New Ramah Staff Phone Extensions
We are finally settling into our brand new, beautiful office space in Encino, CA. We thank all visitors who have stopped by to say hello and welcome us to the neighborhood!
We also want to say thank you to the Ramah community for being so understanding during our office move and the switch to a new phone system. Here are all of the Ramah staff members phone extensions to make calling into our office a bit easier. Don't forget: our phone number has NOT changed, you should still call us at (310) 476-8571.
Rabbi Dan, Executive Dir. - 221 Dr. Zach Lasker, Camp Dir. - 222 Randy Michaels, Business Dir. - 226 Carol Abrams, Development Dir. - 223 Erika Resnick, Program Dir. - 224 Karmi Monsher, Outreach Coord. - 225 Wendy Morris, Assist. Business Dir. - 227 Rachel Lancaster, Registrar - 220 Ellie Haiem, Admin. Assist., Finance and
Development - 229 Patricia Straker, Receptionist - 230 LaToya Simmons, Finance Admin. Assistant -228 Elana Naftalin Kelman, Tikvah Dir. - 240 Passover Camp- 243 Family Camp- 243 Marp- 244 Rikkudiah- 245 Women's Spirit- 242
17525 Ventura Blvd. Suite 201 (2nd floor) Encino, CA 91316 |
Bring the Whole Family to Ramah this Year for Family Camp!
Family Camp plans are already
underway! Share the joy of learning, singing, sports, Shabbat
celebration
and art activities during four very special days in May. Memorial Day
Weekend Family Camp is a spirited and exciting way to go to camp with
the whole
family. The program is filled with a mix of adult learning, kid's
programs (for
ages 2 and up) and family time. Join us Memorial Day Weekend, May 28th-31st 2010 for Family Camp at Camp
Ramah
in Ojai!
For more information please contact Johannah Sohn, Family Camp
Coordinator: [email protected]
or
visit the Family Camp
website, here.
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Ramah's Many Campership Incentives
Camp Ramah in California is
working hard to make its summer programs as affordable as possible, with
special incentives available to first time campers and scholarship for those in need. Please consider the following opportunities:
* Incentive Discounts
for First Time 4-Week'ers in Los Angeles: Camp Ramah has partnered with
generous donors and Jewish organizations to make available
discounts for kids new to the Ramah 4-week program. Please contact
your local Conservative Rabbi or educator to inquire about the Lowy Campership
Incentive of $1,000 off the cost of tuition for campers who are the first in
their family to come to Ramah for 4-weeks. Los Angeles residents can also
visit onehappycamper for more information about
the LA Campership Incentive Grant, reducing the cost of tuition by $1,500 for
campers who have not yet been to a Jewish summer camp.
*Incentive Discounts for First Time 4-Week'ers Outside Los Angeles-
Families living west of Colorado with entering 6th - 8th grade campers who are
not enrolled in a Jewish Day School are eligible for a JWest financial
incentive of $1,500 from the Foundation for Jewish Camp, and should also visit onehappycamperfor more information. In
addition, Camp Ramah offers incentives through Conservative shuls and schools
to kids news to the 4-week program in San Diego in the amount of $1,250 OR
outside of San Diego to campers who are the first in their family to attend the
4-week program through the Lowy Campership Incentive in the amount of $1,000. Contactyour local Conservative Rabbi or educator for
more info. Questions? Visit our Financial Resource Guide or contact
Karmi Monsher -
Outreach Coordinator (310) 476-8571 ext. 225.
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Summer Inventory Day: A Success!
With camp beginning in only 74 days our LA office staff took a trip up to Ojai yesterday for our annual Inventory Day - a day where we literally count everything from sports equipment, to pool toys to our vast siddurim collection and everything in between. With these lists in hand we know exactly what new supplies we will need to get before the summer season officially begins.
