THE VOICE OF CAMP RAMAH IN THE BERKSHIRES
CRB Gives
SP
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RTS a BOOST
Machaneh Aleph is having a ball this summer—or should we say, a lot more balls? The sports program is stronger, with more choices and increased frequency of play. Jane Berkowitz, Rosh Sport for Machaneh Aleph— a new position—has developed a curriculum for six primary sports: basketball, baseball, tennis, soccer, volleyball, and Ultimate Frisbee. “Our goal is to build basic skills so campers can participate in games with confidence,” Jane explains. “We reinforce the skills through intense drills and competition.” On the basketball court, Barak Zur, a Mishlachat member and basketball coach, encourages Shorashim campers to improve their ability in shooting, passing, coordination, controlling the ball, teamwork, and more. “Switch, switch, switch. Run, run, run! Come on!” he urges as two campers run through two green cones, catch the ball from two other campers and shoot into the net. “I want to see sharp moves,” he calls, “sharp and fast.” “I like the new schedule because it gives us a better opportunity to exercise,” says Max Weber. “It gets out our energy,” agrees Yair Wall. On the tennis court, Maya Stein (Shorashim) approves of the new schedule.
“It’s a good idea that now we get to choose sports for some of our bechirot [electives].” “My grandpa plays tennis and I want to learn,” says Aderet Fishbane (Shorashim). The annual three-day Sports Clinic has always elicited a terrific response from campers, but the new summer-long program will reinforce skills on a more regular basis. “I feel strongly about this. It’s healthy; it’s a great release for kids, and it develops spirit and teamwork among campers,” says Jane, who grew up playing tennis and basketball. Three of her four children are CRB campers this year: Sydney (Solelim); Ally (Tzeirim) and Adam (Nitzanim). “When you are playing a sport you don’t think of anything else; there’s complete focus,” says Jane, who spent six summers on sports staff at Ramah Nyack, the last three as Rosh Sport. “It’s an opportunity today not to be multitasking.” She guides her staff to encourage both technical proficiency as well as life skills like sportsmanship and teamwork among campers. “The more the staff understands our goal,” she says, “the better we can transmit it and the greater the benefit to campers.”
Claiming the Kiddush Cup L-R: Jonah Seidenfeld, Emma Kroll, and Eytan Spevack. See story on back page.
The
Matzav through Israeli Eyes
The northeastern wall in the Library is covered with pictures of the fallen Israeli soldiers who have given their lives to their country in Operation Protective Edge. For the 35 members of this year’s Mishlachat, the wall is a way to stay connected to Israel as well as to explain the situation to staff and campers. “It’s very important for us to be here, to stand for what we believe in, to share our truth, and to have a voice outside Israel,” says Dorin Simchoni, 22, Rosh Mishlachat (second session), who was a Navy commander in the IDF. “If I were in Israel now I would be in the Army Reserves, but I’m here. I need to give information about what’s happening. It’s a way of serving my country,” says Merav Pollak, 22, who was an officer in the Intelligence Force and is on Hebrew staff at Continued on page 2
Camp Ramah in the Berkshires 25 Rockwood Place Englewood, NJ 07631
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DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE For several years now, I have been contemplating the concept of community, which is at the core of Camp’s mission. I have come to realize that Camp is not about building one community; it is about building many communities Rabbi Paul Resnick, Director that come together. Our camp is a community of committed and knowledgeable Jews who care about each other and are connected to our mission. It is made up of campers, bunks, edot, and staff both new and experienced. In 2014 we were proud to count 730 campers and 302 staff members. Another level is our professional and volunteer leaders who have been elevating our communities upward. These smaller communities make up the larger one to create a sweeping entity we all call Camp. In my role as Camp Director—this year is my 25th—I am privileged to be a part of these different groups. I watch and work with our year-round and summer teams to create one successful program after another, motivated by the knowledge that every dollar we raise is earmarked for bettering the program and our facilities, or for assisting children to attend Camp. I can offer so many examples of how campers and staff enhance and invigorate our community. The day after Camp ended this summer, I received this email from a parent (and alumnus): “My son came home from his first summer as a Cochavim camper. He told me that he didn’t need me to put him to sleep because he had been at Camp for the summer and was able to go to sleep without Dad! He said he wanted to say the Shema before he went to sleep because that is what he did for the past 23 days, and he wanted to go to synagogue on Friday night because he missed that from Camp.” We hosted the engagement of two alumni who chose Camp as the sacred spot for their commitment. Another alumnus chose Camp as the place to mark the fiftieth anniversary of his bar mitzvah. Both of these events took place at CRB because of the stream of memories that Camp brings back. Staff and alumni communities interacted at the Golf Outing this year, since we sent three staff members to represent the “face of Camp” for the day. They were a real hit, and brought the excitement of life in Wingdale to the alumni and friends who attended. Even—or especially—in sadness, we don’t forget one of our own: On Labor Day we dedicated the Stadium Court in memory of Eric Steinthal, z”l. We are succeeding with our campers. We have succeeded with our alumni. And we are now soaring to new heights. Whether you are a camper, staff member, leader, donor, friend or alum, with your support, dedication and commitment we can invigorate each of our intersecting communities, separately and together. We will one day look back at this chapter of our history and still feel the power of our Ramah community.
