Camp Ramah in California adds 174 acres to Ojai Property

Camp Ramah in California has closed escrow on property adjacent to its Ojai, California, facility. The new land on the northern border will extend the camp to the north and west from its current location and bring the total camp acreage to 445 contiguous acres.

The purchase of the 174 acres of additional property will enable Camp Ramah to grow with the changing needs of current and future summer campers as well as service non-summer retreat needs. The new property will be preserved in its natural state and used to enhance nature experiences and camp programming.

Ramah in the NewsNRC WebmasterDecember 21, 2016California

Camp Ramah in Ojai expands with $1.8 million land purchase

Tucked into the Ojai Valley of Ventura County are some of the most pristine and beautiful locations in Southern California — an idyllic place to go to summer camp or unwind on a retreat.

Now, thanks to the purchase of 174 acres of additional land that will increase its size by 40 percent, Camp Ramah in California hopes to do an even better job of taking advantage of its setting near the hills of Ojai. The Jewish sleep-away camp, which is part of the Camp Ramah network of Jewish camps associated with the Conservative Movement, announced Dec. 15 that it
closed escrow on the property, which was acquired for just over $1.8 million, according to Rabbi Joe Menashe, the camp’s executive director.

Ramah in the NewsNRC WebmasterDecember 21, 2016California

Seasons in the sun

Rabbi Resnick has been at Camp Ramah in the Berkshires in Wingdale, N.Y., for 29 years; for most of that time he’s been the camp’s director. He has just stepped down from that exhilarating but exhausting post to become the camp’s first senior engagement and planning director.

He loves Camp Ramah.

The memory of those buses is sweet. “You have worked for 10 months for that hour, to get those kids to camp,” he said. “I was the first face they saw in camp.

Ramah in the NewsNRC WebmasterDecember 15, 2016Berkshires

How a Winter Fire Burned Down the Walls Between a Jewish Summer Camp and Its Neighbors

A recent huge outbreak of forest fires in these backwoods drew firefighters from all over the country to battle the huge blazes. And Camp Ramah Darom, near ground zero for this battle, played host to these contingents, who made the Jewish institution their temporary home. In doing so, the firefighters forfeited their morning bacon, among other things, to observe the laws of kashrut. Sleeping in bunks that were too small for them, they even haggled over who got top and who got bottom. And they befriended the camp’s staff; many have connected on Facebook and have hunting trips and reunions planned for the near future.

Ramah in the NewsNRC WebmasterDecember 14, 2016Darom

Jewish summer camps offer specialty activities

If you’ve ever been to a Jewish summer camp, you probably have memories of lifelong friendships, campfire sing-a-longs and the excitement of getting a package from home.

But did you get a chance to run the camp for a day with your teenage friends? Perform a Broadway musical all in Hebrew? Customize your camp day with your favorite activity? Speak nothing but Hebrew for an entire summer?

Four popular Wisconsin Jewish summer camps offer these and other special activities along with the usual lake swimming and Shabbat celebrations.

Ramah in the NewsNRC WebmasterOctober 27, 2016Wisconsin

Camp Ramah Galim: L'dor Vador Brought to Life

At Camp Ramah in Northern California, also known by its Hebrew name Ramah Galim, every day is truly the best day ever. Located along the shores of beautiful Monterey Bay, CA, the brand-new Nor Cal summer camp is the perfect place for children to build friendships, experiences and memories to last a lifetime.

Ramah in the NewsNRC WebmasterSeptember 30, 2016Galim

Announcing Ramah Sports Academy

We are very pleased to announce that the National Ramah Commission has just received a $1.4 million grant to help us launch Ramah Sports Academy, our newest overnight camp, scheduled to open in summer 2018 in the Northeast.

AnnouncementsNRC WebmasterSeptember 27, 2016RSA, National Ramah

FJC’s Incubator III to Launch 5 New Specialty Camps

Building on the success of its previous two Incubators, the Foundation for Jewish Camp (FJC) has announced support of five new specialty camps as part of Incubator III. The new camps will open their doors for the summer of 2018.

Ramah in the NewsNRC WebmasterSeptember 27, 2016RSA

Thinking on Our Feet: Lessons Learned from Launching a New Camp

When our staff and lay leaders set out to start a new Ramah summer camp along the shores of Monterey Bay, we knew that we would learn tremendous lessons along the way about Jewish camping and about our own ecosystem of campers, staff, and marine flora and fauna. As a process-oriented rabbi and educator, I welcomed this unfolding journey of learning and reflection for our inaugural summer at Camp Ramah in Northern California (Ramah Galim).

Blog/ReflectionsNRC WebmasterSeptember 22, 2016Galim