Amy Skopp Cooper, CEO, National Ramah Commission, Inc.

Reflections on Kayitz 2024 (as of June 25)

In the past week, I have visited Camp Ramah in the Berkshires, Ramah Day Camp in Nyack, and Camp Ramah Darom. Each visit has afforded me the opportunity to speak with our young adult staff members and listen as they share reflections from the past year. I heard from North American college students—many of whom have experienced antisemitism for the first time in their lives—and shlichim, many of whom left Gaza just weeks ago. Their stories reinforce my conviction that this might be the most important year in Ramah's history. It is at Ramah this summer where these young adults will find Jewish community, form meaningful and authentic friendships, create safe space for dialogue and listening, and mark Jewish time together. I ask our tzevet (staff) to think about their summer aspirations, and encourage them to be exceptional staff, relationship builders, Jewish role models, learners, and teachers. I tell them, “When you aspire, you inspire.”

At Camp Ramah in the Berkshires, I arrived for shavua hachanah (staff week) in time for joyful and fervent tefillot. It was only day two, and staff were already exploring how they could create this type of impactful tefillah environment for their campers. The famed Berkshires farm, used for farm to table cooking, is primed to open; the agam (lake) is sparkling and ready for swimmers; hiking trails have been cleared; and the arts wings are reimagining their programs. Berkshires has spent the past year focusing on programmatic excellence; this is clearly evident as one walks around camp.

I was at Ramah Day Camp in Nyack for its opening and boisterous migrash dancing. Despite the excessive heat, the mood, as always, was jubilant; campers and staff wait all year long to gather on the migrash. Nyack has a very large mishlachat and you could already feel their energy. Dancing finished, and staff were off for a very full day of training. Shavua hachanah at Nyack opened with several meaningful Israel ceremonies, including a large yellow ribbon counter and a wall in the pool house dedicated to one of the hostages, Omer Neutra, a former Nyack swim staff member. We pray for Omer’s imminent return, along with that of all of the hostages.

Along with Dr. Shuly Rubin Schwartz, Chancellor of The Jewish Theological Seminary, I spent Shabbat at Camp Ramah Darom. Darom welcomed campers on June 5, and it was wonderful to join the entire Darom community in their joyous celebration of Shabbat. In addition to beautiful tefillot, and a havdalah that is renowned across the Ramah world, it was an opportunity for the Chancellor and I to meet individually with camp's JTS students and the many teens and staff members considering their aspirations for Jewish leadership roles. There is nothing more fulfilling than speaking with young adults whose passion for Jewish leadership is born at Ramah. The Chancellor encouraged them to become the next generation of clergy, educators, and social workers, and to explore all that JTS has to offer. The #JTSRamahconnection is strong.

The beauty and uniqueness of Ramah is that our commitment to hadracha—young adult Jewish leadership and Jewish learning—starts at our camps during shavua hachanah, continues throughout the entire camp season, and—for many—throughout the year as they attend the Bert B. Weinstein Leadership Institute (counselor training), the Louis & Shoshanah Winer Institute for Rosh Edah Training, our Ramah Birthright Israel Onward college volunteer mission to Israel, Ramah College Network programs on campuses and Reshet Ramah Ba’Ir events in cities across North America. We will not miss an opportunity to encourage them to explore their aspirations.

For when our young adults aspire, they will in turn inspire the thousands of children entering our gates. They too need Ramah more than ever before.

What Are Your Aspirations for This Summer?