Nitzanim
Liana Slomka
Shalom!! I’m Liana! I’m from Atlanta and just finished up my studies in ecology and evolutionary biology at Princeton University. But more importantly, I was a camper at Ramah Darom from Garinim 2008 through Gesher 2016, and this will be my 6th kayitz (summer) on tzevet (staff)! At Camp, I love to go in the agam (lake) and dance at Havdallah, and I can’t wait to be Rosh Nitzanim and have the best kayitz yet!
Sollelim
Josh Crowley
Hi, I’m Josh, and I’m Rosh Sollelim for Kayitz (Summer) 2023. Last summer, I worked on Ramah Israel Seminar, and I’ve been a madrich (counselor) at Camp Ramah Darom, including on tzevet Sollelim. This will be my 12th summer spent at Ramah Darom! During the year, I am a student at the University of Tennessee, and I’m very active in the Jewish community there. I am so excited for the summer and can’t wait to meet all my campers.
Halutzim
Rosalie Shays
Hi, I’m Rosalie, and I’m from Raleigh, North Carolina. I think Camp is the best place to spend the summer, so I’m excited to be spending my 16th summer at Ramah Darom. I was a camper for six years (Gesher ’10), and this is my tenth year on staff. When I am not at Camp, I teach 5th-grade math in Nashville, TN. I can’t wait to spend the summer with Halutzim chanichim (campers).
Kochavim
Sam Bernstein
Hi, I’m Sam, and I’ve spent nine summers at Camp Ramah Darom, including three summers on staff. I look forward to spending this summer as Rosh Kochavim! I am a rising senior at the University of Central Florida and just completed a semester abroad in Israel as a part of The Nachshon Project. I love baseball and music and I’m passionate about bringing the sweetness of Torah into everyday life. I’m super excited to put on the much anticipated Kochavim play this kayitz (summer) which I participated in exactly 10 years ago as a part of מלך האריות (The Lion King).
Shoafim
Jake Bengelsdorf
I’m Jake, and I’m so excited to be Rosh Shoafim this summer! I’m from Nashville, Tennessee, and I love wearing my “Shalom Y’all” T-shirt. I’ve been part of the Camp kehillah (community) since 2011, and last summer I was a Gesher counselor. I’m a rising senior at NYU, and next year, I will serve as the Hillel President and on the Hillel International Student Cabinet. I play many instruments, love to rock climb, and I’ve been called “an all-around fun guy”. I can’t wait for this summer!
Nachshonim
Jake Gould
I’m Jake, and I recently graduated from the University of Central Florida, where I majored in Health Sciences and was very involved with Jewish life on campus. Originally from Jacksonville, Florida, I served as YEHUDI Orlando President, JHealth UCF President, a Ramah Service Corps Fellow, and founded the Ramah College Network’s chapter at UCF. I have been going to Camp since my Halutzim summer in 2012, and I’ve been on staff at Camp Ramah Darom since 2019. After this summer, I will take a gap semester to study at Ohr Somayach in Jerusalem before starting naturopathic medical school at the National University of Health Sciences in Chicago, Illinois in Spring 2024. Along with writing and traveling in my free time, I’m an avid sports fan, rooting for my hometown Jaguars and all of the -ets teams from New York City (Nets, Jets, and Mets).
Nivonim
Marc Hersch
I’m Marc, and I’m excited to be Rosh Nivonim again this summer! Outside of Camp, I’m a rabbinical student at the Jewish Theological Seminary. I was also a rabbinic intern at Columbia/Barnard Hillel and previously a high school special education teacher in Chicago. In my free time, I enjoy running, biking and hiking. I’m looking forward to a great summer!
Gesher
Mira Sykes
Hi, I’m Mira! I’ve loved Camp my entire life and I can’t imagine spending my summer anywhere other than Ramah Darom! When I’m not at Ramah Darom, I live in DC and work as an assistant preschool teacher at Edlavitch Jewish Community Center of Washington, DC. From Gan to camper to staff member and Rosh Aidah, I’ve spent basically every summer of my life at Camp. I’m coming back again this summer because Ramah Darom is the place that allows everyone to show up as their authentic selves.