The Blessings of White Shirts—And New Beginnings
Reflections on Kayitz 2026 as of June 23, 2026
Dear Friends of Ramah,
The blessings of white shirts not yet muddied, stained, or wrinkled; fresh haircuts; and lost-and-found bins that are not overflowing. Another summer begins. Many of our camps have welcomed their first campers, who are experiencing the joy of coming home. We feel profound gratitude as we watch our communities open their gates each summer. Our early stops have included Ramah Darom, Ramah Wisconsin, and the Chicagoland Day Camp, as well as staff week at Ramah Canada.
Amy Skopp Cooper, CEO
The Ramah Darom music staff was preparing for its first Havdalah when I arrived on Friday afternoon. The magical Havdalah experience at Darom includes a full band and several soloists, and while it might look effortless to the casual observer, teaching new staff how to create this environment takes enormous practice throughout the first week. As I walked around camp, admiring the new camping area and water slides, I listened to the sounds of happy children and musicians rehearsing. Soon, the community would usher in its first Shabbat—a moment that had been anticipated for the past ten months.
Ramah Day Camp in Chicagoland was also in its first week when I visited. In its first four days, the camp had already faced torrential storms and unseasonably cold weather, yet campers and staff seemed unfazed! Sha’ar Hebrew immersion campers were already responding in Hebrew (colors and food!); campers were running to the stage for Israeli dancing; amazing musicians were masterfully leading tefillot; and everyone was ready for Yom Foam.
On to Camp Ramah in Wisconsin to celebrate its first Shabbat. Though rain forced the community indoors for Kabbalat Shabbat, the sheer magic of a packed Beit Am (and the acoustics) made for beautiful opening tefillot, dancing, and shira. During week one, campers enjoyed a massive pickleball tournament (new this year!) and enhanced ligot. As we write this blog, campers are preparing for their first camping trip. It was wonderful connecting with the shlichim whom I had met just a few weeks earlier during their training in Israel. At the time, I shared with them the story of 1967, when the Ramah shlichim arrived late to Wisconsin. “Shlichim 2026,” I said, “You will arrive on time!” Though there were some stressful moments in early June when we were no longer as certain, all 650 Ramah shlichim did arrive at our camps on time. Their spirit and love for Israel are palpable, and their presence is so critically important to our mission.
Daniel Olson, Assistant National Director
While Amy traveled to the Midwest, I was at Camp Ramah in Canada for shavua hachana (staff training week).
“If you only know aleph, teach aleph.” This Hasidic folk teaching framed Ramah Canada’s shavua hachana Shabbat for tzevet Tikvah. Shared by Jaclyn, Rosh Tikvah, this simple phrase captures so much of what I am observing at Canada: empowering young adult role models to inspire and teach this generation of campers in whatever way they can. This theme continued throughout Shabbat for all Ramah Canada tzevet as they engaged in meaningful discussions about constructive language at camp, neurodiversity, and building connections between North Americans and Israelis. Returning senior counselors facilitated text learning for their fellow edah staff, walked their peers through complex camp scenarios, and challenged them to problem-solve.
Outside the still-new Beit Avraham building, staff gathered for Havdalah and a trio of beloved Ramah Canada Saturday night songs, culminating in energetic rikkud.
By tomorrow, all of our North American camps will have opened for the 2026 summer season. In the coming weeks, shirts will turn gray, and campers will be coated in a fine layer of dust—the unmistakable sign of Ramah magic. This summer is about empowered young Jews embracing new leadership opportunities, communities learning to adapt together, and the blending of old and new traditions. It is about deep dialogue, laughter, and the sheer, unmatched joy of being HOME.