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Exciting Ramah Darom News

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Angela Cohen10.28.24

I am excited to share the news with you that after a comprehensive search, our Board of Directors has selected Scott Topal to be the next CEO of Ramah Darom. Scott will join Ramah Darom at the beginning of February. Our current CEO, Wally Levitt, has agreed to stay on through the end of January to ensure a seamless transition.

Scott brings extensive experience and a deep love for the work we do. Since 2018, he has been the Director of Operations at Camp Ramah in Wisconsin and the Ramah Day Camp in Chicagoland. In this role, he has overseen all financial and operational aspects of the organizations and managed a large team across multiple campuses. Before joining Camp Ramah in Wisconsin, Scott spent seven years in management consulting at Accenture where he worked with global clients across the pharmaceutical and government sectors to drive strategic initiatives, leverage new technology, launch new internal departments and improve operational efficiency. Scott’s experience and skill set position him well to strategically further the vision and impact of Ramah Darom on those in the Southeast and beyond, as well as serve as a collaborative partner for our talented professional staff in this work.

Scott is a graduate of Northwestern University and has remained very involved as a lay leader with Northwestern’s Hillel where he is their new Board Chair. In 2022, Scott was also selected to be part of the Wexner Field Fellowship.

In addition to his work at Wisconsin and many summers on staff at Ramah Day Camp in Nyack, Scott also has a strong connection to Ramah Darom: he is married to camper and staff alum Sarah (Attermann), who many will also remember as our former Camp Program Director. Scott and Sarah have two adorable children— Simon (2 ½) and Liam (6 months)—and are excited to make Atlanta and Clayton their new home.

We are very thankful to the members of our CEO Search Committee, led by Dafna Rubinstein, for all their work, and are excited to welcome Scott and his family to the Ramah Darom family. Please read Scott’s message to our community below.

Angela Cohen
Chair, Board of Directors

A MESSAGE FROM SCOTT 

Scott Topal with his wife and two young sonsIn December 2019 I had the opportunity to visit Ramah Darom for the first time during Winter Break Family Camp. I was immediately in awe of the welcoming community, joyful Judaism, and campus beauty.

What I experienced then and believe more fervently now is that Ramah Darom has the unique ability to provide exceptional immersive experiences for every age and every interest, to inspire a lifelong love of Jewish values, tradition and community. At this moment, when our Jewish community is yearning for connection and joyful Jewish experiences, I cannot imagine any work that is more important and impactful than this.

As so, I am incredibly honored and excited to serve as the next CEO of Ramah Darom and thankful to the passionate and energetic Board of Directors for the opportunity. I am particularly grateful to the visionary founders, talented leadership of Fred Levick and Wally Levitt, and the incredible professional team who have laid a strong foundation to build upon in the coming months, years and decades.

I, and my entire family, Sarah, Simon and Liam are excited to move to Atlanta in the coming months. Whether you’re preparing to attend your first retreat or have a decades-long connection to Ramah Darom, I am eager to meet you, learn your story and hear your ideas on how Ramah Darom can unleash its full potential.

I look forward to our work together when I officially begin in February.

With immense excitement,

Scott