Jewish Disabilities and Inclusion Month feels like the right time to share what Tikvah Support at Camp Ramah Darom has meant to our family.
The Tikvah Support Program didn’t just ensure success at Camp for our neurodivergent son. It helped him thrive in all aspects of his life.
Camp Ramah Darom created an environment where our son felt welcomed and supported. He belonged. Thanks to the Tikvah Support Program, he could celebrate his Jewish pride, make friends, push outside his comfort zone, and have fun. All of these experiences helped build his confidence and social skills, essential building blocks that Ramah Darom made possible.
Camp was truly transformational for him and for our entire family, largely due to the incredible care of the Tikvah Support Program Director and the thoughtful, inclusive approach at Camp Ramah Darom.
Our son started Camp as a rising 8th grader. With the help of dedicated Tikvah support staff, he took part in all activities with his aidah (age group). He stayed in a cabin with fewer campers that offered the quiet space he needed and he was always allowed to return to the bunk when his social cup was full. He also had the option to eat meals with his aidah or with his Tikvah supported bunkmates. When he was ready, he moved into a traditional, larger cabin with his aidah while still being supported by the Tikvah and participated in the Gesher program for rising juniors, marking the end of his time as a camper.
Leading up to each summer, the Tikvah Support Program Director spent hours with us helping to prepare and ensure the proper supports were in place. She regularly checked in, asked about new behavioral developments they could help address, and worked with us to put a plan in place at camp to once again ensure his success.
Before Camp Ramah Darom’s Tikvah Support Program, we often found ourselves sitting in the principal’s office at our local public school. We were told by our synagogue’s religious school director that we were nearly at three strikes and he would be out. Our son was sent home from numerous Jewish and special needs day camps and overnight camps and was even kicked off the neighborhood swim team. I don’t know if anything makes you or your child feel more isolated.
Our experience at Camp Ramah Darom was priceless and life changing for our entire family. Our neurodivergent son was able to be like his neurotypical brothers, sharing the same summer home, the same joy, and the same sense of belonging.
That is what a truly welcoming Jewish community can look like.
-A very grateful Mom
The Henry and Annette Gibson Tikvah Support Program at Ramah Darom is supported by generous grants from The Ruderman Family Foundation, The Foundation for Jewish Camp, The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, The Greater Atlanta Jewish Abilities Alliance and individual donors. All size donations are appreciated.