Bringing Israel to Camp, By Alana Tilman | Camp Ramah Northern California

Bringing Israel to Camp, By Alana Tilman

Close your eyes and imagine an auditorium full of 500 people dancing our favorite Ramah Galim Rikud Dances -Lo Normali and Ba Kalil…. Do you feel the energy? The passion? The excitement?

I personally experienced this incredible image first-hand last week at the Jewish Agency for Israel’s Annual Shlichim Training Seminar. This intensive 5 day Seminar at Kibbutz Shefayim is designed for the young Israeli leaders who are dedicating their summer to working at Jewish Summer Camps across North America. Ramah Galim along with all Ramah Camps are privileged to participate in this program. This summer, we can’t wait to welcome 12 incredible Shlichim to our Ramah Galim community through this powerful partnership.  

The Shlichim Training Seminar serves as intensive introduction to the Ramah Camping Movement, Conservative Judaism, American Culture and the incredible potential of being a Shliach. The Shlichim especially enjoyed our Ramah Galim specific conversations exploring their roles at camp, details of the daily schedule, planning programming for the summer, and openly discussing how we practice Judaism at Ramah Galim. And of course, the Mishlachat is already hard at work choosing what onesies they’ll bring to camp for our unique Ramah Galim Havdalah tradition!

In the 5 days we spent together, I was continually impressed by how our Shlichim demonstrated their energy, creativity, passion, openness, flexibility and pure excitement for the upcoming summer at Camp. They each hold incredible expertise in the ocean, the outdoors, dance, music, and creative program planning and are

By welcoming a Mishlachat each summer at Ramah Galim, we prioritize one of our core midot (values) of Ahavat Yisrael – the love of the land and people of Israel. These Shlichim embody Israel and each personal interaction and connection they have with the members our camp community serves as a way to help inspire our campers and wider community to connect personally to Israel.

Over the course of our 5 whirlwind days together, I truly watched our Shlichim “become Ramahniks”. From the first moment when they nervously arrived, to joining together in a Ramah Kabbalat Shabbat, to dancing Rikud after Havdalah and concluding with our final moments of saying goodbye and produly singing Himnon Ramah Galim with all the hand motions! I can’t wait for you to meet these incredible leaders who will enhance our camp community.

Az Yalla Bye! Lehitraot! Shlach Oti L’Nof! (So Yalla! Bye! See you soon! Send me to that view!) Only 73 days until Kayitz 2019!!