Mikey Pauker Inspires an
Amazing Spirit
Visiting artist Mikey Pauker leads tefillot for Nitzanim with his guitar slung over his tallit. “Put on your reggae voices,” he urges campers as he shares his version of Hineh Mah Tov. “Repeat after me: `Ee-oh, ee-o-o-oh. Whoa. How great it is for brothers and sisters to hang out on this day.” The campers echo his words enthusiastically, dancing and waving their hands. “You have an amazing spirit here and you are building a kehillah kedoshah, a holy community,” Mikey tells the group. Mac Leibowitz and Ben Raskind help him lead. “He really, really means it when he’s singing,” Mac says. “His spirit gets into it.” “Tefillah was fun. It was exciting,” says Ben. “Mikey showed me that when you daven you can pray to God and also have a good time.” For Mi Kamocha, Mikey teaches the lyrics of Bob Marley’s “Redemption Song” mashed up with the biblical text. Everyone joins in the chorus: “Won’t you help us sing these songs of freedom…” “Think about one thing you want to give up,” Mikey asks campers, suggesting social media as one option. “Close your eyes and take a breath. “I’m going to ask Hashem to speak through us to support us in that.” Mikey, 29, calls himself a “spiritual musician,” and says he tries to “bring out people’s divine sparks through contemporary Jewish music as well as through yoga, meditation and dance. “Finding and understanding the pauses in our lives are what help us reflect and grow,” he explains. In the five days he spends at Camp, he tries to create a shift in energy and open pathways through which campers can connect with God. “I’m here to share what I love,” he says. Though CRB is the first Ramah camp that Mikey has visited, he attended Reform summer camps when he was younger. But he did not always find meaning in liturgy. “If I’m that kid
The Matzav through Israeli Eyes Continued from page 1
Camp. “We have a huge part to play in explaining Israel through Israeli eyes.” This summer, the essential question of what it means to be a shaliach has been raised often during Mishlachat meetings, says Dorin. “We discuss what we can do and how we can best effect change here.” Dorin assigned each Mishlachat member a responsibility: conducting bunk pe’ulot and discussions during perakim; providing support for each other and for campers who may be worried about relatives and friends in Israel; updating the luach in the Ma’ayan; broadcasting updates on Kol Ramah radio, including live coverage of the June 28th rally in
MAZAL TOV TO RABBI RESNICK
This summer marked Rabbi Paul Resnick’s 25th year as Camp Director.
Summer 2014 Page 2
again,” he asks, “how do I allow that content to be understood and taken in?” Originally from Laguna Beach, CA, he joined a Jewish fraternity at San Francisco State University, where he majored in broadcasting and electronic communications with an emphasis in music business management, law and radio. He worked for Hillel, went to Israel twice, and was a band manager until 2007. Judaism solely as an intellectual approach did not touch his heart. It was not until he led Kabbalat Shabbat at URJ Camp Newman in Santa Rosa, CA, for a thousand people dressed in white that “the light bulb went off that this is what I was meant to do.” To add the physical dimension to the spiritual, he learned to combine yoga with Judaism. In 2012, he lived and studied at Yeshivat Simchat Shlomo in Jerusalem, founded by followers of Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach. Last year Mikey released an album called Extraordinary Love, a blend of folk, electronica, pop, hip-hop, and reggae (www.mikeypauker.com). Mikey hopes that some of the seeds he plants in the minds and hearts of campers will take root and sprout—even if that growth doesn’t occur until later in their lives. “You don’t have to believe in God now,” he tells a Bogrim group as he talks about the word Halleluyah (Praise God). “What happens at Jewish summer camp is more powerful than anything you will know because you have the experience of being authentic and being yourself. So let’s give thanks and praise God for being able to be ourselves. Halleluyah.”
Manhattan in support of Israel, which Solelim and many Mishlachat members attended. Yael Beer (Solelim) read Tehillim in front of the entire rally. [See Hebrew Corner, page 9.] Merav, who accompanied her bunk of Solelim girls, says she was proud to be a role model, showing campers “how to support something I believe in and not be afraid.” Campers from Cochavim to Gesher have been asking many questions and want to be more informed. Gesher kids voluntarily joined a staff limud session. During Chashi, campers who participated in an activity about Sh’vil Yisrael, Israel’s National Trail, probed Merav’s map. “They asked, `Where is Gaza? Where are the rockets
falling? Where were the boys kidnapped?’ They feel comfortable to talk to us about it. That’s our mission here— to answer them.” Several Mishlachat members know soldiers who were killed in Gaza. Roi Friedman (Sport staff), 23, knows that Orev Nahal, his infantry unit, which specializes in antitank missiles, is currently in Gaza. One officer was killed and another friend was injured. “It’s a small unit so we were all friends,” he says. “It’s not simple for me to be here. In Israel there is a war and people are killed every day, and we are here in the `funnest’ place we can imagine. We are dealing with such small problems in comparison to Israel.” Explaining the Israeli perspective outside Israel can be challenging, says Merav. “When you are in a different country only a few people think the same way you do.” Despite the difficulties, she says, she can’t think of a better summer to affirm her Israeli identity. Roi, who checks the Internet for news two or three times a day and speaks with family and friends several times a week, adds that even if he disagrees with Israeli policy, “we have the freedom to bring our personal points of view. We don’t have one line to follow.” As the operation continues and more casualties result, the tension is evident in the faces of the Mishlachat. “It hurts because we are losing someone from our family,” says Dorin. “We also know we have to continue and live our lives. This is our strength and our unity.”
It’s Oil Good on the
Topsy Turvy Bus
The four wheels that protrude upside down from the roof of the bright yellow school bus provide an unmistakable clue that the vehicle parked in front of the tennis courts is not there to transport campers to a Yom Daled activity. “Hey kids!” a sign painted on the bus announces, “This bus runs on veggie oil.” The “Topsy Turvy Bus,” a bio-fueled, attention-grabbing mobile educational emissary that is a project of Teva (a program of the Jewish environmental organization Hazon), is on a six-week tour of twenty-two summer camps stretching two thousand miles from Colorado to New England without ever stopping at a gas station. The mission of the five young environmental educators who live on board together is to demonstrate that “we have the power to change the course of
history and flip environmental damage on its head,” says Sonia Wilk, lead educator for Teva and the Topsy Turvy Bus. “The bus is a self-contained ecosystem inspired by nature where everything works together. We do, too.” Eli Witkin, driver, mechanic and geologist, welcomes a group of Nitzanim. “This is my home,” he says. He explains that oil that has been used to cook French Fries and donated by restaurants is stored in a 20-gallon tank, pumped into a centrifuge, and heated until it spins at 8,000 rotations per minute. He holds up a small bottle of clean oil that has been separated from
the cooking debris. “Does it last for eight days?” Lilli Roth asks. Eli holds another bottle with the dark- brown cooking debris. “That’s how icky the world is, guys,” Aviva Lehman comments. But Eli points out that the waste is recycled, too: it is fed to worms that live in compost bins and enrich the soil. Each of four stations teaches an aspect of resource usage, renewable energy and conservation, and encourages campers to consider how nature can inspire us to create a better world. Chocolate chips cookies bake in three homemade solar ovens while campers play a game that simulates the process of turning the sun’s rays into power. At another station, campers make smoothies in a blender fitted onto a bicycle. They
take turns picking ingredients and then hopping on the bike. As they pedal, the blender whirs yogurt, orange juice, honey and berries together. “It’s cool to learn that people can live in a bus or car that’s good for the earth,” says Aviel Rosen. “You don’t need all the electricity in the world. You can just use the sun,” says Shira Hadar. The program also introduces the idea of the Shmitah year, the biblical concept that every seven years the land rests and the food belongs to everyone. “You aren’t farmers,” Eli notes. “What are some ways you can make the world a better place?” “Share things you have even if they are important to you,” says Lilli. “Be yourself,” adds
Aviva. The campers write down their answers on poster boards: “Stop crime. Use recycled wood. Plant a tree for every tree that is cut down. Take shorter showers. Compost food. Take care of nature. Walk or bike.” The posters will be sewn together with those from other camps to make one long scroll. At the end of the program Sonia gathers the group together in front of the bus. “Be the change you want to see in the world!” she shouts out. They respond with a resounding, “Yes!”
