Ramah: Reaching New Heights

Ramah: Reaching New Heights Entering A New Decade

Our kids’

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best friends in life are the friends they met at Camp Ramah. Because of the influence of Ramah, our kids want us to invite more people to Shabbat dinner, to engage in intellectual discussions on Jewish topics, and to sing songs and do the bentching (grace after meals). They now feel a duty to the community as Jews. Also, my kids now have a very special relationship with Israel because of Ramah.

Camp Ramah was the best thing that we have ever done for our kids__ever!”

Laura Miller Former Mayor of Dallas

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Who We Are The mission of the Ramah Camping Movement is to create and sustain excellent summer camps and Israel programs that inspire commitment to and engagement in Jewish life, and develop the next generation of Jewish professional leaders. At Ramah, thousands of children, teens, and young adults come together each summer in communities that nurture social, educational, physical, and spiritual growth, creating lifelong friendships, a love for Israel, and a strong Jewish identity.

Since the establishment of the first Ramah camp in 1947, the Ramah Camping Movement has become, by all accounts, an extraordinarily successful Jewish educational endeavor, emphasizing the teaching and daily use of Hebrew language, the fostering of religious and spiritual development, and the strengthening of Jewish and Zionist identity through extensive Israel programming. Ramah has also had a powerful impact on leadership development in the Jewish world. In numbers far exceeding what one might expect from a camping movement, Ramah alumni populate the highest reaches of North American Jewish communal life, from Jewish Federations to advocacy, social service, and educational institutions that serve the Jewish community and galvanize public support for Israel. Ramah is also celebrated as a place where young Jews make lifelong Jewish friends, and hundreds, perhaps thousands, of Jewish marriages can be credited to the Ramah summer camp experience.

Each year, more than 6,500 campers and 2,000 university-aged staff members populate our eight residential camps, three day camps, and Israel programs. An additional 250 young Israeli adults join the Ramah camp communities annually, and help to inculcate in the campers a love of Hebrew language together with a familiarity with and connection to Israel. The overnight camps include: Berkshires (New York); California; Canada; Darom (Georgia); New England (Massachusetts); Poconos (Pennsylvania); and Wisconsin. The three day camps include Nyack (New York); Philadelphia; and Chicago. Ramah Outdoor Adventure in the Colorado Rocky Mountains is Ramah’s first specialty camp, emphasizing outdoor adventure and environmental education. Additionally, Ramah runs summer and high school semester programs in Israel, and partners with summer camp programming in Ukraine, Argentina and Israel.

The National Ramah Commission is the coordinating body of the camping arm of Conservative Judaism, operating under the educational and religious supervision of The Jewish Theological Seminary. The National Ramah Commission provides oversight and educational planning on behalf of the network of Ramah camps throughout North America and Israel.

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Message from the National Ramah President Machanot Ramah, the Ramah Camping Movement, continues to grow and have a positive impact on the lives of young Jewish men and women. This past year, more than 9,000 campers and staff participated in a Ramah program in North America or Israel. Ramah has also extended its reach to Europe and South America through programs that have brought Ramah staff to Jewish communities in Argentina, Germany, and Ukraine.

In the summer of 2010, Ramah opens its first specialty camp, Ramah Outdoor Adventure, just outside Denver, Colorado. Designed for those teenagers who are looking for a rugged experience with a Ramah twist, we are enthused by the tremendous support we are seeing from parents, alumni, foundations, and friends as we launch this latest initiative. Ramah Programs in Israel will also be offering a new option for our Seminar-aged campers: Seminar Yarok. Designed for those teens who are interested in the environment and ecology within the unique setting of the Galil and the Negev, participants will focus on a wide range of environmental challenges, as well as the many unique “green� initiatives in Israel.

As I visit our camps each summer, I am struck by the consistent commitment to excellence that permeates each camp. Collectively and individually, the Ramah camps are always looking to find new and better ways to create the fun, educational experience that is Ramah.

I first entered a Ramah camp as a camper more than 50 years ago. Although times have changed, Ramah’s values and ability to mold and inspire young Jewish lives have not. There is something magical about each Ramah summer and it is indeed a summer that lasts for a lifetime.

