Wows Across Ramah
By Amy Skopp Cooper, CEO, National Ramah Commission
We are settling in: all of our North American camps are now open, 560 shlichim have arrived (watch "Yontif" Then and Now: Welcome Home, Dear Shlichim"), and 94 teens have begun their journey on Ramah Israel Seminar. There is a sense of optimism: the joyful Jewish energy of children, teens, and young adults is palpable. This season, we will not take any of this for granted.
Ramah Israel Seminar
During the past week, I have visited our Chicagoland and Greater DC day camps, Ramah Wisconsin (read “From Darkness to Light: A Shabbat of Memory and Hope,” by Daniel Olson), Ramah Darom, and Ramah Poconos. Each stop has afforded me the opportunity to thank staff, welcome shlichim, talk to campers, and observe new programmatic initiatives. I love that as we zigzag across North America, we have the opportunity to share best practices, and encourage our oldest campers to attend Ramah Israel Seminar and TRY and our staff to participate in the myriad of staff training and Ramah College Network programs available to them.
At Ramah Day Camp Greater DC, campers are learning that tefillot can be categorized into three buckets: “Help,” “Thanks,” and “Wow “(Bakashot, Hodaya, and Shevach). Indeed, “wow” brachot moments abound in all of the camps I visited. Sister goats Shifrah and Pua delight everyone, and the camp anticipates the chick hatchlings due to arrive later this week. The oldest edah was working with a glass blower and making their own Judaica.
Ramah Day Camp Greater DC
Meanwhile, at Ramah Day Camp in Chicagoland, despite the heatwave, campers and staff were joined by the Tzofim for a wonderful outdoor concert with plenty of dancing and Israeli spirit, as well as abundant mayim activities.
Ramah Day Camp in Chicagoland
It is hard to believe but Ramah Darom has just completed its first session! Darom’s commitment to hachnasat orchim—welcoming guests—is a huge wow. Countless campers and staff introduced themselves to me and invited me to their Shabbat tables. I spent the afternoon speaking with numerous young adults about their Jewish futures and many are considering JTS Rabbinical School. On Shabbat afternoon, community rabbis and educators host kiddushes throughout camp, and one can only walk a few feet before being welcomed to another group.
Camp Ramah Darom
Another wow: tefillot at Camp Ramah in the Poconos with Gesher (the oldest edah) and Yedidim (the edah for campers with disabilities). Yedidim led most of the tefillot and their enthusiasm and kavanah inspired us all. I had the opportunity to do a Q&A with Gesher campers, who asked about Seminar, staff leadership programs, the vision of the future of Ramah, and the strengths and challenges our movement faces. The teens were poised and engaged, and asked remarkable questions. Soon they will be ready to join our tzevet ranks.
Camp Ramah in the Poconos
This week my journey continues at Ramah Berkshires, Nyack, and Canada…undoubtedly with many more wows to come.