Davidson Detroit Fellowship Grant Renewed for Two Additional Years

July 27, 2015

The National Ramah Commission is delighted to announce that the William Davidson Foundation has awarded a $530,000 grant to Ramah to renew the funding of the Ramah Davidson Detroit Fellowship for an additional two years. Established in 2013, the program brings three young professionals, all Ramah staff alumni, to work full time within the Metro Detroit Jewish community and area Conservative synagogues. Fellows organize a variety of Ramah-style programs, including Chanukah and Pesach day camps during school vacations, and serve as ambassadors to actively promote Ramah in the community. During the past two years, thanks to the work of the Davidson Detroit Fellows, there has been a sizable increase in the number of campers attending Camp Ramah in Canada from the Metro Detroit area.

In addition to the Davidson Detroit Fellowship, our signature Ramah Service Corps program places Ramah staff to work part time in synagogues and schools across North America organizing programs and recruiting campers for Ramah. To date, more than 100 young Ramah staff alumni have participated in the Service Corps, infusing sites with their enthusiasm and passion and increasing the number of campers across the Ramah movement. The Ramah Service Corps, initially funded by an Ignition Grant from the Covenant Foundation and the Foundation for Jewish Camp, is currently funded by an anonymous foundation.

Rebecca Starr will continue to serve as senior mentor and consultant to the Davidson Detroit Fellowship project and Darrien Sherman will assume the role of project coordinator. Both Rebecca and Darrien have been integral members of the project team since its inception, and we are grateful for their extraordinary leadership, vision, and commitment. Three additional Service Corps Fellows will join the team in September.