In case you were wondering - here's just a small sample of what is up at camp right now:
- 55 Frisbees for our awesome Ultimate Frisbee chug - 668 Friday Night Siddurim to be used in Kikar Zion - 12 Darbuka Drums for our band members to use - 31 tubes of face paint to use for Maccabia - 5 digital camers for our photography chug - 34 noodles to use when hanging out in our awesome pools - 22 harnesses for our brand new ropes course - ...and so much more!
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Shabbat Candle Lighting Times for April
Fri April 9: 7:02pm
Fri April 16: 7:07pm
Fri April 23: 7:13pm
Fri April 30: 7:18pm
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Register
Now for Summer 2010
WAITLISTS
ALREADY STARTED FOR CERTAIN GROUPS!
Calling all campers - new and returning - to
a fabulous summer at Camp Ramah in California full of swimming, sports,
singing/dancing, Shabbat celebration and outdoor adventure! With over
1,150 applications submitted we are on our way to creating a strong community
... so don't delay as waitlists have begun. Fortunately, there is still limited space available for certain sessions (see below for more details). Great discounts for new campers are available for the 2010 summer.
First time campers may be eligible for one of a number of campership incentives
between $1,000 to $1,500 off the cost of camp fees, potentially even lowering
the cost of enrollment by $2,500. Information on campership incentives
and the Ramah scholarship process are available at www.ramah.org or by contacting Karmi Monsher, Outreach
Coordinator.
Application packets are available for our Gesher (2-week sessions for younger
children) and 4-week programs from our forms page, here.
Limited space is available as follows (based on the camper's Fall 2010 grade level):
*1st Session (June 22 - July 19th) = boys grades 4 thru 9; girls
grades 4 thru 7
*2nd Session (July 22 - August 18th) = boys grades 4 thru 10; girls
grades 4, 5, 6 & 10
*Gesher A (June 22 - July 5th) = boys and girls grades 3 & 4
*Gesher B (July 6 - July 19th) = boys and girls grades 4 & 5
*Gesher C (July 22 - August 4th) = boys grades 3 & 4
*Gesher D (August 5 - 18th) = girls grades 4 & 5
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A Note From Our Business Office
Financial Aid/Scholarship Process Update
Our Scholarship Committee is in the process of reviewing hundreds
of financial aid applications. We will be finalizing the process
and sending award letters in early May. We appreciate your patience and understanding in this matter.
Late Fee Notice *On April 1, 2010 a late fee of $50.00 was charged for any unpaid
balance and to accounts without a payment plan.
*On May 1, 2010 an additional $25.00 late fee will be applied to
unpaid balances and to accounts without a payment plan.
To prevent late fees,
please contact our office and arrange for payment on your account today.
Summer Forms Reminder: We've Gone Green!
We appreciate your working with us this year to complete and
submit your summer camp forms on time. We are sending reminder emails to families who have
forms that are still outstanding and appreciate your patience if you continue
to receive emails even though you have notified us that your forms will be late
or that your forms have already been submitted. All forms are now available online and can be accessed
through your "My Ramah Account". If you have any trouble
accessing your account or certain forms please be in touch with our office for
assistance. Please note that all forms with required fields must be
completed in order for them to be submitted.
If a certain question does not apply, please type in "N/A" (do not
just skip over it). In addition, the Parent Handbook is a resource only document and does not need to be returned to our office.
Transportation information for both buses and flights is now available
online. Please be sure to indicate the correct transportation option as
soon as possible. Please note, if you are flying to LAX or Burbank you
will need to supply us with a copy of your flight itinerary in order for us to
verify your arrival and departure information. Medication Information and Fees Form:
CampMeds continues to be our partner for dispensing medications and all
families who are sending their campers to camp with medications must do so by
registering with CampMeds. This includes all Vitamins, prescription and non prescription medications taken daily or as needed. If CampMeds cannot
accommodate your insurance you must still complete the Medication Information
and Fees Form to notify us so that we can make other arrangements to get the
medications to camp. Avoid the $75 handling fee by enrolling with CampMeds.
Please remember - if you
need any assistance we are here to help!
