In his nearly two decades of experience as a Jewish camp professional, Geoff Menkowitz has garnered a reputation as a dynamic educator, program innovator, and compassionate leader. Born in Philadelphia, Geoff’s parents first shipped him off to summer camp at the age of 10 and he never looked back. It is there where he developed his passion for Jewish education and building community. He received a B.A. and M.A. in Education from the University of Pennsylvania followed by advanced coursework in Jewish Education at The Jewish Theological Seminary. Until recently, he served as the Director of Camp Ramah Darom in Georgia; among his noteworthy accomplishments during his thirteen-year tenure were the development of an award-winning visual arts program, a vibrant music and dance culture, and a community-wide infrastructure to support children and young adults with a wide range of disabilities. Geoff is a graduate of Foundation for Jewish Camp’s Executive Leadership Institute and his coaching resume spans from Division I Collegiate Rowing to Under 6 JCC Soccer.
Alli Moses joined the Ramah Galim community in 2017 first as a Madricha and then as a Rosh Edah, before joining the year-round team in 2020. Originally from New Jersey, she grew up attending Jewish camp and working at camp for many summers. This is where she developed a love for the camp environment and appreciation for the role it plays in Jewish identity development and community. She received a B.A in Psychology and Jewish Studies from Muhlenberg College followed by an M.A in Jewish Educational Leadership from the Davidson School of Education at the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York, where she currently lives. She brings a passion for Jewish education and an abundance of creativity and knowledge for camp as a laboratory of immersive experiential education to create fun and meaningful experiences for campers and staff.
Deret Musselman has been a part of the Ramah Galim community for the last five years. He started as a counselor in our Tikvah program in 2018 and has led the Community Care and Tikvah team since 2021. Born and raised in Flagstaff, Arizona, he developed a passion for the outdoors and grew up mountain biking, hiking, and camping in the wilderness of Arizona. Deret pursued his Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work at Arizona State University and was connected to Ramah Galim through a Tikvah family. He spent the school year interning, then working with K-12 populations in the public schools of the greater Phoenix area while obtaining his Master’s Degree in Social Work from Northern Arizona University. After completing his MSW, Deret continued working with a school-based non-profit, training new social workers until May 2021. He brings a wealth of experience as a social worker and professional working with populations of those with exceptional needs.
Branden Johnson joined the Ramah Galim community in 2018, starting as the Summer Director of Communications before joining as the year-round Program Director and Registrar in 2021. During Kayitz 2022, Branden took over as Operations Manager. Before relocating to the Bay Area, Branden spent more than five years living in Israel. Branden grew up in Eugene, Oregon, and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Communication from the University of Oregon. He has a master’s degree in Jewish Educational Leadership from the William Davidson Graduate School of Education at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, and is also an alumnus of the Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem and the Pardes Center for Jewish Educators. He lives in San Francisco, where he is a Young Leaders Fellow with Jewish Family and Children’s Services, active in the Mission Minyan community, continues to swim competitively, attends as many professional sports games as he can, and likes to explore the incredible sights and activities the Bay Area has to offer.