the fun, informal atmosphere of excellent summer camping, all of us at Ramah feel privileged to have the opportunity to contribute to the powerful experiences that influence the lives of more than 11,500 participants in our camps and programs.

Your support makes all this happen. Please donate now.

Wishing everyone a safe, enjoyable, and meaningful summer, 

Jonathan Sherman, Board Chair
Amy Skopp Cooper, CEO
National Ramah Commission, Inc. of The Jewish Theological Seminary

NRC WebmasterNational Ramah