The Campaign for Camp Ramah in New England

I remember the singing and the

dancing and the prayer.

Camp Ramah in New England wa

s the place where I felt the J

ewish

peer experience first. The spiri

t, the ru’ach. That moving, inspir

ing

sense of being part of a diver

se but like-minded community w

here

Jewish experience was rich and

joyful and supportive and fun

.

Camp Ramah teaches that Jud

aism is not something you encou

nter

only in a classroom or a synag

ogue – that it’s something you feel

when you walk outside in the m

orning and see the sun, someth

ing

that’s part of your life whene

ver you interact with other pe

ople,

something that’s with you all o

f the time, that affects how y

ou

relate to the world.

– Alisa Robbins Doctoroff, Chair, U

JA-Federation of New York

In Palmer, Massachusetts

there is a very special place

where heritage and tradition mingle with pine

and grass and sky and cool lake water.

A place where Judaism is sung, shared, learned,

played and prayed.

Where deep experience, lifelong friendships,

and emotional and intellectual growth nourish

the hearts and minds of all who know this place …

wherever their journeys may lead them,

and wherever they may lead others.

Camp Ramah in New England

is launching the most ambitious capital campaign

in our history …

an exciting moment of growth that will keep us

strong for generations to come.

Please join us.

Camp Ramah in New England was the most powerful experience I had in my childhood of an integrated, egalitarian vision of Judaism – of living a day filled with Hebrew and religious experience, but also sports and friends, of being a complete Jew, of being the closest a person could come in the diaspora to the experience that many people have in Israel. I draw from it every day.

– Rabbi Ethan Tucker, Founder, Mechon Hadar* New York City *the first full-time egalitarian yeshiva in North America

I will always remember that this is where I first heard our kids read Torah.

– Scott Glickman, Board Member, Philadelphia

3

Ru’a| Ru’ach | Spirit

After five years in Singapore, Marcia and Scott Glickman returned to the United States

so that their children could grow up in an active Jewish community. The family headed

straight for Palmer.

“We came back in June, and literally went right to camp,” Marcia remembers with a smile.

Ever since, all four children have spent summers at Camp Ramah in New England.

Marcia has run the Gan Program, our day camp program for the children of our adult

staff, and worked in the Tikvah Program, our renowned program for campers with special

needs. And, for at least a week every summer, Scott trades Philadelphia for Palmer.

“It’s a feeling of unbridled joy,” says Marcia. “You have the essence of everything you need.

On Friday nights, when the whole camp is together outside, welcoming in Shabbat with

song, it’s so beautiful and so peaceful. There’s time for contemplation,

for reconnecting, for laughter, and for learning.”

Building the Future

“One of the most important things Ramah does is prepare the next generation of Jewish

leaders,” says Scott. “I’ve seen it in our own children. They’ve grown in confidence, and

learned how to make their own decisions Jewishly, ethically, and morally. Part of what

makes our camp special is our commitment to providing a wonderful Jewish experience

for as many kids as possible – both campers and counselors.”

“Being part of camp means helping to create this place that is all about the future, helping

these young people grow into the leaders they will become,” says Marcia. “We feel blessed

to be part of this world.”

That sense of commitment to the future of our community has inspired The Campaign for

Camp Ramah in New England – an exciting philanthropic initiative that will fund strategic

capital projects designed to create a memorable, meaningful Jewish experience for

generations to come.

I remember being in Israel with Ramah and hiking at sunrise. While davening, I found a prayer that praises G-d for the blessing of light. I felt that this prayer had been written just for me, just for this moment. And it was so powerful to have this piece of liturgy to express what I was feeling, with my friends, on that hillside in Israel.

– Rabbi Annie Tucker Assistant Rabbi, The Jewish Center Princeton, NJ

4

Kehillah | Kehillah | Community

Camp Ramah in New England is a community of shared values – wonderfully diverse in age,

life experience, and geography – that gathers to celebrate Jewish life within a deeply evocative,

immersive summer experience. Our time together is a vital expression of the power of place –

place made sacred through spirituality and meaningful human connection.

The physical environment in which we come together is an essential element of the Ramah

experience. And so, to sustain this very special place, we launch The Campaign for Camp Ramah

in New England.

Our camp is approaching its 60th birthday. And our facilities, beloved by generations, are

showing their age. Our immediate goal is to raise $5 million for essential capital improvements

– each one undertaken with reverence for our heritage, and for the rustic simplicity that infuses

our camp. Our ultimate goal is to raise an additional $5 million, which will allow us to realize

the full potential of our vision.

We’re converting our current multipurpose Bet Am Bet to create a new, winterized Chadar Ochel

(dining hall) – expanding capacity to design a place in the center of camp where our entire

community will gather for song, dance, and prayer, as well as meals, three times every day.

We’re building a new, winterized Bet Am, with expanded capacity that will allow us all to come

together – even on rainy days – for prayer and athletic and performing arts activities. Also

planned is a new K’far Nivonim that will replace the platform tents currently housing our

oldest campers with two permanent, winterized structures – creating better housing for

teenagers and allowing our community to gather at camp year-round. And there’s much more.

“People often describe Ramah as the pinnacle of their Jewish experience,” says Rabbi Ed Gelb,

camp director. “Every summer, more than 1,000 members of our community experience that

in Palmer. We want the summer experience to be a springboard for a lifetime of engagement,

and we need facilities that will fully support and enhance immersion in Jewish life.”

