Camp Ramah in the Poconos

Camp Ramah in the Poconos is a summer camp affiliated with the National Ramah Commission.[1] Opened in 1950, it is located in the Pocono Mountains in High Lake, Pennsylvania[2] (but is addressed in Lakewood, Pennsylvania,[3] since High Lake does not have its own post office or ZIP code).

Ramah in the Poconos, pool and lake

As with other Ramah camps, Camp Ramah in the Poconos is focused on Jewish education. Its program has an educational focus and includes Zionism, the Jewish lifecycle, and ritual.[4] The camp seeks to maintain a connection with the State of Israel and uses Hebrew as the language of official instruction, communication, and education.[5] The official prayer book of Camp Ramah in the Poconos is Siddur Lev Yisrael, authored by former director Cheryl Magen.[6]

History

In the 1950s, Hebrew was the official spoken language at Ramah. At an alumni reunion in 2009, former campers, in their seventies, recalled phrases they had learned at Ramah like “Let’s go swimming,” or “Please pass the salt.”[7]

Divisions (edot)

Campers are split up into divisions by grade and age. These divisions are called Edot, the plural of the word Edah (עדה) which means group in Hebrew. The Edot which are at Ramah Poconos are:

EnglishHebrewTranslationAge RangeOther information
NotzetzimנוֹצְצִיםSparklesEntering 4th & 5th gradeFormerly Nitzanim – ניצנים – buds
Tzi'irimצְעִירִיםYoung OnesEntering 6th grade
ChalutzimחַלוּצִיםPioneersEntering 7th grade
BogrimבּוֹגְרִיםMature onesEntering 8th grade
MachonמַכוֹןInstitutionEntering 9th grade
ShoafimשׁוֹאָפִיםThose who striveEntering 10th gradeFormerly K'votzat Yonatan – קבצת ינתן – Yonatan's group
GesherגֶשֵׁרBridgeEntering 11th gradeFormerly Havurah
Yedidim ידידים Friends Ages 12 to 17 First summer in 2016

Each Edah is led by a Rosh Edah (Unit Head) who supervises the counselors in each individual bunk.

After the two 4-week sessions conclude, the camp runs the Tikvah Family Camp for families with Jewish children with developmental disorders and/or social learning disorders.[8]

Staff
Staff dancing outside the dining hall

The staff of Ramah Poconos is composed largely of former Ramah campers. Staff are trained on a perpetual basis throughout the summer beginning with the week before the campers come. This "staff week" is named after and funded by an endowment in honor of Director Emeritus, Cheryl Magen. It is spent drilling safety procedures, camp rules, activity planning, and many other important things into the staff members. Throughout the summer, counselors and other staff members have Hadracha, (transliteration of הדרכה the Hebrew word for guidance) sessions that continue to train the staff in all necessary areas. Senior counselors are expected to mentor the junior counselors, so their Hadracha sessions spend a lot of focus on how to teach the younger counselors.

Mishlakhat

In addition to the regular staff, Ramah Poconos, together with the Jewish Agency for Israel, brings 40–50 Israeli staff members to camp each summer.

Activities

The campers are permitted to choose two regular activities, like arts and crafts, Radio Ramah (WCRP), teva (nature), mitbachon (baking and cooking), creative dramatics, and many others. Some sports available for campers include basketball, baseball, tennis, soccer, hockey, softball, volleyball, archery, and flag football.

The camp drama program puts on several plays each summer, all of which are performed in Hebrew. The arts and crafts building has opportunities for painting, drawing, ceramics, and other forms of artistic expression. The music program gives singing lessons to the campers about 2–3 times a week and often offers additional musical activities, such as bands and a cappella groups.

Campers in the WCRP studio

Waterfront and sports

All waterfront staff are certified lifeguards, and many have a history of competitive swimming or boating.

Ramah Poconos has a baseball field and three basketball courts.

Tikvah Family Camp

The Tikvah Family Camp is a five-day overnight program for Jewish children with developmental disorders and/or social learning disorders, their parents, and their siblings.

See also

References
  1. "For teens, Israel's the place". The Jewish Exponent. January 21, 1994. Archived from the original on January 25, 2013. Retrieved September 14, 2010.
  2. "Teen 'Meet Market' Offers the Chance to 'Sell' Judaism". The Jewish Exponent. January 25, 2007. Archived from the original on June 1, 2012. Retrieved September 14, 2010.
  3. "Contact Ramah Poconos". Camp Ramah in the Poconos. Camp Ramah in the Poconos. 2014. Retrieved 8 December 2014.
  4. "As nature exults, daveners find Judaism in all outdoors". The Jewish Exponent. June 24, 1994. Archived from the original on January 25, 2013. Retrieved September 14, 2010.
  5. "5 Canadians Receive Ramah Fellowships". The Canadian Jewish Chronicle. February 20, 1959. Retrieved September 15, 2010.
  6. "Siddur Lev Yisrael". Ktav. Ktav. Archived from the original on 9 August 2014. Retrieved 8 August 2014.
  7. Bunk 19, Forever: Reuniting After 58 Years
  8. "Tikvah Family Camp". ramahpoconos.org/frame.html. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |url= (help)

41.80371°N 75.30170°W / 41.80371; -75.30170

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