Each day at Camp, I find a magical moment, a moment when our kehillah (community) comes together and puts its best foot forward. It’s never hard to find. This past week, our shlichim (Israeli staff) created a beautiful Yom Yisrael celebrating the land and people of Israel. Kochavim brought Aladdin to life. Ramah Bamah took the stage with Mean Girls. We welcomed our Garinim Bet campers, and many of our aidot (age divisions) explored the region on fun and educational yitziot (field trips).
What makes these moments so meaningful is what happens behind the scenes. Every performance, every trip, every celebration, and every accomplishment is built on preparation, teamwork, and a willingness to learn. Whether tubing down a river, memorizing lines in Hebrew, exploring a new city, or proudly earning the Golden Plunger for the cleanest bunk (pictured above), these shared experiences become the memories that shape our campers long after the summer ends.
One of the highlights of this week was watching Gesher bring their learning to life. After spending the week studying Judaism’s teachings on our responsibility to care for those who are hungry, they volunteered at a local food bank and helped clean nearby hiking trails in the Clayton community. Yesterday, staff members from our Georgia senators’ offices visited Camp, where Gesher campers shared personal reflections on hunger, connected Jewish texts to the importance of caring for others, and asked thoughtful questions about how we can help build a better world.
None of these accomplishments happen alone. At Camp, we learn that we can achieve far more when we work together. In this week’s parsha, Devarim, Moshe teaches this same lesson by appointing leaders to share in the responsibility of guiding B’nei Yisrael. While he continues to lead, he empowers others to step forward, contribute, and grow through leadership themselves.
Camp Ramah Darom is a leadership laboratory, a very fun one, where every activity offers an opportunity to discover that we are stronger together. Surrounded by a supportive kehillah, our campers learn to challenge themselves, lift one another up, and become the very best versions of themselves.
Be sure to check out this week’s video for a small taste of all the magical moments in just one week of Camp.