Camp Ramah in New England's View From the Heights

Meet Emily Meister, S'gan Rosh Nivonim 2012!

We are very excited to announce our 2012 hanhallah (Senior Staff)!  Keep checking the blog this week for more information!

Shalom!  My name is Emily Meister and I will be S’gan Rosh Nivonim this summer!   I was born and raised in Potomac, MD, but since 2001, Palmer, MA has been the only place I can call home during the summer.  I graduated from the Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School in Rockville, MD in 2009, and I am currently a junior at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.  I am majoring in Brain Behavior and Cognitive Science, with a minor in Judaic Studies.  I am currently spending a semester abroad, studying at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.  From my experiences as being both a Nivonim camper and counselor, I know how influential this particular summer can be, and I cannot wait to share this meaningful experience with Nivonim 2012 as S’gan Rosh Nivonim this kayitz (summer)!

Meet Ezra Balser, Rosh Nivonim 2012!

We are very excited to announce our 2012 hanhallah (Senior Staff)!  Keep checking the blog this week for more information!

Shalom!  My name is Ezra Balser and I will be Rosh Nivonim this summer!  I have been a Ramahnik since my Halutzim (entering 6th Grade) summer in 1996 and I have been hooked ever since! I took my freshman year of college aboard and studied at the Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem from 2003-2004.  I received a B.A in Religious Studies from York University in 2008.  While at York, I was a member of Kol Neshama, the York Jewish a cappella choir. I currently serve as a club advisor for Jewish Student Union in the Chicago area as well as serving as the Youth Director at Am Yisrael Conservative Congregation in Northfield, IL.  In the fall I will be entering the Rabbinical School program at Hebrew College in Boston. I have been a Rosh Edah at Camp Ramah in New England since 2010 and I am very excited to be returning for my second year as Rosh Nivonim for kayitz 2012.        

Meet Rami Schwartzer, Rosh Machon 2012!

We are very excited to announce our 2012 hanhallah (Senior Staff)!  Keep checking the blog this week for more information!

Shalom!  My name is Rami Schwartzer and I am so excited to be returning as Rosh Machon this summer.  I am a rabbinical student at the Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS) in New York City and a Gladstein Fellow in Entrepreneurial Rabbinic Leadership. I received a B.A. in philosophy from Columbia University and a B.A. in Talmud & Rabbinics from JTS in December 2010.  In addition to my studies, I work year-round as the Special Projects Coordinator for the National Ramah Commission, housed at JTS. I formerly served as the Youth Director of the Pelham Jewish Center in Westchester County, NY and helped pioneer the unique educational goals of Tribeca Hebrew in lower Manhattan. I live in Manhattan’s Upper West Side with my wife Adina Rosen, a Community Liaison Worker in the Bellevue Hospital psychiatric units.  I am very excited to be returning to Camp Ramah in New England for my third summer as a Rosh Edah, and my second summer as Rosh Machon!

Meet Eva Jablow, S'gan Rosh Bogrim 2012!

We are very excited to announce our 2012 hanhallah (Senior Staff)!  Keep checking the blog this week for more information!

Shalom!  My name is Eva Jablow and I will be S’gan Rosh Bogrim this summer!  I'm graduating this May from Connecticut College with a degree in Human Development. Things I love include: a cappella, writing stories, chocolate, volleyball and camp! This will be my 12th summer at Ramah and I am delighted that I will be working in Bogrim. See you in kayitz 2012!!

Meet Daniel Rabin, Rosh Bogrim 2012!

We are very excited to announce our 2012 hanhallah (Senior Staff)!  Keep checking the blog this week for more information!

Shalom!  My name is Daniel Rabin and I am so excited that I am going to be returning for my second year as Rosh Bogrim this summer!! I am a senior at the University of Maryland majoring in chemistry. Ramah has always been a part of my life.  I was a camper at Camp Ramah in California for three summers and this will be my third summer working at Camp Ramah in New England.  In my free time I love singing with my a cappella group and playing basketball. I am so excited for this summer, I can't wait to see you all! 

