Highlights of the Ramah: Onward from 60 Conference and Celebration Sunday, October 14, 2007   More than 450 professional and lay leaders, funders and camper and staff alumni from seven overnight camps, three day camps, and Israel programs-all proudly bearing the name Ramah-came together at The Jewish Theological Seminary on Sunday, October 14, 2007 to celebrate 60 years of Jewish camping. The "Onward from Sixty" conference and celebration was underwritten by a generous grant from Phyllis and Ab Flatt of Toronto, Canada. The Ramah Camping Movement currently serves over 6,500 campers and 1,500 college-aged staff members each summer, and has touched tens of thousands of lives over the past 60 years. Keynote Address by JTS Chancellor Arnold Eisen Professor Arnold M. Eisen, the new chancellor of The Jewish Theological Seminary, stated in his keynote address that "Ramah is one of the most successful endeavors the Conservative Movement has ever created, because at Ramah we can create Jewish time and Jewish space, without interruption from general society." Chancellor Eisen continued, "We need to take the lessons and patterns of Ramah and extend them to many other aspects of our Movement, to inspire more commitment, more passion, and more Jewish pride." Presentations on Impact and Innovation in the Ramah Camping Movement Programs throughout the day featured discussions on a wide range of topics, including Israel programming, leadership development, the educational mission of Ramah, special needs camping, and research studies on the impact of Ramah on the Jewish attitudes and practices of college students. Trinity College researcher Dr. Ariella Keysar presented her extraordinary findings about the significant impact of Ramah on college students, noting that Ramah graduates are three times more likely to date only Jews, four times more likely to attend synagogue services, and three times as likely as the general Jewish population to spend significant time in Israel. At another session, presenter Dr. Joseph Reimer of Brandeis University, a Ramah alumnus, urged the audience to encourage the best and brightest of the Conservative Movement to consider becoming future directors of Ramah camps.   Other presenters included Rabbi Michael Greenbaum, Vice Chancellor and Chief Operating Officer at JTS; Dr. Shuly Rubin Schwartz, Dean of JTS's List College; Dr. Steven Brown, Dean of JTS's Davidson Graduate School of Jewish Education; Dr. Jeffrey Kress, Professor of Jewish Education at JTS; Dr. Joe Freedman, Director of Ramah Programs in Israel; Yaara Shteinhart Moghadam, doctoral candidate at JTS; Howard Blas, Director of the Tikvah Program at Ramah New England; and Margaret Danishefsky, Ramah Berkshires camper parent.   Panel: "Investing in Ramah: Our Extraordinary Past and Dreams for the Future" In addition to camp reunions, dinner, singing and Israeli dancing, the conference featured a panel discussion entitled "Investing in Ramah: Our Extraordinary Past and Dreams for the Future. The discussion was moderated by National Ramah Director, Rabbi Mitchell Cohen, and National Ramah Assistant Director, Amy Skopp Cooper. Rabbi Cohen stated that "Ramah camps, through their integrated systems of formal and informal Jewish educational experiences, inspire young people to become more committed to Judaism as a culture, a religion, and as a way of life." Panelists included philanthropist Harold Grinspoon and the president of the Foundation for Jewish Camping, Jerry Silverman. Both encouraged federations, foundations and funders to give more generously to Jewish camping, which is now recognized as the most effective vehicle for building strong Jewish identity. Another panelist, Dr. John Ruskay, a Ramah alumnus and currently the executive vice president and CEO of the UJA-Federation of New York, urged the Ramah leadership to maintain and strengthen Ramah's religious and educational core values. Peter Geffen of Kivunim, also a Ramah alumnus, emphasized that an extraordinarily large percentage of North American professional Jewish leadership shares a Ramah experience. Panelists Ab Flatt, former President of Camp Ramah in Canada, and Julie Beren Platt, current President of Camp Ramah in California, emphasized the tremendous impact of attending Ramah, for both campers and staff. Evening Progam During the evening session, which began with some beautiful singing from the Ramah a cappella group, Mort and Miriam Steinberg were thanked for their creation of a National Ramah staff training fund for connecting North American Ramahniks with the youth leadership of Jewish communities in Europe and South America. Mort Steinberg, former President of Ramah Wisconsin and immediate past President of the National Ramah Commission, was also presented with the Pras Ramah, the highest Ramah award given for extraordinary commitment and devotion to Ramah camping. Although unable to attend, Ramah founder and visionary Sylvia Ettenberg was also awarded the Pras Ramah. Rabbi Mitch Cohen and Amy Skopp Cooper presented the award in person to Sylvia at her apartment in New York City this week.   The day culminated with a screening of "Ramah: Transforming Lives," a newly-produced short film, as well as in-house entertainment from Ramah alumni who have gone on to become professionals in theater, music and opera. The live performances were directed by Jonathan Adam Ross and Sarah Cohen, and included artists Yoni Avital, Brian Gelfand, Jake Goodman, Naomi Less, Caissie Levy, and Rena Panush.   Throughout the day, Ramah alumni from 60 years reunited and told stories of the great impact that Ramah has had on their lives. In one touching moment, the president of Camp Ramah in California, Julie Beren Platt, whose husband Marc Platt is the producer of the Broadway show Wicked, became acquainted with Caissie Levy, a member of the current Wicked cast on Broadway and a former camper and staff member at Camp Ramah in Canada. As Julie met and embraced Caissie, soon to be the lead in the Los Angeles production of Wicked, they both commented that their Ramah connection made this very special. Conference co-chairs included Morton M. Steinberg, Chair, Board of Trustees of the National Ramah Commission, Inc.; Rabbi Mitchell Cohen, National Ramah Director; Amy Skopp Cooper, National Ramah Assistant Director; and Dr. Jeffrey Kress, Assistant Professor of Jewish Education, The Jewish Theological Seminary.