Tuesday Morning Torah – July 9, 2013 | Congregation Torat El - Monmouth County Conservative Synagogue

Tuesday Morning Torah – July 9, 2013

Two weeks ago I had the privilege of serving as a Scholar in Residence at Camp Ramah in the Poconos. For those who are unfamiliar, Ramah is the camping arm of Conservative Judaism. While at Ramah I had the pleasure of teaching staff and campers of all ages, and I came home inspired and re-dedicated to promoting the value of Jewish summer camp in general and Camp Ramah in particular.

 

At Ramah I witnessed kids playing sports (from kayaking to rock climbing, basketball, hockey, baseball, tennis, soccer etc…), engaging in team building exercises, gardening, praying, learning in fun and interactive ways, experiencing the spirit of Shabbat, enjoying Israeli singing and dancing, learning modern Hebrew, and interacting with their peers in a kind, respectful, and loving manner. I watched as people of all ages found time to enjoy each others company in an “unplugged” setting. I saw children and young adults learning to become leaders. And I came home filled with pride, joy, and hope for the future of our movement.

 

But don’t take my word for it. Recent research has shown clearly that Jewish summer camp increases Jewish identity, builds Jewish community, and builds Jewish leadership. The statistics are impressive.

 
 

Click here for the summary, and here for the full report.

 
 

-Check out the following article written last week about Ramah in the Poconos: At Jewish summer camp, every day is Independence Day.

 
 

To see videos of Ramah in the Poconos, click here:

 
 

-To learn more about Ramah in general, click here.

 
 

It is not too early to start thinking about next summer. If you are interested in sending your child, or grandchild to camp, please contact me directly. There are a number of opportunities for financial aid both through the synagogue, the federation, and other national Jewish foundations. If you want to send your child to Ramah, I want to help make it happen.

 
 

Have a great summer!