The Campaign for Camp Ramah in New England, the most ambitious capital campaign in our

history, supports an exciting array of projects – encompassing both renovation and new

construction – designed to improve housing, community space, and camp infrastructure. Your

participation will enable us to continue to make every summer transformative and to remain

competitive as a preferred choice for Jewish families who seek a life-changing camp experience.

My Ramah experience really led me to teaching. When I was a camper, there were staff members and counselors who taught me incredibly valuable life lessons about taking risks, trying new things, not giving up. I carry those lessons with me on a daily basis – along with my friendships from those years. My camp friends are my closest friends in the world.

– Michael Goldfarb 7th grade teacher, Teach for America, Baltimore

I have amazing memories of Camp Ramah in New England. It made Judaism cool like nothing else I’d ever experienced. There was a simultaneous sense of tzedakah, and responsibility, as well as a strong sense of play. My camp experience gave me a real love of Judaism and an understanding of others, along with the ability to think critically and question authority. I learned self-confidence and deep respect for other members of the camp community. And I had a great time. The camp experience is critically important to a child’s development – an experi-ence I wish more children could have. It’s where you start developing as an independent soul.

– Randi Weingarten, President American Federation of Teachers Washington, DC and New York

| B’chol Dor | In Every Generation

“You get off the bus, you breathe a deep breath of camp air, and your arms are around the first

person you see,” says 15-year-old Claire Mendelson, brimming with exuberance. “Everything

about Camp Ramah is about the friendships, about caring about each other.”

Claire is a third-generation Mendelson at Camp Ramah in New England. Her grandparents,

Sandy and Adina, met here. Her father, Dan, and her uncles were campers and counselors.

Claire, her two sisters, and her cousins are continuing the tradition.

“When I first met Dan’s family, I saw how much fun they had being Jewish together, and I

asked him how does that happen?” remembers Jennifer Mendelson, Claire’s mom. “The first

thing he said was Camp Ramah.”

“It’s everything you dream for your family,” she continues. “It’s a fun, full-time, organic Jewish

experience that creates leadership opportunities and friendships for life. These are people my

children love.”

“I love how we pray in nature, how we pray with our friends, how we sing during havdalah,”

says Claire. “It’s magical. There’s so much room for self-expression.”

“Ramah gives young people a strong foundation,” notes Adina. “Who they will become will

always include their basic Jewish values.”

“Camp Ramah is an important touch point to Judaism for our family,” says Dan. “We believe

very strongly in the importance of preserving it as a place that can give that experience to

future generations.”

“Every so often, an institution has to renew itself,” Sandy explains. “This is an important

moment of physical renewal for Camp Ramah in New England.”

Claire Mendelson, for one, expects

her special place in Palmer to be

there for a good long time.

“I know this is planning far ahead,”

she says, “but I hope it’s as much

part of my kids’ lives as it’s been part

of mine.”

I feel so blessed to have Camp Ramah in my life. Who would I be, without this experience and without these friends?

– Claire Mendelson Age 15

7

XXX | Ramah | Elevate

Every September, Camp Ramah in New England returns 1,000 people – campers, counselors, and

staff – back to the world beyond Palmer. Back to Israel. Back to cities and towns up and down the

east coast of the United States. Back to families and schools and synagogues and communities.

Our people are enriched and enlightened by summers steeped in vibrant Jewish life, and they are

sustained by friendships forged in the beauty of nature. They know the power of shared laughter

and compassion and achievement and ritual and respect. They are thoughtful and committed sons,

daughters, friends, spouses, parents, teachers, healers, community servants and community leaders.

Our founders drew the name of this extraordinary place from values of aspiration and growth and

transcendence – naming it Ramah, which translates literally to “high place” or “elevate.”

We embody those values every summer, as we help another generation of young Jews to reach higher,

dream bigger, and develop spiritually, intellectually, emotionally and socially – preparing them for

lives of leadership, citizenship, and personal and professional fulfillment. And we all carry the spirit

of Ramah with us throughout our lives, at camp and beyond – in every mitzvah we perform.

Just as a Ramah summer is the work of many hearts, minds, hands, and voices, the success of

The Campaign for Camp Ramah in New England will depend on the generosity of every member

of our family.

Your participation will make it possible for us to sustain and grow our community –

one child, one young adult, one family at a time – for generations to come.

Please join us.

| Shalom

8

Rendering of new Chadar Ochel

(Dining Hall)

Our son, Sam, is 24. He started in the Tikvah Program at 16.

It was hard for Sam to be part of organized Jewish classes or involved in the synagogue. Without Camp Ramah in New England, he would have had much less exposure to Judaism. But he can speak some Hebrew. He’s had exposure to Jewish values and teachings. And he has a real sense of connection to Israel.

Sam lives in his own apartment. He volunteers in the cafeteria of a Jewish Day School. We marvel every single day that Sam has such a full life, and we’re proud that he’s such a caring person.

Ramah is a big part of that. The whole culture is about being caring towards your neighbors. Over the years, the staff has both coached Sam directly and modeled compassionate, empathetic behavior. Camp Ramah in New England taught Sam to be a mensch.

– Judith Beck, Board Member, Philadelphia

Camp Ramah in New England2 Commerce WayNorwood, MA 02062Tel: (781) 702-5290 Fax: (781) 702-5239www.ramahblog.org

www.campramahne.org