“Stop crime. Use recycled wood. Plant a tree for every tree that is cut down. Take shorter showers. Compost food. Take care of nature. Walk or bike.” Summer 2014 Page 3
The Camp
Chai Club
Assistant Director Ari Perten, Medical Director Cliff Nerwen and Registrar/Operations Manager Adina Rothman are celebrating their eighteenth summers (not necessarily consecutive) at CRB.
Q: How has Camp influenced you? Ari: I started in Bogrim in 1995. Now I am 33. After my first summer I wore a kippah to public school every day and started going to Shabbat services on a weekly basis. I went to List College for more Jewish learning, attended rabbinical school and chose to work in Jewish communal life—all because of Camp. Adina: I started in 1997 as a Nitzanim camper. I went all the way through Gesher and Seminar. The following summer I came back on staff. For the past seven years I have been working for Camp full-time. Camp is a part of my personal and professional life. There’s a special bond with my Camp friends that I don’t have with my school friends. Cliff: I have been part of the Ramah family for many years, even before I came to Berkshires as Camp doctor for a week in 1997. I had previously been a camper at Ramah Canada, madrich and Rosh Edah at Ramah in New England, and spent one summer studying at Nyack before I began Joint Program. When I was at Ramah NE, I got my feet wet in conversations and observations about childhood education and behavior. And I found an important mentor, Rabbi David Zisenwine, who was also a college professor and educator; he specialized in childhood learning theory. The seeds he planted influenced the way I understand, speak about and discuss childhood behavior with parents to this day.
Marp is essential. Kids need to be healthy in mind, body and spirit—and the Ramah experience does the rest. It’s also vital for the kids to see that “ordinary” Jews who are not rabbis or cantors think that Torah and tefillah and Israel are an important part of their daily lives. Over the years, I have led davening often and given many divrei Torah. Adina: I cannot imagine being anywhere else during the summer. I don’t miss going to the beach, seeing fireworks on the Fourth of July, or doing other summertime activities. I love this place.
Q: How has Camp changed? Adina: I remember having a lot of free time. I used to sit behind the bunk with my counselor. Now, since I work for Camp full-time, I see people working ten months of the year to create a full, rich, dynamic program. Ari: Camp has grown in terms of what it offers. There’s a value to free time but now kids have more access to opportunities. When I was a camper if you didn’t make the Chug team—and most didn’t—you had two hours of free time. Now everyone has the opportunity to be on a team. The level of professionalism has also
changed. We used to put on a play in a week. Now we work on it for hours and have people specifically to do costumes, lighting and audiovisuals. Cliff: Camp has added layers of professional and lay leadership to ensure an improved and more sophisticated level of care for campers and better communication with their families.
Q: What has remained the same? Ari: The vision and mission of Camp. Camp still helps create dynamic, long-lasting relationships with peers and counselors. I still see my best friends from Camp regularly. When I was a camper our favorite day was Shabbat— and it’s still the same. Eight-hundred people celebrating Shabbat in community—you don’t get that elsewhere. Kids still have a great time in camp. My own kids—Maayan, Eyal and Yair— are no different. Adina: There are new buildings and new people at Camp but the sense of community is the same. Cliff: The love of Camp. The daily schedule continues to be infused with natural opportunities for Jewish education. That is the Ramah magic.