Charles T. Mann, M.D. President, National Ramah Commission, Inc.

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Message from the National Ramah Director Over the past decade, the Ramah Camping Movement has experienced a period of extraordinary growth, highlighted by the establishment of new camp programs and innovative educational initiatives, more than $20 million in capital improvements, and a 25% increase in the number of campers and young adults being inspired by a Ramah program or camp each summer. All those involved in our success can reflect and marvel at the impact Ramah has had on the lives of so many.

For Ramah to continue to grow and thrive in the future, we must focus on three areas: strengthening, expanding, and extending the impact of Ramah. We must strengthen our existing programs while maintaining our high standards, expand the number of campers involved in Ramah programs, and extend Ramah and Ramah-like experiences to every season of the year.

As Ramah continues to thrive in its seventh decade of what is widely considered to be one of the most successful programs in Jewish education, there will be many opportunities and challenges that will continue to require vision, the setting of strategic priorities, and unprecedented levels of collaboration and cooperation. In the end, however, nothing will be more important than that which has characterized Ramah from its inception__creating summer communities where children, teens, and young adults can comfortably and joyously grow as people and grow as Jews, forging relationships with others that sustain them throughout their lives. This is the essence of the Ramah experience.

We take great pride in Ramah’s incredible vibrancy, bringing the joy of Jewish living to more than 9,000 children, teens, and young adults each year. We are proud of what we have accomplished thus far, and we look to the future with great optimism and excitement as we continue our sacred work.

Rabbi Mitchell Cohen Director, National Ramah Commission, Inc.

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New National Partnerships & Programs The Ramah Camping Movement has been fortunate to receive the support of major funders who view Ramah’s educational accomplishments as exemplary and its strategic vision as worthy of significant investment. In recent years, Ramah has partnered with a number of funders to introduce new programs that are designed to educate and inspire Ramah campers and staff members to become lifelong learners, effective Israel advocates, and communal leaders and supporters.

RISHON Campership Incentive Program In partnership with the Foundation for Jewish Camp and each Ramah camp, Ramah provides hundreds of incentive grants each year (ranging from $700 to $1,000), helping children from across North America to experience the magic of Ramah for the first time. Incentive grants are also provided to returning campers, ensuring a multi-year experience that fosters Jewish identity and creates a lifelong bond to the Jewish community.

“Daber” Hebrew Language Initiative The AVI CHAI Foundation has provided a multi-year grant to support the comprehensive strengthening of Hebrew language education at the Ramah camps. This initiative includes intensive staff training, curriculum development, and special programs to encourage Hebrew usage.

Ramah/JNF Alternative Winter Break Service Trip to Israel In partnership with the Jewish National Fund, Ramah brings 40 college sophomores and juniors to Israel over winter break for a week of study, leadership training, and social service. Each camp recommends talented returning staff members and one lead educator for participation in this program.

Ramah Israel Leadership Initiative In partnership with the Legacy Heritage Foundation, Ramah is in the midst of a multi-year project to advance Israel education through the Ramah Israel Leadership Initiative (RILI). This multifaceted program is aimed at strengthening campers’ knowledge of Zionist history and developing innovative camp programs to broaden connections to Israel and its people.

Ramah Philanthropy Initiative Ramah has received the generous support of the Jewish Teen Funders Network, enabling five Ramah camps to introduce engaging teen tzedakah programs to their campers. The campers participate in values-based learning and discussions, identify meaningful causes, and conduct site visits in order to make allocations to non-profit organizations based on their research and learning.

$20,000,000 raised in capital, programmatic, and scholarship support since 2007 6

all but roject, our sm p e ic rv se h a “With eac and more of re o m e ad m ople’s mighty group d so many pe te ac p im d an itude that difference l. ... The grat e ra Is r ve o ies l lives al us communit io ar v se e th f ld ask members o than we cou re o m as w d e.” expresse ing experienc az am an as w for. It er Jessica Coop iv at ern e amah/JNF Alt R t, an p ci ti ar P Israel rvice Trip to Se ak re B r te Win

“The campers in my group have enough to eat, homes to live in, and families to support them. They were nervous about going to the first site visit ... and when we walked in, they were very quie t and nervous. On the bus ride back (to camp) ... it hit them that these wer e real people who had dignity and sim ply needed help. The campers saw people who could be their neighbors or classmates. It occurred to them tha t they are no different than their own families. It made the funds they were about to allocate more meaningful and their task even more important.”