For other business related matters, feel free to be in touch with Randy
Michaels, Business Director, at [email protected]or (310) 476-8571 ext. 226, or Wendy Morris, Assistant Business Director and
bookkeeper, at [email protected]or (310) 476-8571 ext. 227.
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Camp Ramah Scholarship: Your Gift Will Help More Kids Come to Camp!
Each year, Camp Ramah in California receives notes
like these, thanks to the generosity of many families in the Ramah community. Your gift this year will ensure that we are able to raise enough funds to
provide scholarships to camp for all children in need, to disburse these funds
in a fair and equitable manner, and to provide quality programming for each and
every camper this coming summer.
Last year, in spite of the uneasy economic environment,
we were able to help a record high of 214
families. Just two summers ago, we awarded over $240,000 in scholarships,
but this past summer the need was far greater, for a total of $351,000-an increase of more than 45%. We
could not have made those awards without the help of people like you. This year, we anticipate the need to
approach $400,000.
We
need your help more than ever NOW to
make certain that families will be able to provide their children with a
magical experience at Camp Ramah this year. While the economy poses hardships for each and every one
us, our combined efforts with gifts in any amount, will truly make a difference
for hundreds of children-not just for this summer, but for a lifetime. Click here to make your gift today.
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Ruach Nashim: Woman's Spirit Retreat
Join us for another fabulous year of Ruach Nashim (Woman's Spirit).
Spend a relaxing and transformative Shabbat at Camp Ramah in Ojai.
Dance, sing converse, make new friends and learn with our scholar in residence, Rabbi Shawn Fields-Meyer, at this
special retreat May 7 - 9 (Mother's Day Weekend!)
Bring your
mother, sister, daughter or friends with you to experience this fabulous
opportunity together. You only have a few more weeks to register so do it TODAY!
To register, please visit our website hereor email us at [email protected].
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Join Camp Ramah in California on Facebook & Twitter!
Become a fan of Ramah on Facebook and get our tweets through Twitter! Get updates on all of Ramah's happenings including: special camper contests, enrollment deadlines, Ramah events, Ramah's year round programs, what schools and synagogues we will be visiting, special summer announcements and so much more!
With over 900 fans, join our Facebook community today! To become a fan of ours on our Facebook page, search for Camp Ramah in California in the Facebook search box and add as one of your pages.
To follow Ramah on Twitter simply visit our twitter page at: http://twitter.com/CampRamahCA.
We look forward to keeping in touch with our Ramah community through both Facebook and Twitter!
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Tikvah Corner: Space Still Available for Summer Camp and Family Camp!
Camp Ramah is a home for all Children! Do you have a child with special needs? We still have
room in both of our programs for children with special needs. The Tikvah Program: Our camp within a camp program for
children with special needs, high counselor-camper ratio, individualized
programming and the magic of Camp Ramah!
Camp Ohr Lanu: Our camp for families that have children with
special needs,
programs for the family, for adults, for children with special
needs and for their siblings, one on one care, relaxation, support and
the magic of Camp Ramah! Financial Aid Available for
both programs- contact Tikvah Director, Elana Naftalin-Kelman at [email protected] or give her a call at 310-261-1691 for more
information.
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New Ropes Course & Retreat Center Dedicated!
On Sunday, April 4th, 120 people gathered up at camp for two very special dedications - the new Levine Family Retreat Center and the new Meskin Family Ropes Course. The beautiful day helped to honor two families who have devoted so much to Camp Ramah over the years as well as kick off the opening of two awesome new additions to Ramah.
The gorgeous Levine Family Retreat Center includes eight new premiere adult housing rooms as well as a meeting room to be used both over the summer and throughout the year for rental groups. Our new Meskin Family Ropes Course is quite a sight to see as well - complete with two very challenging high elements and a wonderful low initiative course for team building.
If you or your family is interested in renting the wonderful Levine Retreat Center for a gathering please be in touch with our Operations Director, Elie Mechaly, at (805) 646-3030.