Meet David Offit, Rosh Magshimim 2012!

We are very excited to announce our 2012 hanhallah (Senior Staff)!  Keep checking the blog this week for more information!

Shalom!  My name is David Offit and I'm so excited to be Rosh Magshimim for kayitz (summer) 2012! This will be my 10th summer at Camp, and I just can't wait to be back. Right now, I'm a junior in the Joint Program between Columbia University and the Jewish Theological Seminary, majoring in American Studies and Bible. When I'm not in class, I'm performing on stage at Columbia or working as a member of the Executive Board of the Columbia/Barnard Hillel. I'm originally from Newton, MA, but I'm so happy to be back in my real home--Palmer! L'hitraot (See you soon)! 

Meet Elisheva Layman, Rosh Amitzim 2012!

We are very excited to announce our 2012 hanhallah (Senior Staff)!  Keep checking the blog this week for more information!

Shalom! My name is Elisheva Layman and I am excited to be returning for my second summer as Rosh Amitzim. I am currently a senior at the University of Maryland studying Special Education. I absolutely LOVE camp. This will be my 5th summer on staff and my 12th summer total in Palmer. I love hanging out with my friends, traveling, spending time my family and having fun. I can't wait to see you all this summer and return as Rosh Amitzim! 

Photo of the Week! (Feb. 19-25)

Welcome back to our ongoing series, Photo of the Week!

We invite all the readers of this blog to submit their own photos for use in this Photo of the Week series!  The photos need to be from Camp Ramah in New England, but they can be from any year (not just kayitz 2011).  Any great photo will be considered -- the photo could be of campers or of staff; it could be of a particularly beautiful spot at camp; it could be an action shot or just a great photo of Ramahniks relaxing and having fun at camp.  The very best photos will be posted as a part of this continuing series, AND whoever submitted the photo will receive a fun bit of Ramah paraphernalia in the mail!  (I have a lot of fun stuff to give away.)  Please e-mail all photos to joshe@campramahne.org with the subject-line "Photo of the Week."

This week's photo is from Yom Sport (Color War) this past summer.  It was taken by Magshimim counselor (and mishlachat member) Shlomi Edelshtein:

Thanks for sending the great photo, Shlomi!

Ramah Staff Attend REELabilities Film Festival!

TIkvah Staff past and present from Ramah New England, Darom and Wisconsin joined New York area Tikvah parents last Saturday night at REELabilities, a unique abilities/disabilities film festival. The festival, which now takes place in several US cities, was started in 2007.  The NY festival is the largest in the country dedicated to promoting awareness and appreciation of the lives, stories and artistic expressions of people with different disabilities.

For the staff members from the various Ramah special needs programs, this marks another wonderful opportunity to get together in the off season, share ideas and discuss important issues.

The Hebrew language film, MABUL ("flood" or "storm"), featured an Israeli young man with autism who returns home on short notice from  his "institution."  The film shows the painful struggles of the family and community.  

We are most apprciative to Rabbi Mitch Cohen and the National Ramah Commission (and to our various funders) for making it possible for Tikvah staff and families to view the film free of charge.  We enjoyed seeing a number of friends of Tikvah at the event, and we loved the 16 Handles ice cream we shared during our post film discussion!  

Meet Merav Bayar, Rosh Shoafim 2012!

We are very excited to announce our 2012 hanhallah (Senior Staff)!  Keep checking the blog this week for more information!

Shalom!  My name is Merav Bayar and I am so excited to be Rosh Shoafim this summer! I am currently finishing up my Junior Year at Rutgers University and majoring in Religion. This will be my fourth summer working at Camp Ramah New England. In previous summers I was an Ilanot, Solelim and Shoafim counselor and last year I worked as a member of the Teva (nature/outdoors) staff. I love to sing, play sports, camp out in nature but mostly I enjoy having a great time and helping people have an amazing time as well.