Friday, August 24, 2012

Chancellor Eisen Rocks Aerobics, a 6'8" Bar Mitzvah Boy, and Happy 20th to Ramah Yachad-Ukraine!


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National Ramah Commission, Inc. of The Jewish Theological Seminary

August 24, 2012

6 Elul 5772

JTS Chancellor Eisen Rocks Tefillah Aerobics at Ramah!

 

"I continue to be amazed at the vibrancy of our Ramah camps."
                                                            - Chancellor Arnold Eisen, JTS

Tefillah AerobicsThis summer, Chancellor Arnold Eisen of the Jewish Theological Seminary visited Ramah Outdoor Adventure in the Rockies, Camp Ramah in the Berkshires, and Camp Ramah in New England. While at Ramah New England, he dived right into the Ramah experience as a baker at Cafe Ramah, but not before his early morning session of Tefilah Aerobics led by JTS and Ramah alumnus Rabbi Jeremy Ruberg. Watch the Chancellor (far left) dance with the 6th graders of Solelim.              read more...

About his visits, Chancellor Eisen reflected:

"I continue to be amazed at the vibrancy of our Ramah camps. Thousands of campers and staff living joyously in Jewish time and space is one of the most important experiences we can provide for Jewish strength and survival. My dialogues with teens were nothing less than inspiring. I believe that ongoing support of Ramah and close partnership with Ramah is fundamental to the mission of JTS, not in any way a peripheral concern. We must re-dedicate our movement's leadership to building serious Jewish commitment and qualified future leadership, and there is simply no better place than Ramah camps for this to take place." 

 6'8" Israeli Basketball Player

Becomes Bar Mitzvah 

 

Although I love playing basketball with campers and staff when I visit Ramah camps, I was less than thrilled to be guarding Guy Levitsky, a 6'8" new Israeli sports counselor at Ramah Canada during June staff training week. Needless to say, he scored at will. Little did I realize ... read more

(Blog post from Rabbi Mitch Cohen,
National Ramah Director)
Guy Levitsky

 Register Today

for Two Amazing Israel Trips

Ramah Bike Ride
Join Ramah for five days of biking or five days of hiking through Southern Israel, plus Shabbat, all while raising money for Tikvah, Breira, and Yofi, Ramah's programs for children, teens, and young adults with special needs. Register today for the second Ramah Israel Bike Ride or Ramah Israel Hike Trip: Ramah Hikes the Negev. Registration is fully refundable through December 1, 2012.
 
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 Happy 20th Birthday,
Ramah Yachad-Ukraine!

Ramah Yachad-Ukraine
Twenty years ago, in a former Soviet Army officers' resort, Camp Ramah Yachad-Ukraine was born. ... Gila Katz, founding director of the camp, recalls, "When I was growing up in the Soviet Union, there were only Communist camps to attend. I so wanted to go, but my parents never allowed me. My dream was to attend a camp." That dream came true in 1992 when then director of Midreshet Yerushalayim, Rabbi Yossi Penini, asked Gila to run Camp Ramah Yachad in its first... read more

 Ramah Rabbis in the News

and in the Blogosphere

 

(Rabbi Eliezer Havivi, Ramah Darom)

Hava Nagila and Questions of Jewish Joy
(Rabbi Joel Seltzer, Ramah Poconos)
 
(Rabbi Gerald Skolnik, Ramah Berkshires)