Reflections on Our Third Year of TikvahNet
Reflections on our third year of TikvahNet: How we’ve expanded social and leadership opportunities for Ramah alumni with disabilities
by Maya Albin, TikvahNet Coordinator
It has been almost three years since we launched TikvahNet, Ramah’s virtual vocational training and socialization program for current Tikvah participants (aged 18+) and Ramah alumni with disabilities. Our in-person and virtual programs have engaged over 100 Ramah alumni with disabilities from across North America, and we have many exciting initiatives on the horizon.
Even as we exit from COVID isolation, we continuously hear from participants and their families that this virtual community remains an important social network. One participant explained, “TikvahNet sessions meant a lot to me and they made me feel good and I enjoyed being on them and they were always something to look forward to, especially during the pandemic”. Virtual events allow friends to connect across countries and time zones. Another participant reflected, “It’s amazing that there is a program where all Tikvah participants from all of the Ramah camps get together and learn about each other.”
The sessions provide a safe method of socialization for individuals who are immunocompromised or for whom traveling to in-person events would be challenging. We continue to welcome guest speakers, celebrate Jewish holidays, cook, exercise, sing, and dance together twice a month on Zoom.
Several new TikvahNet initiatives focus on providing leadership opportunities for our participants and inspiring them to be changemakers in their own communities. We encourage TikvahNet attendees to tell us their creative program ideas and we provide support to help make them possible. One participant wanted to teach ivrit, (Hebrew) and did so with passion at our Tu Bishvat event a few weeks ago. Next month, one of our participants will be running a Purim program that she planned herself. She will lead a discussion about song lyrics and how they relate to Esther’s characteristics.
In addition to leading programs at TikvahNet, participants support and mentor each other during the unstructured “social time” portion of the calls. A participant recently raised her hand to share with the group, “I am very scared to do a resume for my job, what should I do?” Several participants eagerly spoke up to share their own experiences. One shared, “It is really important that they know what you have done, so then they can see if what you have done works with their environment and what they want in a person.” Many others shared their experiences and offered to continue the discussion offline.
On our calls, participants frequently share life updates, such as new jobs, birthdays, and new life partners, and also lean on each other for support through challenging aspects of their lives as well (e.g., loneliness, illness, or death in their families). We know that the TikvahNet space is the primary social outlet for many of our participants, and are proud to have created a safe and inclusive space for all that only continues to grow and deepen.
The success of TikvahNet during the pandemic enabled the National Ramah Tikvah Network to begin hosting in-person gatherings for Tikvah participants and alumni from multiple camps. In June 2022 and January 2023, we had our first in-person leadership tracks for Tikvah alumni with disabilities as part of our movement-wide leadership training conferences. They joined division heads, senior counselors, rabbis, and other Ramah leaders to further develop their skills and make new friends. They took part in all large group programs and attended track-specific sessions focused on skills such as self-advocacy, managing downtime, healthy relationships and consent, and goal setting for camp.
They also exercised leadership skills throughout the conference. They described their experiences of inclusion at camp with the other attendees. They gave them advice on how to elevate inclusion initiatives, explaining “we’re different, but not that different” and how much they love “to be part of it, to be included”. Other leadership moments included participants with several years of work experience sharing words of wisdom and encouragement with participants who were beginning their work journeys and turning to one another for guidance on navigating social and professional interactions at camp.
Participants spoke highly of their experience, with one sharing “I really felt like I was included in the whole staff conference even if we were in separate groups at some times. During meals and free time, I would engage with everyone…I absolutely had a fabulous time.”
In the coming months and years, we will continue to expand our offerings for Ramah alumni with disabilities. At the time of this writing, twenty-three adults with disabilities ages 18-31 who are current Tikvah participants or alumni from our North American Ramah camps are on their way home from a Tikvah Birthright Israel trip. Accompanied by Howard Blas, National Ramah Tikvah Network director, and eight other Tikvah staff members, these young adults spent 10 days in Israel experiencing sites, people, culture, and Israeli camp friends. We look forward to being inspired as we read about their Israel journey, and are eager to continue to explore ways to conduct in-person gatherings for Tikvah participants and alumni in 2023.
Read more about TikvahNet
Growing Virtual Vocational and Social Programs for Ramah Alumni with Disabilities (February 2022, by Maya Albin, TikvahNet Coordinator)
TikvahNet: Ramah’s Virtual Vocational Training and Socialization Program (February 2021, by Maya Albin, TikvahNet Coordinator)
Reflections on Six Amazing Weeks of Tikvah Virtual Vocational Training and Socializing (August 2020, Howard Blas, National Ramah Tikvah Network Director)