Q: Why do you keep coming back? Ari: I love what Camp has done for me as an individual. It’s helped me to grow into the person that I am. It’s contributed to and solidified the Jewish values by which I live my life. I really believe in our mission. Camp provides a great opportunity for kids and tzevet alike to experience Judaism the way it’s meant to be lived. It’s also encouraged traits like independence and individual growth. Cliff: At Camp I am able to recharge my batteries in a different way than I can anywhere else. I love talking to and kibitzing with the kids. I can meld my love of kids—I’m a pediatrician—with my ability to help them stay healthy, and the desire to provide informal Jewish education for the next generation. I firmly believe that a well-functioning
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Glenn Cohen:
Not Your Average Yoetz
Glenn Cohen specializes in understanding— and testing—the body and the mind. Not many people can list on their resumes what he can: Israeli Air Force Pilot; Commander in the IDF Hostage Negotiation Unit; Clinical Psychologist; Head of the Psychology Unit at the Israel Defense Ministry; Professional Basketball Player; Ironman Triathlete, and Ultramarathon Runner. “Whether you are running 130 kilometers [80 miles] in an ultramarathon or coping with the situation in Israel, it’s the same message,” says Glenn, 49, who is easy to spot at 6’4.” “We are stronger and capable of much more than we imagine we are.” This summer, Glenn has turned his remarkable range of skills to CRB: he is serving as yoetz for Cochavim and Shorashim. Remembering his own head counselor many years ago at Camp Morasha, he especially looks out for the “active” campers. “I was a shovav. He took me under his wing even though I was a mischievous kid. He understood that my behavior stemmed from a source of distress.” Glenn’s father died when he was six, and his mother, a Swedish Jew-by-choice, took her children back to Stockholm. She recalled the promise she had made to Glenn’s grandfather, Boaz Cohen, professor of Talmud and one of the founders of the Jewish Theological Seminary. “He said we should get a proper Jewish education. She realized the Talmud Torah in Sweden was not good enough for Saba Boaz.” She returned to New York and applied to Ramaz, which accepted Glenn and his brother on scholarship. Glenn became captain of the Ramaz
Varsity basketball team and had a basketball scholarship to Brandeis when he decided to go to Israel for his gap year. “I fell in love with Israel and stayed.” He played professional basketball for Elitzur Tel Aviv and Maccabi Rishon L’Tzion
during and after his army service. Glenn has devoted his life to the defense of Israel. He became a paratrooper but was injured with a torn ligament and was scheduled to be stationed as a Xerox clerk when against all odds he was accepted to flight school. “I had the z’chut [privilege] to fly many missions saving lives, not taking lives.” Glenn believes that a guiding hand has shaped his life: “Someone is always helping me, in the right place at the right time.” Hoping to be that person for others, and committed to giving back for the “blessings” he has received, he became a clinical psychologist specializing in warrior psychology—helping soldiers deal with the stresses of battle; studying and encouraging resilience, and treating Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Glenn serves in the Hostage Negotiation Unit and was working around the clock in the situation with the three kidnapped boys. “The war in Israel is a psychological war and our resilience is being tested as a people,” he says. His home in Kfar Uriah, near Bet Shemesh, is within a 40-km range of missiles. Though he was torn about leaving his unit, he is retiring soon after thirty years of service, and hopes to return to CRB. His wife, Orit, an organizational consultant and group facilitator with expertise in Israel-Diaspora relations, is working in Mitbachon, and their children, Yali, Maya, and Noga, 6, are in Tzeirim, Nitzanim and Chaverim. “It feels great to be at Camp,” says Glenn.
Jason Rogoff, Scholar-in-Residence Sometimes, when Jason Rogoff walks through the same places at Camp as he did when he was in Solelim twenty years ago, he shakes his head incredulously. “If had told myself when I was 13 that I would be back here as the Scholar-inResidence I wouldn’t have believed it.” As CRB’s Scholar-in-Residence, Jason serves as the top educational resource at Camp as well as an “independent player” who can provide an outside perspective. “I believe in the educational vision of Camp Ramah,” he says. “It’s a privilege for me to come here and contribute what I can.” Jason not only has the academic credentials to make Judaism come alive—he has a Ph.D. in Talmud and rabbinics from the Jewish Theological Seminary—he also has the ability to make the ancient texts accessible to contemporary readers of all ages—including campers. “Rabbinic literature continues to be relevant because of the way it explores values, ideas and core beliefs,” he says. For instance, he recently taught a session at Camp to Israelis and Americans that focused on texts describing Israel/Diaspora relations in the Talmudic period. “Their experiences from 1,500 years ago are very similar to ours today,” he notes. When he teaches campers, Jason introduces basic concepts and knowledge and tries to engage kids in the debate and discussion they enjoy. “Talmud can be a good jumping-off point for campers to express their thoughts and ideas,” he says. When he teaches staff, he encourages them to delve into deeper questions that they are confronting in their everyday lives, often about their religious practice or Jewish identities. Jason grew up in East Brunswick, NJ, and made aliyah seven years ago. He now lives with his wife Dara and two children, Yardena, 5, and Avishai, 2, in Jerusalem. “It’s great for my kids
“Talmud can be a good jumping-off point for campers to express their thoughts and ideas”
to experience Camp from a young age,” Jason says. “It’s like being on a kibbutz for two months a year.” He and Dara both feel at home at Camp, since they met 20 years ago when they were both in the same swim group in Solelim. Jason is a faculty member at the Jewish Theological Seminary, the Rothberg International School at Hebrew University, and is co-founder and educator at Yeshivat Talpiot, a center of critical, open discussion of religious life and politics in Israel. His new book, Reconstructing the Talmud,
introduces readers to the world of academic Talmudic research. It was co-written with Joshua Kulp, Scholar-in-Residence at Ramah in New England, and published by the Center for Jewish Law and Values at Mechon Hadar. “The beauty of academic Talmud study is that it reveals a dynamic world of change, debate, halachic diversity and development in rabbinic texts,” Jason says. He is currently working on the second volume. “Camp is a fruitful environment to share my work with others as it begins to take shape,” Jason says. “My colleagues and the campers can provide critical insight by looking at things from a different perspective. It’s a great incubator for my scholarship.”
