Reflections on Our Year | Israel | Leadership Development
Reshet Ramah Year-Round Engagement | Support for Camps | Acknowledgments
Annual Leadership Conferences and Travel Experiences
Bert B. Weinstein Leadership Institute
January 4–7, 2024 | Camp Ramah in California
Over 100 Ramah tzevet (staff) members came together for the 2024 Bert B. Weinstein Leadership Institute. (View full schedule and program tracks.) Weinstein always comes at a time of year when our college-aged staff members yearn for their Ramah community, but this year’s program was particularly meaningful, as it provided a sense of community and healing following the events of October 7th and their impact on college campuses.
Year-round Ramah professionals led sessions and modeled leadership strategies, focusing on fundamental skills such as Jewish education, community care, and programming. In addition, there was an emphasis on Israel and confronting antisemitism on college campuses. Participants were fortunate to learn from Dr. Jonathan Golden of the Shalom Hartman Institute, who provided frameworks for processing recent events and moderating conversations between diverse community members who may not always agree.
“Weinstein was so necessary and so healing…This is the time when we need a camp Shabbat and general experience most”
“One of the most beautiful moments of the weekend was singing slow songs at Seudah Shlishit. I alternated between closing my eyes, allowing all of the voices to wash over me, and looking around at everyone in the circle, reaffirming the power of the Jewish people and the communities we create.”
This year, both Tikvah counselors and vocational training participants attended Weinstein, learning what disability support looks like at different Ramah camps and joining in as active participants in all sessions. Weinstein concluded with a day of service and learning about the intersection of Jewish learning and environmentalism, led by Marci Greenberg, a marine biologist and Jewish educator at Ramah Galim.
Louis & Shoshanah Winer Institute for Rosh Edah Training
May 21–22, 2024 | Jerusalem & June 3–5, 2024 | Camp Ramah New England
Our annual Louis & Shoshanah Winer Institute for Rosh Edah Training took place in two locations this spring: in Jerusalem between our two May mission trips and at Camp Ramah in New England in early June. All together, 34 rashei edot from 11 Ramah camps gathered in preparation for their roles as leaders, educators, supervisors, and care providers.
Participants discovered tactics to elevate their tefillot, structured their individual staff week sessions, committed to holding one another accountable for practicing self-care throughout the summer, and were introduced to the new National Ramah Israel Curriculum.
“Winer was a great opportunity to help me feel tangibly prepared for my first summer as a rosh edah.”
“I love coming to Winer because every year I not only get to meet new people who are doing the same job I am over the summer, but I also get to see new perspectives on challenges I’ve had in the past.”
“Attending Winer not only helped me feel more prepared to be a rosh, but also gave me a meaningful experience with rashei edot from many different Ramah camps!”
Every year, rashei edot leave Winer valuing the relationships they build with other participants across the Ramah movement. On the last night, as part of a beautiful tradition and highlight of Winer, rashei edot were encouraged to share their “Ramah story” with the group around the medura (bonfire). Our participants are eager to return to their camps equipped with practical skills to provide another incredible summer for our campers.
Ha’dor Yizkor: A Reshet Ramah Poland Journey
May 19-26, 2024
Ha'dor Yizkor was created in response to the interest expressed by several Ramah alumni in their 20s, seeking to honor the lives lost in the Shoah, reconnect with significant sites in their families' histories, and explore both the historical and contemporary Jewish life of Eastern Europe. This journey was designed to provide young adults with a profound and communal experience, grounded in the values and traditions of the Ramah community that has been integral to their Jewish education.
“My trip to Poland felt like the missing piece of my Jewish education. As a Jewish professional, I returned from this trip feeling better equipped to meet this moment of Jewish community thanks to my Ramah educators and peers.”
“I need to be a participant before I can be an educator, and it is abundantly clear to me that there’s no better or more fulfilling option than getting to participate in a Poland experience with Ramah”
On May 19, 2024, 14 young adults, including 12 Ramah alumni – seven of whom are emerging Jewish professionals or lay leaders – began this journey in Warsaw. Over a week, participants engaged deeply with the vibrant history of Jewish life in Poland, bore witness to the atrocities of the Holocaust, and grappled with the complexities of modern Jewish existence in Poland. Throughout the journey, participants led tefillot, shared personal stories, and words of Torah, and reflected on their experiences through journaling and group discussions.
Year-Round Training Programs
Kerem Young Professionals Cohort
Kerem is a track for emerging Jewish professionals working full-time at Ramah camps. The cohort provides support, mentorship from senior Ramah professionals, and ongoing training during the first three post-college years. The current cohort consists of 10 young professionals who meet on a regular basis and gather in person once or twice each year.