Abbi Sharofsky Staff Member, Ramah Philanthropy Initi ative 7

Tikvah

Special Needs Programs In 1970, Herb and Barbara Greenberg, two visionary Jewish educators, established the first Ramah summer camp program for children with special needs. Called “Tikvah”__“hope” in Hebrew__the program pioneered special needs camping while piloting an innovative inclusionary approach to special needs education.

Since the first Tikvah program was opened, special needs programming has become an integral part of the Ramah camping philosophy and is now part of the camping programs at all of the Ramah overnight camps.

With the growing awareness of the importance of offering immersive Jewish educational experiences to children with special needs, the Ramah programs offer a unique educational lens on how children with special needs can be nurtured, inspired, educated, and integrated into a welcoming Jewish community.

The Tikvah program touches the lives of hundreds of young people each summer, and thousands more staff and campers whose camp experiences are immeasurably enriched by their connection to their special needs peers and campers. Tikvah demonstrates how effective a Ramah camping experience can be in addressing the religious, spiritual, developmental, and behavioral needs of the special needs population, while offering respite and support to caregivers and families. Recognizing the importance of special needs programming at all levels, some of the camps also offer vocational programs for young adults. These vocational programs are designed to strengthen participants’ social and vocational skills, preparing them for independent living and teaching them employment-related skills.

Because families of children with special needs often face daunting financial challenges in order to provide the ongoing care and treatment their children require, Ramah does its utmost to seek scholarship support for these families so that a Jewish education and the many advantages of a Ramah summer camp experience can be accessible.

“In many ways, our family now feels that Brian’s counselors join our ranks, because they have lived with him and recognize the gifts he brings into others’ lives. Brian’s circle, and therefore our family’s circle because of Ramah, continues to widen and strengthen. Until the Tikvah program, Brian, although he knew he was loved, never knew the wonder of having loving friends and peers.”

Paula David Parent, Ramah Tikvah Camper

13 programs for children, teens, and young adults with special needs 8

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Leadership Development Ramah is an incubator for Jewish leadership. Through the daily routines of Jewish living and learning, as well as specially designed programs to foster leadership, Ramah campers and staff internalize the skills and attitudes that facilitate their communal involvement as teens and as adults. A pillar of the National Ramah Commission’s annual programming is the focus on formal movement-wide staff training opportunities to complement the exemplary staff training that takes place within each camp’s staff community.

Bert B. Weinstein Institute for Counselor Training Under the educational direction of the National Ramah Commission, the Weinstein Institute provides an intensive experience of Jewish studies, leadership workshops, and the sharing of best practices. This annual five-day program is designed for a select group of college freshmen and sophomores returning to camp as counselors, chosen by camp directors for their leadership potential.

Louis and Shoshana Winer Institute for Rashei Edah (Division Heads) National Ramah provides four days of intensive training and education for these leaders just prior to the camp season each summer.

Alexander M. Shapiro Fellowship Rabbinical, cantorial, and education graduate students at The Jewish Theological Seminary receive stipends in addition to their summer camp salary as encouragement to become educators and leaders in camp. Their Ramah experience and the fall seminar they attend become an important element of their graduate education.

The Emerging Leaders Seminar By director invitation only, this seminar is for individuals with extraordinary potential to work for Ramah in senior positions year-round. The seminar meets monthly throughout the year, with JTS graduate students and other New York-area senior Ramah leaders, to encourage consideration of Ramah career options.

Ramah Shabbaton in Israel Staff members from all Ramah camps and Israel programs, including shlichim and North Americans studying in Israel, are invited to come together for this annual Shabbaton.

Morton M. and Miriam Steinberg Fellowship National Ramah organizes international trips (including Argentina, Germany, and Ukraine) for select groups of 21- to 25-year-old senior staff members to interact with Conservative youth leadership around the world.

More than 10

350 staff members attend National Ramah training programs annually

ah y of the Ram n a it is v u o y me pers... .

“The next ti k at the cam o lo d o o g a camps, take ers.” r future lead u o re a y e h T r Lehrer Rabbi Yaie er d Staff Memb er Camper an

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“Everywhere I go, I call

upon my Ramah training

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Rabbi Matthew Futterm an Former Camper and Sta ff Member

“The Weinstein Institute helped establish and strengthen the values needed to be a Jewish leader: to do ser vice, to love Israel, and to establish a sense of Jewish community.”

Elizabeth Kraemer Former Camper and Staff Me mber

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Ramah Outdoor Adventure Ramah Outdoor Adventure at Ramah in the Rockies is Ramah’s first specialty camp. Ramah Outdoors combines the best of wilderness trip programs and environmental education with the traditional base camp experience.

The mission of Ramah Outdoors is to provide outstanding outdoor adventure experiences that teach Jewish values and leadership skills as well as influence the character development of Jewish youth.

At Ramah Outdoors, campers split their time between living at a rustic base camp at 8,000 feet in the heart of the Rocky Mountains on the 360-acre ranch known as Ramah in the Rockies, and living in tents in the surrounding national forests.

Throughout the summer, staff and campers make a conscious effort to live according to the natural rhythms of the day, rising early and going to sleep at dark. Each week, campers select activities to focus on during their time at base camp. These activities include rock climbing, horseback riding, wilderness survival, orienteering, mountain biking, and much more. The goal of base camp activities is to stretch oneself to go beyond one’s comfort zone, and to begin to feel comfortable in taking calculated risks.

One of the unique aspects of Ramah Outdoors is that every other week, the community leaves the relative comfort of base camp and heads out on an extended excursion with 10-12 other campers and staff. These excursions are a chance for campers to focus on one aspect of the program. They spend five days with a small group of friends, engaged in rock climbing, rafting, horseback riding, or backpacking.

Ramah Outdoor Adventure operates with generous funding from the Jim Joseph Foundation and the Specialty Camp Incubator of the Foundation for Jewish Camp.

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115 campers enrolled for Ramah Outdoor Adventure’s inaugural season

Ramah Programs in Israel Ramah Programs in Israel demonstrates Ramah’s commitment to the centrality of Israel and Israel-based education. The two flagship programs are Ramah Israel Seminar, a summer study tour that represents the culmination of the Ramah camping experience, and Tichon Ramah Yerushalayim, a high school program that integrates academic study with experiential activities designed to foster a deep knowledge and love of Israel.

These programs enable teens to immerse themselves in Israeli life, solidifying their ties to Israel and to the Jewish community for years to come.

Ramah Israel Seminar is a vital part of the Ramah experience for those who have graduated from the Ramah summer camping program. Participants spend six weeks becoming more familiar with the country and its people, first-hand and up close. Poland Seminar, an optional eight-day pre-Seminar trip, emphasizes the vitality of Jewish life in Eastern Europe before the Holocaust. Seminar Yarok, a second optional program, is designed to expose Ramahniks to the major advances in environmental conservation taking place in Israel.

Tichon Ramah Yerushalayim (TRY), the spring semester high school program for tenth- through twelfthgrade students, encourages participants to explore their commitment to Jewish tradition and expand their Jewish literacy by offering opportunities for study, extensive travel, and incorporating Jewish observance in everyday life.

Additional Israel programs include USY High, a two-month program for high school juniors and seniors; Ramah Israel Institute, which offers 10- to 14-day programs for synagogue family groups, day schools, and community trips; and the Ramah Jerusalem Day Camp for English-speaking children. Each year, Ramah programs bring more than 1,500 young people to Israel to travel, learn, and experience the Jewish homeland. ce, the Poland experien g in ud cl in , ar in m Se but this “Sam’s summer on to Israel before, en be d ha e H . inspiring, was incredible fferent. It was an di h uc m as w oud experience Lisa and I are so pr . ce en ri pe ex l fu perience, challenging, power e him with this ex id ov pr to le ab e deliver!” that we wer Ramah’s ability to ith w d se ea pl ry and so ve reene Brian G rticipant Parent, Seminar Pa

“TRY was singleha ndedly the best de cision of my life. have gained expe I rience and made fr iends that I know will last a lifetime. ” Participant, Tichon

Joel Kotler Ramah Yerushalay im 13

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Year-Round Contact Information Israel Programs

Overnight Camps Camp Ramah in the Berkshires 25 Rockwood Place Suite 345 Englewood, NJ 07631 (201) 871-7262 www.ramahberkshires.org Camp Ramah in California 17525 Ventura Boulevard Suite 201 Encino, CA 91316 (310) 476-8571 www.ramah.org

Camp Ramah in New England 2 Commerce Way Norwood, MA 02062 (781) 702-5290 www.campramahne.org Ramah Outdoor Adventure 459 South Poplar Avenue Denver, CO 80224 (303) 261-8214 www.ramahoutdoors.org

Camp Ramah in Canada 491 Lawrence Avenue West Toronto, Ontario M5M 1C7 (416) 789-2193 www.campramah.com

Camp Ramah in the Poconos The Pavilion 261 Old York Road, #734 Jenkintown, PA 19046 (215) 885-8556 www.ramahpoconos.org

Camp Ramah Darom 6400 Powers Ferry Road Suite 215 Atlanta, GA 30339 (404) 531-0801 www.ramahdarom.org

Camp Ramah in Wisconsin 65 East Wacker Place Suite 1200 Chicago, IL 60601 (312) 606-9316 www.ramahwisconsin.com

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Ramah Programs in Israel P.O. Box 31709 Jerusalem 91316, ISRAEL 011 972 2 679-0243 (212) 678-8883 www.ramah.org.il

Day Camps Chicagoland Ramah Day Camp 65 East Wacker Place Suite 1200 Chicago, IL 60601 (312) 606-0444 www.ramahday.com Ramah Day Camp in Nyack 3080 Broadway New York, NY 10027 (212) 678-8884 www.ramahnyack.org Ramah Day Camp in Philadelphia The Pavilion 261 Old York Road, #734 Jenkintown, PA 19046 (215) 885-8556 www.ramahpoconos.org

National Ramah Commission Board

National Ramah Commission Professionals

President, Charles T. Mann, M.D.

Director Rabbi Mitchell Cohen

Senior Vice President, Sheldon L. Disenhouse Secretary, Rabbi Michael B. Greenbaum Vice Presidents Dr. Saul Andron Julian M. Brook Dr. David A. Farbman David Goldstein Rob Hirsch Dr. Jeffrey Kopin Ilana Meskin Lewis Norry Jay Reisbaum

Assistant Director Amy Skopp Cooper Business Manager Jeffrey M. Goodman Director of Development and Institutional Advancement Avi Friedman Communications Director Nancy B. Scheff

Chair, Board of Trustees Morton M. Steinberg

Bookkeeper Eileen Kern

Members Cantor Gaston Bogomolni Chancellor Arnold Eisen David Engleberg Mildred Gershen Sheldon Handel Dr. Barry Holtz Rhonda Jacobs Kahn Danny Kochavi Dr. Jeffrey S. Kress Shelley Maidman Menkowitz Dr. Joel Roth Dr. Eugene Sacks James Schlesinger Dr. Paul Schultz Dr. Shuly Rubin Schwartz Dr. Saul Shapiro Alan H. Silberman Sharon Steinberg Marilyn Wind

Ramah Programs in Israel Coordinator Judy Greene Office Manager Shoshana Holzberg-Pill Marketing and Communications Assistant Michael Edelstein Special Projects Coordinator Shana Zionts Programming Associate Leora Kimmel Greene Development Consultant Debbie Nahshon Report Layout and Design Stacey Danielle Cohen 19

National Ramah Commission, Inc. of The Jewish Theological Seminary 3080 Broadway, New York, NY 10027 (212) 678-8881 www.campramah.org info@campramah.org Printed 2010