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SUMMER ALBUM 2014
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Ask the Camper What are Some of the Coolest Things You’ve Learned at Camp this Summer? “This is my first time at sleepaway. I didn’t know there was so much do to here and it’s really fun.” –Jacob Bamdas, Cochavim “Shabbat is different at camp. We wear white and we don’t write or use electricity. It’s good to take a break from electronics.” –Ella Gutman, Cochavim “I learned how to make chocolate balls in Hebrew class.” –Ezra Feilbogen, Nitzanim “There’s no point in being homesick if you can have a lot of fun and spend time with your friends.” –Meira Duffler, Nitzanim “I learned to treat others the way I would want to be treated.” –Faith Weber, Shorashim “I learned to be more independent.” –Alex Ahdoot, Shorashim “A lot of places in Camp are really old and have stories to them. My dad and uncle signed the roof in Bet Am Bet. It’s cool to see how things used to be and how they are now. We do different things now but it’s the same concept.” –Emma Kroll, Tzeirim “We learned a lot of Hebrew songs that we sing on Friday night. It’s a good feeling to have the whole camp community join together.” –Ethan Advocate and Micah Pravda, Tzeirim “I made a big fire out of flint and steel in Al Hagova. I also earned to push myself on the bike trip. I learned about belonging to a team in Chug.” –Judah Engel, Solelim “In Teva I learned about how bacteria breaks down in nature. It’s a universal thing no matter what the situation.” –Nina Robins, Solelim “Waterskiing was the coolest thing I learned this year. It isn’t something that we have done in Camp before. Also, I got to do it with my brother, who is on swim staff.” –Sam Margolis, Machon “I really liked learning about Game of Thrones during Yahadut. It wasn’t at all what I expected for a Yahadut choice but it was neat. The teacher was able to show how dragons in the show related to serpents in the Tanach, among other connections. –Jason Scheff, Machon “In past years I expected camp to give me fun. This year I made it for myself. You can make any situation fun. I learned this partly through being a CIT.” –Seth Gleaner, Gesher “I learned how much work goes on behind the scenes. As Gesher we plan our own activities. It’s amazing how much the counselors do for us that I hadn’t realized before.” –Michal Weiss, Gesher
Home Cooking Away from Home During the four years Michael Wolf worked at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, he was Head Chef de Cuisine at the celebrated Serendipity 3 (of frozen hot chocolate fame), and soon earned the title of General Manager of the beloved eatery. This summer, he has brought his culinary talents to the much-renowned Camp Ramah Chadar Ochel. Leaving the Las Vegas lights for the camp waste for recycling. (At summer’s end, kitchen might be a let-down for some, the reduction in landfill waste totaled but Michael Wolf is elated. WOLFoods, in excess of eight tons. Over 16,000 the company he founded a year ago, pounds of compost were gathered and specializes in elevating food at summer will be turned into reusable soil.) camps. “I love camp. I appreciate what Tables in the Chadar Ochel are now it’s all about—fun, socialization and covered with reusable vinyl tablecloths learning,” says Michael, 30, an alumnus of that campers clean with sanitary liquid. Ramah Nyack and Camp Seneca Lake. “When I “It’s another opportunity to learn how to live worked for elite chefs in corporate America I liked in a community,” Amy points out. The camp what I did—but I always wanted to go back to the gardening program and composting facets add an camping community.” educational aspect, Michael says. “Campers can Michael is sharing his philosophy—“home appreciate the full circle of getting food onto cooking away from home”— at four Jewish the plate.” camps and one Boy Scout camp. “There is a great A Teaneck resident, Michael was 15 when the demand for improving food quality at camp. We food service business lured him in. At Hunan cook 90 percent of our food from scratch and it Teaneck, a kosher Chinese restaurant, he began shows in the quality. It’s a lot more labor-intensive answering phones, moved into customer service but it’s healthier and it tastes good.” and then to food preparation. He learned how to Michael has introduced vegetables that create decorative carrot flowers and thicken sauces. camp hasn’t seen before—even “I was sucking on fish heads with the Chinese Brussels sprouts! A fruit bar cooks,” he recalls. “I realized I had a passion for at breakfast and an in-house food and restaurant service.” He studied business bakery are big hits. Some administration at Ithaca College, and during the of his personal favorites are summers, worked as a chef at Camp Interlacken chicken schnitzel from scratch JCC in Wisconsin and then at Seneca Lake. At (instead of frozen chicken patties), shaved roast the French Culinary Institute in Manhattan, beef au jus on a homemade roll, and Baja fish he concentrated on savory food and artisanal tacos: a blackened grilled fish in a flour tortilla bread baking, reveling in the opportunities to with a shaved cabbage accompaniment. Vegetarian work alongside industry giants such as Jacques options include zucchini boats with lentils and Pepin. He has also studied at some of New York’s Swiss chard; quinoa with Portobello mushrooms, best restaurants: The Harrison with Chef Brian and vegetable Phyllo pockets. “The key to camp Bistrong; Ouest with Chef Thomas Vallenti, and food is avoiding redundancy, offering options, and Tabla with Chef Floyd Cardoz. providing balance,” Michael explains. Of course, change always comes with CRB is right in step with the nationwide challenges, especially in connection with camp trend towards camp cuisine cooked by chefs to traditions. On a recent Friday night, Michael says, appeal to food-savvy parents and kids. So when “we served brisket with honey glazed carrots and former Commissary Director Aby Laznik retired kugel. It’s a traditional Shabbat dinner but not a after twenty-two years, CRB explored a variety traditional Ramah Shabbat dinner. One camper of options. “We chose him for his contemporary came up to me and said, ‘This is awesome. approach to food, his diverse menu, and his Where’s the chicken?’” A camp survey has shown scratch cooking,” says Business Manager overall satisfaction. “We got A-plus reviews,” Amy Rosuck. he says. “Camp is embracing the food.” The biggest difference between this and previous years, she says, is that six culinary professionals have been hired to head different departments, including a food services director; head chef; separate dairy and meat/special diet Camp Ramah in the Berkshires bids chefs; head baker, and a pack-out manager a fond farewell to Aby Laznik after to handle all food outside the Chadar Ochel. twenty-two years as Commissary Director. Together, they create an accomplished team. Most Aby was a dynamic presence and an inseparable previously worked with Michael in Vegas. part of Camp. Becoming environmentally sound has been “Aby is part of the Ramah Berkshires a CRB goal for several years—and Michael is mishpachah,” says CRB Director Rabbi Paul advancing that aim. He has put a composting and Resnick. “He is truly a renaissance man—able to recycling program in place, capitalizing on the fix a dishwasher, manage thirty kitchen workers, knowledge he gained when he lead his group in the Rikudiah, and cook three rolled out a property-wide meals a day with zest and flavor—day in and day composting program out. His imprint on the Commissary will last for at Caesars Palace. a very long time. Composting on-site Aby is currently attending nursing school in would invite vermin and Florida, where, he says, it feels strange to wake other unwanted guests, up every morning to a quiet place. so a carting company takes the
Farewell to Aby
“There is a great demand for improving food quality at camp. We cook of our food from scratch and it shows in the quality. It’s a lot more labor-intensive but it’s healthier and it tastes good.”
