Blog
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The Power of Community in a Time of Crisis
March 23, 2020
This is not a post about coronavirus. (OK, that’s not entirely true because – let’s face it – everything these days is about coronavirus.) This is a post about the power of community. I’m writing from Toronto where my whole family is back together: Beth, my pediatrician wife who is working on the front lines […]
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Mazal Tov Rachel Dobbs Schwartz
March 19, 2020
Five years ago, we welcomed alumna Rachel Dobbs Schwartz back “home” to Camp Ramah Darom as our Assistant Director. It was a testament to how much our Camp has matured over the years that we had hired our very first home-grown Assistant Director. In her tenure, Rachel has been an extraordinary leader bringing passion, energy […]
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A Commitment to Jewish Camping
March 4, 2020
When I think about which Jewish institutions have been an integral part of my life two come to mind, Ramah and Ahavath Achim (AA) Synagogue Sisterhood. I remember being 12 years old in Wisconsin and desperately wanting to go to Ramah, but my parents couldn’t afford to send me to camp. Fast forward many years […]
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On-Ramp to Camp
February 25, 2020
So you’re interested in sending your child to Jewish sleepaway camp, but you’re not quite ready to go full speed ahead. No worries. There are plenty of paths to Ramah Darom that will allow you to go slow, get comfortable and have a lot of fun along the way. Below are 3 ways for your […]
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A Very Special Gesher
February 20, 2020
Our family has been going to Ramah Darom since 2005, when we were part of the first Camp Yofi with our daughter Maya. At the time we were a struggling New Jersey family with a struggling child with autism. On a whim, we signed up for something that had never been attempted (a family camp […]
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The Jewish Value of Sports
February 19, 2020
At Camp Ramah Darom, the same cool coach who ties campers into the harness for rock climbing helps them strap on tefillin. Waterskiing lessons are preceded by morning prayers, often on the boat and Archery begins by coming together and reciting the “Archers Prayer.” Athletic sessions begin with an emphasis on gratitude over cut-throat competition […]
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Things We Could Only Hope For
February 17, 2020
My husband, Dan and I both spent our summers going to sleep away camp. Some of our best childhood memories were being outside, swimming in the lake, making new friends and being away from home. We knew that when we had kids we would want them to experience the joy of sleep away camp just […]
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We Couldn’t Be More Grateful
February 11, 2020
At Camp Yofi we felt so comfortable, so loved and supported, not judged, full of understanding and free to be who we truly are, not pretending or saying sorry all the time. Camp Yofi is really a special and unforgettable experience for the whole family and Eli, our son on the spectrum, had a blast!!! Eli couldn’t […]
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Across the Country and the World with Ramah
January 31, 2020
Reflections on My Winter Break Growing up at Camp, Ramah for me meant summertime. So, it was not only exciting but truly surprising when my winter break plans came together this year and consisted of three consecutive weeks – and three incredible Shabbatot with Ramah – in three different locations across the world. I started […]
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Tikvah Support Continues to Grow
January 29, 2020
In 2015, we opened the Henry and Annette Gibson Tikvah Support Program at Camp Ramah Darom, supporting seven campers and beginning a transformation of our community. Since then, we have introduced ideas of inclusion through countless conversations, activities and sometimes by sheer force of will. We have helped campers manage new challenges and friendships, while also learning […]