Shalom to all 2012 Amitzim campers! Check out this short message from Rosh Amitzim Elisheva Layman!
Tikvah
April 23, 2012
April 02, 2012
Machon 2011 Campers Get Involved in "Shabbos is Calling"!!
This week, our regular Tikvah "Shabbos Is Calling" program had a different spin on it! Instead of having our Amitzim counselors lead the call, a few of our 2011 Machon Helpers, Roni Mandelkern, Claire Mendelson and Elisheva Blas helped out. Everyone had a really great time!
After checking their microphones to make sure that we could hear everyone, everyone on the call talked about how their week went. Sammy reminded us that camp is coming up in 88 days. Ari and Bennett said that they are looking forward to swimming at camp, which reminded everyone of swimming with the Machon Helpers this past summer. Everyone is excited for summer to start! The group also talked about Passover, which is coming up next week. Roni, Sam, Ben, Rebecca, and Claire all said that they are going to visit their grandparents. Everyone had fun getting ready for Shabbat by singing “Shabbos Is Coming” and “Od Yavo Shalom.” Finally, we ended by singing Rad Hayom together with our arms crossed, and then we said our goodbyes.
March 30, 2012
Tikvah Director Howard Blas to Receive S’fatai Tiftakh Award at Hebrew College!
We are very excited to share this special announcement with the Ramah community. MAZAL TOV, Howard!
Anyone who has spent time at Camp Ramah in New England is immediately aware that this camp is magical for the campers who live among their peers, creating a Jewish space, time, and community. And part of its magic is that the community is inclusive through the Tikvah program. Typically developing campers live with and alongside individuals with special needs. Those with special needs may be part of regular bunks, part of the Amitzim edah, the vocational program, or the staff as part of a post-vocational program. As the first Ramah camp to offer an edah for teens with special needs, this program has become a model for an inclusive Jewish community.
Howard Blas’ Support of Inclusion
Since Howard Blas became the director of the program he has expanded the program by making it even more inclusive, by extending the program into bunk life. Some campers with special needs are included in the “regular” edot in bunks with an extra counselor. The counselors interact with all the campers in their bunk; no shadow counselor provides one-to-one support for the camper with special needs.
Having spent six years working with the founders of Tikvah, Herb and Barbara Greenberg, Howard learned a great deal from them and continues to meet with them regularly, providing updates about Tikvah. He has continued their initial Israel trip for Tikvah and has taken as many as five trips since becoming Tikvah Director. Pictures and blogs from these trips show smiling Ramahniks floating in the Dead Sea, praying at the Kotel, and spending time with the Mishlachat staff and counselors who are studying in Israel.
Selected as a Jim Joseph Fellow, Howard has extended the life of the Tikvah Ramahniks in a virtual community where they continue their friendships throughout the winter months, maintaining contact and wishing each other Shabbat Shalom.
In his relaxed and competent way, Howard serves as a mentor to many campers and staff who interact with their Tikvah friends and find new career paths that build on these powerful Ramah experiences.
Award Presentation
In recognition of his important contributions to creating inclusive Jewish lives for those with special needs, Hebrew College’s Center for Jewish Special Education will present the S’fatai Tiftakh award to Howard Blas at our fourth annual national GISHA (access) conference, “Creating Jewish Inclusive Classrooms for the 21st Century” (www.hebrewcollege.edu). The award ceremony will be April 30th from 8:45 – 9:45am. We hope you will join us at Hebrew College and show your support for Howard’s work. He will be receiving the award, making acceptance remarks and presenting a workshop at 10AM, “EngagingJewish Young Adults with Special Needs: The ‘Shabbos is Calling’ Model of Year Round Engagement.” Please contact Ami Blaszkowsky at [email protected] or 617.559.8624 for further information. Donations to Hebrew College in honor of Howard will be acknowledged in the program brochure.
February 19, 2012
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!
February 17, 2012
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!
January 11, 2012
Please Join Us for a Ramah Tikvah Shabbat in Rockville, MD!
We are excited to announce a Ramah "Tikvah style Shabbat" program at B'nai Israel in Rockville, MD!
The program will be on Saturday morning, January 28th, from 11:15 AM - 12:15. This is a totally FREE program and all families who have children ages 9 - 18 with special needs are encouraged to attend. This special Shabbat morning program will give families a taste of Camp Ramah and a fun Shabbat experience.
For more information or to RSVP please contact Elisheva Layman at [email protected] or at 301-775-5763. To view a flyer for this event, click here!
B'nai Israel Congregation is located at 6301 Montrose Rd., Rockville, MD, 20852
January 04, 2012
An Open Letter to the Mishlochot: The Special Tikvah/Mishlochot Relationship
Thank you to so many of our mishlochot friends who came from all over Israel to visit with our Tikvah Ramah Israel Program participants during our recent Israel trip. Thank you for hosting us in your homes in Beit Shemesh and Modiin. Thanks for taking us swimming and making us a beautiful picnic lunch in Caesaria. Thanks for traveling from Rishon Letzion and other places to the Palmach Museum in Tel Aviv for a visit during our short lunch break. Thanks for hanging out with us at the Robinson's Arch, the Kotel, the Jewish Quarter and on the midrechov in Jerusalem.
Yes, it is wonderful seeing the important sites of Israel. But it is the people of Israel who make Israel truly come alive! You come to camp as shlichim and bring Israel to us; you return to Israel with a new understanding and appreciation of people with disabilies--and so many abilities. Please continue your work as shichim on behalf of atttidue change toward people with special needs. Keep up the great work! We are so appreciative to all of you.
Sincerely, The Tikvah Ramah Israel Program participants
December 28, 2011
December 26, 2011
More Photos from our TIKVAH Trip to ISRAEL!
Our Tikvah group is continuing to have a blast in Israel! Here are more photos:
December 25, 2011
Photos from our TIKVAH Trip to ISRAEL!!
As I write this, a large group of our TIKVAH campers are participating in an exciting Ramah Tikvah Israel trip! Our Tikvah Director, Howard Blas, assisted by wonderful group of Ramah staff-members, are touring Israel with this group of excited campers. Here are some photos:
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