Dear Nivonim 1992,
Camp just started, and this
past summer, a group of us spent a wonderful weekend at Camp Ramah, celebrating
the 25th anniversary of our Nivonim summer. We were amazed that despite how
much has changed, so much remains the same. Ramah still provides an important
opportunity for young Jewish children to explore their Judaism in a meaningful
and fun way, while building those lifelong relationships we all know, all
within the context of a great camp experience. Camp looks a little different,
but the culture still emanates the warmth we all knew.
Camp
Ramah is a magical place. The physical
camp is still incredibly beautiful and despite housing over 700 people each
summer, you can still find a quiet places to hang out with a friend. When we
walked down the hill towards the waterfront, or toured the new Givah, visited
Machon point, and strolled on the garbage trail, we felt a deep sense of
familiarity. Being in those places allowed long forgotten memories to
come rushing back, invoking delight.
We
spent most of the reunion weekend just taking in all that camp has to offer: catching
up with old friends, spending time with Rabbi Soloff at meals, sitting around
reminiscing about our camp experiences, and considering what camp now offers to
the next generation of our kids today. The new director Jacob Cytryn has
injected an energy that is infectious, giving visitors, campers and staff the
confidence and tools to make camp a great experience for each camper. He gave
us a tour of all the new facilities; we saw the improvements to facilities and
significant investments Ramah has made over the past 25 years. The Bet Am has had a facelift, the Chadar
Ochel was rebuilt, the Givah is amazing campus within a campus, the baseball,
basketball and tennis courts are new with great night-time lighting, and the
the new staff lounge is an amazing resource for Tzevet.
Yet
despite all these changes, camp is still camp. The flow of the camp
is still the same, the kikar is still the kikar, z’mirot on Shabbos are still
filled with fun and energy, sitting on the deck of the Sifria or gazing out of
the Ohel Yitzchak are still amazing Ramah experiences.
What
was most striking is that after all these years, then next generation of kids are
going to camp and having incredibly deep, meaningful experiences – exactly like
we did. We built amazing friendships at camp that are rooted in so
much history and shared experiences. Each one of us took away different
experiences which helped shape our lives in particular ways, whether it was
through leadership development, music and theater, sports, how to be a great
friend to someone, learning about Judaism, or how to experience joy by laughing
so hard you cry - and we all agreed that we were grateful we got the
opportunity to be here and do that together.
Approximately
50% of current campers require scholarship funding in order to attend camp
each year. As an aidah we have the ability to make a difference in the
lives of campers by contributing to the Scholarship Campaign as part of the NIVO
1992 FUND. We have established a
goal of $18,000. Every dollar donated will help ensure that the next
generation of Ramah campers can make it to the North Woods of
Wisconsin – a place that will always have a special place in our
hearts.
Regardless
of your means, wherever you are in life, any support you provide is
appreciated. To be part of our aidah campaign, please make a donation
below. Alternatively, feel free to reach out to Sam Caplan, Ramah’s Chief
Development Officer at (312) 690-8332 or scaplan@ramahwisconsin.com.
Let's
come together now and again leave an indelible mark on Ramah and maybe start
planning a 30th reunion with more attendance. Lets show the community why we were and
always be the best aidah to walk those grounds.
Leah Brajer
Jordan Feldman
Deborah Frank
Rachel McDowell
Adam Natenshon
Michael Rosenbaum
Joshua Storck
Naomi Zuk-Fisher
P.S. To see pictures of us on the Ramah ropes course check out: