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Kolot Ramah:
Voices of the Ramah Camping Movement |
March 2010
Adar 5770 |
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Dear Friends of Ramah,
We look ahead with great excitement to the beginning of a new camp season. As anticipation builds for summer 2010, the lay and professional leadership of the Ramah Camping Movement continues to plan, innovate, and train our staff for the opening of Ramah camps and programs throughout North America and Israel.
 This is a particularly special year for Ramah, as we eagerly look forward to the opening of Ramah Outdoor Adventure in the Rockies, Ramah's extraordinary first specialty camp and our movement's eighth overnight camp.
Increasing access to the Ramah experience for a greater number of families, despite the difficult economic climate, remains a top priority. This year, there are more camper incentive programs and scholarship funds available to families than at any previous time in Ramah's history. Please help us spread the word and share this news with potential new Ramah families. (Click here to donate to Ramah scholarship funds.)
We hope you enjoy this issue of Kolot Ramah, which provides a glimpse into our wonderful camps and programs. We are certain that 2010 will be another summer of incredible vibrancy, bringing the joy of Jewish living to more than 9,000 children, teens, and young adults.
Rabbi Mitchell Cohen, National Ramah Director |
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Ramah Outdoor Adventure in the Rockies Prepares for 2010 Opening
This summer marks the inaugural season of Ramah Outdoor Adventure (ROA) in the Rockies, Ramah's first specialty camp. ROA campers will have outstanding outdoor adventure experiences that teach Jewish values and leadership skills through exciting activities such as horseback riding, mountain biking, wilderness survival, orienteering, wilderness arts and crafts, bouldering and alpine field sports. Intense community building will take place at the base camp at the Ramah in the Rockies ranch, as well as on adventure trips.
Rabbi Eliav Bock, ROA director, was recently profiled in an article on jweekly.com. For more news about Ramah Outdoor Adventure, click here.
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Ramah-AVI CHAI Partnership Launches "Daber"
We are thrilled that the newest National Ramah Commission (NRC) staff training program, the "Daber" Fellowship Program, is currently underway, aimed at strengthening Hebrew language usage at all Ramah camps. This program, sponsored in partnership with the AVI CHAI Foundation, is open to select counselors, specialists, and rashei edah for intensive Hebrew language and leadership training, with generous stipends available to all participants. For more information on how 2010 staff members can become "Daber" Fellows, please contact your Ramah director.
 The NRC continues to increase the number of inspiring staff training programs serving staff members from all the Ramah camps. This year, NRC programs of professional development include the Weinstein Institute for Counselor Training; the Winer Institute for Rosh Edah Training; the Israel Shabbaton for Shlichim and North American staff studying in Israel; JTS-sponsored conferences for our camps' directors of education; the JNF-Ramah Alternative Winter Break service trip to Israel (pictured left); the Ramah Israel Leadership Initiative sponsored by the Legacy Heritage Foundation, the Shapiro Fellowship seminar at JTS, seminars for emerging Ramah professionals, and the Ramah Philanthropy Initiative for teens.
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New Ropes Courses Lift Campers
At Camp Ramah in Wisconsin, the low ropes course fosters teamwork and high ropes course provides individual challenges.
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Encouraging Social Inclusion
at Camp
 Camp Ramah in Canada received a Federation grant to establish a SWAT (Social Wellness Action Team) to pilot programs on social inclusiveness.
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Deepening Connections with Nature
At Ramah Darom, expanded environmental and outdoor programming emphasizes the Jewish value of taking responsibility for the world around us.
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Reconnecting After 50 Years
 Twelve Ramah Poconos alumnae returned to Camp Ramah in the Poconos for the first time since the 1950s.
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Ramah Programs in Israel
We are happy to announce record enrollment for Ramah Israel's summer programs, Ramah Israel Seminar 2010 and the Ramah Jerusalem Day Camp.
While some must wait until summer to travel with Ramah to Israel, the 48 participants in Tichon Ramah Yerushalayim and USY High, Ramah Israel's spring semester high school programs, just had a wonderful Purim celebration in Jerusalem. In addition, the Ramah Israel Institute offers inspirational custom-designed educational trips for synagogues, schools and families year-round. |
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Masorti and USCJ:
Ramah's Partners
in Youth Programming
throughout the World
Read about Masorti and USCJ youth programs around the world. | |
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Taking Ramah Home
 Inspiring activities enable campers to bring their two-month experiences at Camp Ramah in New England to the other ten months of the year.
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Creative and Cutting Edge Comics
Comic book creator and popular newspaper cartoonist Jordan Gorfinkel works with campers at Camp Ramah in California to depict camp stories and commentary on Torah portions.
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A Valuable Jewish Lens
 An innovative curriculum at Camp Ramah in the Berkshires explores Jewish values, identity, and tradition through photography.
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Noah's Ark Sets Sail at Ramah
At the Chicagoland Ramah Day Camp, Why Noah Chose the Dove was the hit drama production of summer 2009.
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The Spirit of Maccabiah 2009
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JTS Teachers Institute
Celebrates Its 100 Year Anniversary
Organizations and movements such as Camp Ramah, the Ivry Prozdor High School, and the modern congregational school education system all trace their origins to the Teachers Institute (TI), which opened in 1909 as the official teacher-training department of The Jewish Theological Seminary.
Read more |
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SUPPORT RAMAH
 Click here to support National Ramah efforts to promote excellence in staff training, or to make a donation to any of the Ramah camps and Israel programs.
www.campramah.org | |
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