90%
Summer 2014 Page 8
Hebrew Corner
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Heavenly Aroma
Head Baker Carlos Carlos’s recipe for challah goes something like this: Take 100 pounds of flour; 12 pounds of sugar; 120 eggs; 6 quarts of vegetable oil; 20 quarts of water; 24 ounces of salt and 40 ounces of yeast. Put a quarter of the wet ingredients into a 60-quart mixer, then add a quarter of the dry ingredients; repeat four times. By 4 AM, place on 10 pans and bake 20 minutes in a 350-degree oven. Yields 200 loaves…and a heavenly aroma. In a little corner of the kitchen, Carlos has fashioned a bakery where he prepares almost everything from scratch: coffee cake (2500 pieces for Shabbat), garlic knots, hoagie rolls, Danish, cinnamon rolls, brownies, biscuits, chocolate chip cupcakes, pudding tarts and more. “I love baking. Period. Whatever it is,” says Carlos. “At the end of the day I say, `I can’t believe I pumped all this out of this tiny space. I’m feeding 800 kids every day.
Farm Produces
The kids call me to the front to thank me. People love anything sweet.” A San Diego native, Carlos moved to Las Vegas at age 12, and three years later began working at the Imperial Palace. He now has 25 years of experience under his hat, including working with Chef Michael Wolf at Caesar’s Palace. His own catering company is called Vegas Pastry. “I learned from the school of hard knocks. I
worked with a lot of old-school bakers. I watched them and took on that passion. The artistic value of baking is never-ending and beautiful.” To prepare for his job at Ramah, his first full-time kosher gig, Carlos took an Internet course and exam. One of the coolest gadgets in his kitchen is a five-wheel pizza cutter that divides pies and dough into exact segments. He is proud of retaining his old-world style, still dropping scoops of muffin batter into molds so fast that they fill up as if by sleight of hand. “Every baker has his tricks,” he says. Ask any camper, everyone loves his treats.
100 pounds of flour; 12 pounds of sugar; 120 eggs; 6 quarts of vegetable oil; 20 quarts of water; 24 ounces of salt and 40 ounces of yeast.
Veggie Cornucopia
It’s clear that Elise Boretz has a great sense of pride in the CRB Farm. As the Farm Educator, she has cultivated it throughout the summer with campers of all edot. “It’s important to teach people where their food comes from and to help them connect with basic foods that are good for you,” says Elise, 21, a nutrition science major at Penn State
University. She and Aron Pamensky are working at CRB under the aegis of the Amir Project, which harnesses the power of gardening to teach children in summer camps. Zinnias are about to pop up bright pink on a bed of three Hebrew letters that spell “Ramah.” Another series of beds is shaped into a five-petaled flower with a spiraling herb center. Each “petal”
grows a different kind of squash: acorn; yellow; zucchini, and butternut. Eggplant, hot peppers, and more squash rise from the curving “stem.” In the back row, ripening tomato varieties, cucumbers, and peppers climb a latticed Israeli-salad garden. Spicy arugula thrives on the farm, and decorative gourds clamber upwards, large-leafed and tall. Netted tubing protects cauliflower and Brussels sprouts from the hot sun, and baby watermelons crown the ends of scraggly stems. “The kids feel a lot of ownership of what they have grown,” says Elise. Soon, they will be eating what they have sown. When they leave Camp in mid-August, the vegetables that continue to grow will be harvested and donated to local food organizations.
Summer 2014 Page 9
OUR ALUMNI The Treehouse: A New Makom
The Gesher Fund is a project designed to give the oldest campers an opportunity to improve Camp while leaving a permanent legacy behind. For further information, please contact Eileen Weiss, Development Director, eweiss@ramahberkshires.org.
Rachel Abramowitz (Nitzanim) loves the new Treehouse. When her bunk, A-12, had a special activity there called Nitzanights, they brought games and glow sticks and bonded. “When you’re up in the tree you can see everything from a different height,” Rachel says. “You can see more clearly and the air is fresher.” Though the girls didn’t sleep in the Treehouse, Shoshi Daly liked the intimate feeling. “It makes you closer to your friends. Just you and your bunk are interacting.” The Treehouse is a new makom in camp—a whimsical place with a spectacular view that stretches past the Machaneh Aleph softball field towards the Berkshire mountains. A gift of the Gesher 2013 Fund, the multipurpose area can accommodate an entire bunk. “Space is one of the most valuable elements there is at Ramah Berkshires,” says Ben Claar (Gesher ’13). “Longlasting camp memories are born in special spaces which can provide activities, prayer experiences or
Gesher ’13/Seminar ’14 in the Treehouse they built for Camp.
hangouts with friends.” Even more than that, the Treehouse is intended as an Etz Chaim—a Tree of Life. “This is the essence of CRB. There is nothing more transformative and elevating than a treehouse,” explains Solly Zisser (Gesher ’13). “This new makom will spiritually elevate chanichim to feel closer to nature, their friends, and God. Our Etz Chayim will be everlasting.” Two staircases lead up to the Treehouse,
which was designed and constructed by Facilities Director Jason Smalley and carpenter Walter Leverich. The spruce, cedar and pine that were used for siding provide contrasting colors and textures; the lumber was purchased from a small Wingdale sawmill company. Lit entirely by solar lights, the Treehouse encircles a towering Red Cedar that fans out over a circular opening. “The tree itself will live a long life,” says Jason. “That’s the best part of the Treehouse.”
