Camp Ramah in the Berkshires

src: reshetramah.org

Camp Ramah in the Berkshires in Wingdale, New York, is one of nine overnight summer camps and three day camps affiliated with the Conservative Movement of Judaism and the National Ramah Commission. It is accredited by the American Camp Association. The camp sits on 299-acre (1.21 km²) site in Dutchess County, New York, about 30 miles (48 km) southwest of the Massachusetts border and the Berkshire Mountains, on Lake Ellis.

Video Camp Ramah in the Berkshires

Religious orientation

Camp Ramah is a religiously oriented camp that observes the laws of Shabbat and Kashrut. Hebrew is widely used in all facets of camp life, from the names for buildings, physical infrastructure, and services, to camp activities and programs. Campers attend daily religious prayer services. On Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, the campers execute the traditional Torah service of reading of the Jewish holy book. Also the campers attend classes or programs which the camp has set up to structure their Jewish background.

Counselors and alumni describe their summers at Ramah as one of the most formative experiences of their childhoods and a primary influence on their Jewish identity.

Maps Camp Ramah in the Berkshires

Administration

From 2003 until 2017, the camp director was Rabbi Paul Resnick. Currently, the camp director is Rabbi Ethan Linden, and the Assistant Director is Rabbi Ari Perten. Rabbi Jerome (Jerry) Abrams was the founder of the camp in 1964. He is now Director Emeritus. Rabbi David Mogilner, Rabbi Sheldon (Shelley) Dorph, David August, and Rabbi Burton Cohen were directors in late 1960 and 1970s. Ben Schluger was Rosh Sport for the second half of the summer of 2016, succeeding Aytan Goodman, who served in the post from 2008 through the first half of 2016.

src: www.onehappycampernj.org

Special programs

The camp annually holds a Labor Day weekend for alumni of the camp that are 22 years old and over.

src: i.ytimg.com

Az Ich Filzengen and Adir Kevodo

On Friday nights, the camp is led in song and jokes by delegates from the softball and frisbee teams. They are currently held by Jonah Seinfeld (Az) and Ben Gutstein (Adir). Past representatives include:

src: www.onehappycampernj.org

Divisions

Campers are divided by age groups, called Edot in Hebrew:

src: upload.wikimedia.org

See also

• Judaism
• Jewish education

src: www.onehappycampernj.org

References

src: www.onehappycampernj.org

External links

• Camp Ramah in the Berkshires website
• National Ramah Commission website
• "Research Findings on the Impact of Camp Ramah," 2004
• Jewish Summer Camps in America
• Ramah at 60: Reflections

Source of article : Wikipedia