We can't wait for Kayitz 2010 to begin so that our campers and staff can benefit from both the retreat center and the ropes course. See below for some photos taken at the dedication ceremony.
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One More Question 25 Nisan, 5770 / 10th Day of the
Omer Rabbi Daniel Greyber Pesach is over; the Four questions have been asked, but I want to pose one
more about the Passover story. Why were
we enslaved in the first place?
The earliest answer given by the Torah seems to imply that Israel was sent to Israel as part of a divine
plan. Genesis 15:13-16 reads:
"[God] said to Abram, 'Know for a certainty
that your seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall
serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years. Also, that nation whom they shall serve, will
I judge; and afterward shall they come out with great wealth. And you shall go to your fathers in peace;
you shall be buried in a good old age.
But in the fourth generation they shall come here again; for the
iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full."
According to this verse, we (Abraham's descendants) will suffer in Egypt for 400 years because the Amorites had not
yet sinned enough for God to kick them out of the land of Israel! While God will, in the end, give us the land of Israel, such a narrative is nonetheless disturbing. First of all, if the problem was that God
couldn't kick out the Amorites yet, couldn't we have been sent to a "holding
area" - the desert perhaps?? Why did we
need to be enslaved? Second, the
narrative above implies that God made Israel suffer for 400 years unjustly,
not because of something we did, but
rather because of sins another people had yet to commit. We are
left feeling disoriented before an unjust God.
Fortunately, the Torah hints at other reasons why we were enslaved. One is found at the end of the book of
Genesis when Joseph finally settles his family in the land of Egypt. First the Torah describes how Joseph deals
with his own family:
"So Joseph settled his father and his brothers, giving them holdings in the
choicest part of the land
of Egypt, in the region
of Rameses, as Pharoah has commanded. Joseph
sustained his father and his brothers and all his father's household with
bread, down to the little ones" (Genesis 47:11-12).
Just a few verses later, the Torah describes how Joseph dealt with
Egyptians under his care:
"And when money was all spent in the land
of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan,
all the Egyptians came to Joseph, and said, Give us bread; for why should we
die in your presence? for the money is gone. When that year was ended, they came to him
the second year, and said to him, We will not hide it from my lord that our
money is spent; my lord also has our herds of cattle; there is nothing left in
the sight of my lord, but our bodies, and our lands; Why shall we die before
your eyes, both we and our land? buy us and our land for bread, and we
and our land will be slaves to Pharaoh; and give us seed, that we may
live, and not die, that the land be not desolate."
Joseph gives his own family (admittedly at
Pharoah's command) the choicest part of Egypt, while the Egyptians fear
they will die. Joseph sustains his own
family, "down to the little ones," while Egyptians are left to sell themselves
into slavery. The contrast is stark; the
message clear. Egypt will enslave Israel
because Joseph enslaved Egypt.
Such a narrative does not solve every
problem. (Did the Egyptians in Joseph's
time remain slaves to Pharoah for 400 years?
Did they suffer equally as the Israelites did?) Viewing Joseph's behavior as related to why
we suffered in Egypt
offers an important opportunity to ask ourselves: what things about ourselves
must we improve? Rather than merely
blaming the Egyptians - and they were worthy of blame! - we don't stop
there. We also take responsibility for
our own part in the story.
At Ramah, this is a key educational
goal. Too often, kids look around and
blame what happens to them on their parents and siblings, teachers and
friends. Sometimes things are not their
fault. Either way, one can always grow
by looking within and asking, "what role did I play in what happened?" "How can I be a different, better person,
next time around?" Passover is
over. The Four Questions have been
asked. But perhaps we can teach our
children to ask one more question in the months to come. |
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Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Daniel Greyber and Dr. Zach Lasker Executive Director and Camp Director Camp Ramah in California
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Phone us: 888-Camp-Ramah Write us: 17525 Ventura Blvd. Suite 201 Encino, CA 91316 |
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