Giving Back to Camp through Bamat Renovation Many campers feel that their hearts are entwined with Camp. A group of Gesher campers was able to depict this sentiment in a tangible and artistic way—on the wall of the Bamat. With the expert guidance of artist and Harvard-trained architect Harriet Finck, the Gesher campers rethought and redesigned the front wall, which was originally created by Israeli silversmith and sculptor Moshe Zabari in 1982. Zabari focused on the phrase “Libi Ramah,” which has a double meaning: “My heart is exalted,” or, “My heart is Ramah.” He extracted the two words from a longer quote in Hannah’s prayer of thanks (Samuel 1): Alatz libi badonai/Ramah karni badonai (My heart exults in the Lord; my horn is on high; I have triumphed through the Lord). Harriet and a cadre of thirteen campers studied the biblical phrase as well as the family of alphabets surrounding modern Hebrew, from proto-Canaanite to Greek, Latin and Arabic. She developed sixteen stencils of varying sizes that outlined “Libi Ramah” in sixteen alphabets (and
a seventeenth, for the phrase from Hannah’s prayer). “The campers and I stenciled the words in shades of gray onto the wall—which had been repainted a warm white parchment color—so the words appear to be receding into space and time.” “We all contributed a small piece to something big. Each of us did a letter or two,” says Ariella Shua. “It means so much because we love it so much here and something we’ve done will stay here.” “The experience taught me that an idea can take more than one form but the core remains the same; it doesn’t fade away or change,” says Ben Roter. “It was interesting to see the transformation from Phoenician to Hebrew letters. People might look at the wall and think about the Hebrew alphabet in a new way,” adds Yael Marans. “This experience helped me give back to Camp what I thought I would never be able to give back. I feel like I really left my mark on Camp. I was writing Libi Ramah because my heart is in Camp.” Harriet’s heart is also in Ramah. She is an alumna of Ramah in New England; her husband
Michael and son Gideon are CRB alums. The renovation was funded with a generous donation from alumni Linda Holof-Saposh and Stuart Saposh, in honor of their grandchildren and in memory of Linda’s parents, Norma and Harry Holof. In addition to the wall, the Bamat floors have been refinished; the Aron Kodesh refurbished, and fifteen new white-pine benches crafted and installed. The Bamat’s luster has now been restored as yet another spiritual place in camp.
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Stadium Court Dedicated in Memory of Eric Steinthal
The Stadium Court has been renovated and was dedicated and renamed in memory of Eric Steinthal, z”l, on August 31st, 2014. Eric’s friend and CRB alum Adin Meir (Gesher’96) organized the project. Here are Adin’s words: Eric’s camp friends were among his closest lifelong friends—our friendships, formed at Camp, continued until the day he died. Those of us who knew him best wanted to be able to remember him and honor his memory in a physical space at Camp. This project resulted naturally from that need. We could always count on finding Eric playing ball on the Stadium Court. No other place seemed as fitting a space to remember him. A small group
Summer 2014 Page 10
of friends, family and members of the Ramah community raised the funds in a short time. It
was a group effort and a labor of love. In some small way, we hope that the renovation of the Stadium Court will help heal the gaping hole that Eric’s death has left in all our lives.
E L E VAT E C A M P The
Mann Family
Charlie and Barbara Mann know that their lives— and the life of their family—would have turned out very differently if it were not for Camp Ramah. Charlie, 67, grew up in an assimilated family in Hempstead, NY. For some “inexplicable reason,” he says, his parents sent him to Ramah in New England and to the Brandeis School in nearby Lawrence. “Ramah was the highlight of my childhood,” he recalls. “It helped me focus my life Judaically.” Barbara, also 67, grew up in a Reform home in West Orange, NJ; although today she feels as though she is a Camp alumna, she did not attend Ramah as a child. But when the Manns married in 1969, they decided to keep an observant Jewish home. “It was a `given’ that our children would go to Ramah,” Charlie says, “so they, too, could develop a lifelong love of the Hebrew language, Jewish music and Israel.” It’s also true that the Manns changed Camp Ramah. Charlie served as Chair of the CRB Board (1997-2003), and was President of the National Ramah Commission (2007-2011). He remains an active member of both Boards. During his tenure, he focused his efforts on Camp’s educational mission, especially by encouraging the use of Hebrew in formal and informal settings by developing new programs and staff training. Barbara, who previously served as Chair of the Parents Committee, is proudest of her achievement in guiding the establishment of Breira B’Ramah, an inclusion program that allows campers with a variety of learning and socialization issues to be a part of the Ramah experience. Though the self-contained Tikvah program for children with special needs had originated in Ramah in New England and was soon introduced movement-wide, Barbara
Aliza Mann, Joshua Rosenblatt, Charles Mann, Barbara Mann, Matan Mann and Benjamin Mann Front row: Ruby Rosenblatt, Ariella Mann, Rachel Mann holding Louisa Rosenblatt, Bella Rosenblatt.
Full family photo at Disney World this past February.
realized that some campers who did not have severe disabilities were still struggling to fit in. Briera has now been replicated in the Tikvah network. Both Charlie and Barbara became involved in CRB through their children. Barbara recalls the excitement they brought home with them at summer’s end. “The kids would regale us with all the newest Camp versions of zemirot. They saw that living a Jewish life can be fun. If we don’t make Judaism a living, breathing, and enjoyable
experience our children will take a different direction. Ramah is one of the beacons that allows for Jewish continuity in a committed non-Orthodox environment.” The Manns, who live in Setauket, Long Island, helped found the Solomon Schechter Day School of Suffolk County 26 years ago, and served the school in many leadership capacities. Barbara, a special educator, is now Coordinator of Student Support Services at the Schechter School of Long Island. Charlie, an OB/GYN, is in private practice in Smithtown and Stony Brook; he also serves on the faculty of the Stony Brook University Medical Center. They are active members of Kehilat Chovevei Tzion, a lay-led havurah in Setauket. The four Mann children—Benjamin, Rachel, Jeremy, and Yona, were all CRB campers and staff members. Both Benjamin and Rachel met their spouses at Camp; their names were among the first on the “Shidduch” wall. Benjamin, 41, is Head of the Middle School and Coordinator of Judaic studies at Schechter Manhattan. His wife Aliza teaches kindergarten at Schechter of Bergen County and has been a yoetzet at CRB for many years. Their children are or have been CRB campers: Matan (Gesher); Orly (who took a break this summer to participate in USY on Wheels East), and Ariella (Nitzanim). Rachel, 39, a writer, and her husband, Joshua Rosenblatt, live in Manhattan with their children: Bella (Shorashim); Ruby, (Nitzanim), and Louisa, a camper-to-be. Jeremy, 37, works for Wells Fargo Bank and lives in Chicago with his wife, Suzan Sultan, and their children, Ezra, 4, and Eitan, 2. Yona, 30, lives in Setauket and works as a medical assistant. The Manns continue to spend one weekend every summer with their children and grandchildren at Camp. “It’s lovely,” says Barbara, “to be together.”
Alumni News On July 4, while visiting Camp, Adi Segal (Gesher ’05) and Danielle Schindler (Gesher ’06) became engaged at Camp. The proposal, which took the form of a scavenger hunt around Camp culminating on the softball field in Machaneh Aleph, was witnessed, photographed, and celebrated by friends, relatives, campers, and staff.