Highlights from 2023–24:
From February 2-4, 2024, Kerem celebrated Shabbat in Riverdale, NY, where they had the opportunity to reflect on working full-time for Ramah, bond with other members of the cohort, and gain insights from other camps.
Matt Goldstein, an associate at Tempus Financial Group and a proud Ramah Canada alumnus, provided personal finance tips to Kerem members.
Members of the Kerem cohort participated in the May Israel trips.
“Ariella has provided tremendous support as my mentor over the past two years. I have valued the opportunity to chat with a senior Ramah leader from another camp about my professional growth, challenges I have encountered, and how to navigate this painful year for the Jewish community.”
“When I started this program, I thought it was primarily about me “giving back” to the younger emerging leaders at Ramah. As I started getting to know my mentee, Adina, and we went through the various blessings and challenges of the last two years, I realized that I was learning so much from my mentee. She helped me feel connected to what was happening on the ground, to what some of our staff and alumni may be experiencing and was a really helpful sounding board and mirror about various topics. This has been a symbiotic relationship and one I cherish deeply.”
Youth Mental Health First Aid
Ten college students received Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) certification through either virtual or in-person training.
Rabbi Alexander M. Shapiro Fellowship
Twelve Shapiro Fellows worked at seven different Ramah camps in summer 2024, teaching children, crafting innovative curricula, and inspiring love for Israel and the Jewish people.
Songleader Boot Camp (SLBC)
Sixteen members of the Ramah community participated in SLBC, enhancing their music, tefillah, and leadership skills.
Amitei Ramah Fellowships for Young Ramah Alumni
Ramah Service Corps Fellows
This year, 247 Ramah Service Corps Fellows developed and implemented approximately 300 programs impacting over 3,500 individuals. They organized holiday and Shabbat programs and retreats, managed social media, contributed to future educational programming, provided ongoing Tikvah calls, organized teen leadership opportunities, and engaged with the wider Ramah community through various events and celebrations. Through partnerships with local synagogues and other organizations, fellows established a strong presence in the community, building important relationships with families.
“I really appreciated how my director, Anna, drew back the curtains and respected what I had to say as if I were truly a full-time, year-round staff member. I was able to see the entire grant application process and see it through until what we had set out to do would be finished. Anna has served as such a great mentor for me — her mentorship was definitely the highlight of this experience for me.”
“I was responsible this past year for engaging with alumni of the Tikvah and Atzmayim programs from Ramah Wisconsin throughout the year with social Zoom calls. Participants of the calls took a bigger role with leading conversations with each other which was really fun to see. People enjoyed being able to talk directly to their friends they haven’t seen in a while. I enjoy my role with keeping this community connected and realize that it’s very appreciated amongst the participants and their families. I’m grateful for the opportunity to hang out with a bunch of people who I love and care deeply about.”
With the support and guidance of the National Ramah Commission, Fellows receive resources, programmatic assistance, and education to empower them to create a meaningful difference within their communities. By appealing to exceptional young talent and encouraging them to pursue careers in Jewish communal service, the Fellowship fosters a new generation of Jewish leaders.
TikvahNet Vocational Training and Socialization
TikvahNet, Ramah’s virtual vocational training and socialization program designed for current Tikvah participants (aged 18+) and Ramah alumni, continues to thrive, engaging over 110 Ramah alumni with disabilities from across North America on a bi-weekly basis. The program fosters leadership opportunities and encourages participants to be changemakers within their communities.
Here's what our participants had to say:
“I enjoy when TikvahNet participants lead activities. The guest speakers are showing us something that they want other TikvahNet participants to know about.”
“They all did a phenomenal job leading as well as the guest speakers. I really got to learn alot from them. Hopefully more guest speakers for the future.”
“TikvahNet sessions meant a lot to me. This year has been a hard year. There have been so many twists and turns that happened this year that I wasn’t expecting. TikvahNet helped me get distracted from what was going on and I focused on what was going on during TikvahNet. Thank you to all of the staff for an amazing year. Can’t wait to see what is in store for next year.”
“This year was the first year that participants of TikvahNet could teach during TikvahNet. I am very proud of that because it gave participants the opportunity to show that they can think outside the box and teach things that were interesting to them. It also gave participants the opportunity to learn about things that might not have been interesting to them without a participant teaching about the subject they were teaching.”
To further address the evolving needs of Tikvah families, we launched the Tikvah Family Speaker Series. This series brings together guest speakers, including professionals and parents, to address key topics such as adulthood, financial planning, housing, and employment for individuals with disabilities.