Investing in Our Future: National Ramah Spring Leadership Training Conference 2014

Bill Gates once said, “As we look ahead into the next century, leaders will be those who empower others.” These words could not ring more true for the nearly 100 young leaders in Jewish camping who attended last week’s 2014 National Ramah Spring Leadership Training Conference, hosted at Ramah Darom in sunny Clayton, Georgia. From the moment the buses rolled into camp, the energy and enthusiasm from the staff were incredible. As one staff member commented, “I can’t wait to be immersed in a community of people who care about camp as much as I do, who each have a passion for Jewish education, leadership, and fun.” (View our highlight video here.)

An amazing four days with colleagues in special needs camping

At last week’s National Ramah Spring Leadership Training Conference, staff members from special needs programs at Ramah camps, Union of Reform Judaism (URJ) camps, and other Jewish camps joined together to share best practices and learn from one another. Although this is the fourth year of Ramah’s training program for staff from throughout the Ramah network of Tikvah and other special needs programs, this was the first time that staff members from different movements who work with children with disabilities have had the opportunity to participate in professional development training together.

Kerem Takes NYC (and White Plains, too)

“Kerem” is a cohort of young Ramah professionals in their 20s, all of whom are working at NRC or at our camp offices all around North America. Almost all of the positions filled by these outstanding camp leaders didn’t exist just a few years ago, so the existence of this cohort is a sign of the growth of many of our camp operations and National Ramah initiatives. The group is dedicated to professional development, Jewish nurturing, and social networking.

Blog/Reflections, Staff Leadership TrainingNRC WebmasterMarch 26, 2014National Ramah, Kerem

Songleader Boot Camp 2014: The Power of Music at Ramah

When I received a phone call from Ramah Darom about attending Songleader Boot Camp (SLBC) three years ago, I heard the words “Jewish” and “music” and immediately agreed. Surely something that combined my two greatest passions and involved camp had to be fun, and if nothing else, would be worth missing school for. However, I didn’t know it would also be inspiring and spiritual, with a mesh of incredible individuals, each of whom played a role in creating an experience that kept me coming back the next year, and the next.

Blog/Reflections, Staff Leadership TrainingNRC WebmasterMarch 13, 2014Music, Darom

Inspiration at Joint Ramah-URJ Fellowship Training

As I returned back to the University of Pittsburgh’s frigid campus just a few weeks ago, I couldn’t stop wishing I had never left the warmth of California and the incredible community I had shared my Shabbat with at Camp Ramah in California. As a Ramah Service Corps Fellow, I spend my time working at Congregation Beth Shalom in Pittsburgh promoting Camp Ramah in Canada and helping to bring the success of informal Jewish education experienced over the summer at Camp Ramah back to the community.

Blog/Reflections, Staff Leadership TrainingNRC WebmasterJanuary 22, 2014Nyack, URJ, National Ramah

Ramah Fellows Extend Camp Feeling into the School Year

Heading back to school in the fall after a fun-filled summer at camp has always been a bit of a letdown for kids. Who hasn’t wished that school were more like summer camp and that teachers were more like camp counselors?

Staff Leadership Training, Ramah in the NewsNRC WebmasterJanuary 17, 2014Ramah Service Corps

An Incredible Winter Leadership Training Conference!

The National Ramah Winter Leadership Training Conference at Ramah California in Ojai this past January 2-5 was truly extraordinary! This weekend training and Shabbaton were marked not only by inspirational and powerful interactions among staff members across the camps in the Ramah movement, but also by the exchange of ideas and experiences across generations of Ramah leaders.

Staff Leadership TrainingNRC WebmasterJanuary 10, 2014National Ramah

From Palmer to Eilat: An Inspiring Ramah Spring

The summer camping season at Ramah has not even begun, and yet I have already been privileged to participate in a series of Ramah programs over the last few weeks that have left me truly inspired.

Hava Nashira Music Conference Unites Songleaders at Kivun Training for Reform and Conservative Jewish Camp Specialists

"I leave Hava Nashira this year with an overwhelming confidence in our mission as Jewish songleaders, and with the knowledge that the power of ruach and song continues to be shared with thousands of Jewish youth in the Reform and Conservative movements each summer"- Josh Warshawsky

Blog/Reflections, Staff Leadership TrainingNRC WebmasterMay 30, 2013Music