Yom Bogrei Ramah, July 13th
Golf
Simmy Kustanowitz (Gesher ’93) with future Ramahniks.
uting
Rhonda Bloom and Jon Ain (Gesher ’89) enjoying their 25th Gesher anniversary in Camp.
Avi Hoffman, Rachel Hoffman and Josh Gershon.
The same weekend, in Camp, Eric Segal, an alumnus and an executive CRB board member, read Torah, chanted Haftorah, gave a Dvar Torah, and sponsored a kiddush in honor of the 50th anniversary of his bar mitzvah.
On July 14th, 85 golfers consisting of alumni and friends with an additional 35 dinner guests enjoyed the Seventh Annual Ramah Golf Outing, held at the Salem Golf Club in North Salem, NY. The benefit event for Camp’s Annual Fund was co-chaired by Ari Saposh and Josh Hirsch (both Gesher ’01). Gesher celebrates 10th through 25th year anniversaries. Gesher 2004 with staff.
Summer 2014 Page 11
CRB
Wins Kiddush Cup
The Kiddush Cup, a brand-new intercamp tournament for Tzeirim, was held at Eisner Camp on July 15. CRB competed against Ramah in New England and Eisner in six sports: boys’ and girls’ basketball; boys’ and girls’ soccer; coed tennis and coed Ultimate Frisbee. We won seven of ten games to clinch the juicy title— and displayed a lot of good sportsmanship along the way. During the closing ceremony, CRB campers Jonah Seidenfeld, Emma Kroll and Eitan Spevack accepted the trophy—a large clay jug painted silver— from representatives of the other camps. The tournament, a year in the making, extends the skills campers hone during the school year. “Many of our seventh-graders play on sports teams at home on a serious level,” explains Assistant Director Rabbi Ari Perten. “The Kiddush Cup also helps differentiate our Tzeirim program from the rest of Machaneh Aleph.” Boys’ basketball beat Ramah NE 22-20 and Eisner 22-11. Ben Wolfer, who scored 5 points, and Ben Bargad, who scored 7 points, captured the spirit of the day. “From the beginning of our stretches we showed that we had confidence and talent,” says Ben B. “Our minds were set from the time we walked onto the court. We believed in ourselves and felt comfortable with one another.” “We showed how good we are at sports and how we work as a team,” adds Ben W. The game against Ramah NE was tied 20 all when Ben B. made the winning shot. “Everyone on the team was cheering,” he recalls. “All the campers were looking up to me and celebrating. They were so happy with how I played. It felt really good.” He says he laughed when he first heard the name Kiddush Cup, but realizes that its cuteness does not detract from the Jewish values it reflects.
“A sports team is like a community,” he notes. “We help each other improve and be the best we can be, which is what people do in a community.”
Newspaper Credits Rabbi Paul Resnick Director Rabbi Ari Perten Assistant Director Amy Perle Rosuck Business Manager Eileen Weiss Development Director Karen Legman Segal Director of Strategic Initiatives & Communications Andrew Stesis Program Coordinator Adina Rothman Registrar Michelle Moallem Social Media & Communications Coordinator Dr. Hugh Pollack President Rahel Musleah Editor/Writer Sarah Chabon Graphic Design Johanna Resnick Rosen Orli Gilmore Georgia Lubert Shulamit Seidler-Feller Photographers Camp Ramah in the Berkshires 25 Rockwood Place Englewood, NJ 07631 Tel 201.871.7262 info@ramahberkshires.org www.ramahberkshires.org
Behind the Scenes at
Hofa’ah
The scene in Bet Am Bet could be worthy of Broadway. The sun rises over the set of Lion King, transforming the black sky to a canvas of deep purples, glorious pinks, and vibrant reds and yellows. Rafiki (Annie Cannon, Machon) starts singing “Circle of Life.” The changing sky matches an almost equally dramatic transformation behind the scenes at Hofa’ah this summer. With fewer shows (four), new set purchases, and increased staff, the level of production has improved significantly, says Rosh Hofa’ah Miriam Hertzson. Two years ago, Miriam was handling most of the technical aspects almost singlehandedly. She now shares the job with three staff members: Jeff Weisz, set designer; Keren Lindenbaum, costume designer and makeup artist, and Woody Woytovich, sound and light designer. Jeff is headed to SUNY Purchase this fall as a fiction writing and theater performance major; Woody (Miriam’s son) studies entertainment technology at City Tech in Brooklyn, and Keren, a Mishlachat member from Kfar Saba, is a freelancer who also does editing, photography and cinematography. With the Cyclorama, a curtain that can create the illusion of a sky or a variety of other backdrops, and Venue Magic, a lighting program, the stage brightens with the Lion King sunrise. Yellow vintage blinds cut in an orb, held together by fish line and suspended from the ceiling, simulate the sun itself. The same mechanism allow Elphaba (Sarit Tubul, Gesher) to fly in Wicked, and Mufasa (Jeremy Weingarten, Machon) to fall from Pride Rock in Lion King. “We’ve created low-cost solutions with positive results,” Miriam says. Multipurpose “acting blocks” serve
as the foundation for Pride Rock, become the ship in Noah (Shorashim/ Tzeirim), and the bleachers in High School Musical (Solelim/Bogrim). In Wicked, the blocks set off the fountain in which Rabbi Ari Perten poses as a toga-clad Roman statue, then frame the bar in the Ozdust Ballroom. One of the challenges in Noah is how to make it rain—manageably—on stage. It takes some experimentation, brainstorming and Googling before a series of buckets and PVC pipe does the trick. “We keep learning something new,” Miriam notes. Another challenge is how to turn humans into animals. Keren sews pairs of animal costumes—ears, tails, wings, snouts, beaks and all—as well as belted biblical robes for the humans. In Lion King, she uses makeup adeptly to transform campers into lions, monkeys, and hyenas. The rainbow at the end of the show is a work of lighting artistry. “God, where are you?” Noah asks. Alluding to the rainbow, God replies, “Do you see that?” He may well have been talking about all the special effects in Hofa’ah this summer.