A Wide Range of Expertise

Dr. Andy Abeles Doctor
A veteran camper and staff member, Andy is now an anesthesiologist based in Columbus, Ohio. He earned his MD from the University of Missouri-Columbia school of medicine.

Rachel Abeles Mitbachon (Teaching Kitchen)

Madilyn Abelson Junior Counselor – Cabin
Madi is from Minneapolis, Minnesota and she has been a camper for 3 years (Bogrim to Nivo). She has two cats and a dog and loves camp and sees it as her second home. In the fall she plans to attend the University of Minnesota to study journalism and communications.

Rabbi Shoshana Abramowitz Rosh Yahadut (Jewish Studies)
Shani Abramowitz is the rabbi at Ohavay Zion Synagogue in Lexington, Kentucky. Shani grew up in Skokie, Illinois, and attended Brandeis University, where she studied English and Psychology. Shani received her Rabbinic Ordination from the Jewish Theological Seminary in 2021, and she’s delighted to be back at camp as Rosh Yahadut. This is Shani’s fifth summer on staff.

Jonathan Adess Junior Counselor – Sport
Jonathon Adess is from Highland Park, Illinois and attended Rochelle Zell Jewish High School. He will be attending the University of Miami starting this fall majoring in Psychology and on the Pre-Law track. He attended Camp Ramah in Wisconsin for two years: Machon and Nivonim, and this will be his first year on staff.

Roni Adler Jewish Studies Teacher
Roni was born in Israel to an Israeli mother born in Poland and an American father. He graduated with an MBA degree from Tel Aviv University while still trying to complete an MA EU studies degree from the Hebrew University. Currently he is an IT project manager and business analyst working from home, an English teacher at two high schools and a private tutor who teaches Accounting, Statistics, Finance and Economics for Business Administration students. In the past he worked for international and Israeli IT companies and before that worked in service and sales departments and in the banking industry as an investment banker, and CISV Coop summer camp guide in the summer of 2022.

Rachel Alamu Mishlachat – Rishonim (Pre-Camper Program)
Rachel is excited to join the Camp Ramah in Wisconsin team. She has experience working with children and teens, and enjoys creating meaningful and fun experiences for them. She is passionate about building community, leadership, and bringing positive energy wherever I go. This will be her first summer at camp, and she is looking forward to an unforgettable experience.

David Alperin Rosh Anaf (Activity Head) – Tech
This is David’s sixth summer on staff and fourteenth overall. David is originally from Chicago, IL, and recently graduated from the University of Pittsburgh (in Pittsburgh), having majored in linguistics and minored in Quechua.

Robin Anderson Director of Operations
Robin joined the Ramah Wisconsin team in 2025. Previously, she served as the inaugural Director of Operations at Keshet, a Chicago based organization that supports children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in reaching their full potential. Prior to joining the team at Keshet, Robin spent nearly two decades at Camp Young Judaea Midwest, serving as Associate Director, Director, and Executive Director.

Lilia Veronica Andrade Maciel Silva Nurse
Lilia Silva is originally from Brazil and has lived in the United States for over 10 years. She is completing her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) in Pediatric Primary Care at the University of Minnesota and works as a nurse in a Level IV NICU at Children’s Minnesota. Lilia loves working with children and creating a fun, safe, and supportive environment for them to grow and thrive. She is excited to be part of the camp community and share her energy, care, and love for kids.

Charles Appel Kitchen Staff

Azucena Arena Cruz International Staff – Rishonim (Pre-Camper Program)
Azucena is from Oaxaca, Mexico, and specializes in teaching Spanish to children, with a focus on developing their reading and writing skills. She holds a degree in Language Teaching from the Universidad Autónoma Benito Juárez de Oaxaca.

Diana Arias Villaneuva Kitchen Staff
Diana joins us from Colombia for her first summer at camp. She is a tourism student at the University of Cauca. She has work experience as a waitress in restaurants, as well as a kitchen assistant and an accessories packer.

Caleb Arnow Senior Counselor – Cabin
Caleb is returning to Ramah Wisconsin for his second summer on staff and ninth total summer at camp. Originally from St. Louis, he just finished a gap year at Yeshivat Orayta in Jerusalem and will continue next year at Brown University studying chemical engineering. He won staff ligot last year and is looking to continue his winning streak.

Adi Atia Yoetzet Tichnun
Adi is mom to Amit (Shoafim), Yishai (Garinim), and Ayala (Ruach Ramah). Her Ramah Wisconsin journey began in 2009, when she came to camp as a first-year shlicha (Israeli staff member) and met her husband, Gal Atia. Today, she serves as an educational shlicha on behalf of the World Zionist Organization (WZO) at SAR High School in New York. Ramah has always been a meaningful home and community for Adi and her family

Odeya Audi Mishlachat – Cabin Counselor
Odeya is 20 years old and lives in a moshav in northern Israel. She is religious and recently completed her military service in the IDF, where she served as a Command and Control Instructor and later as an Officer in a Training Development Team. Odeya enjoys working with people, creating meaningful connections, and bringing positive energy to those around her. She is excited to spend the summer at Camp Ramah Wisconsin and be part of the camp community.

Ron Azaraf Mishlachat – Cabin Counselor
Ron is from Jerusalem. He worked at a youth village during his military service where he was deeply involved in education and mentoring. This is his second summer at camp and he is very excited to be back in this amazing community.

Matthew Azulay Senior Counselor – Cabin
Matthew is from Chicago. He is currently majoring in finance at the business school at the University of Maryland. He has been a camper at Ramah Wisconsin since Ruach Ramah, attended Ramah Israel Seminar and is excited for his second summer on staff.

Dr. Loren Bach Doctor
Loren is excited for his third summer as camp doctor. Based in St. Louis, he is a double board-certified in general surgery and trauma/critical care and is the director of surgical education at his hospital (and an amateur sourdough bread baker). He went to medical school and did his residency and fellowship at the University of Minnesota. He and his wife met at camp in Bogrim. This year their three kids are in Shoafim, Garinim and Ruach. His favorite camp activities were the island swim, Yom Sport and various shenanigans with his friends.

Allie Bank Yoetzet
Allie is an occupational therapist at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. Her clinical work predominantly focuses on ICU level care where she treats patients in the neonatal intensive care unit, pediatric intensive care unit, and cardiac care center. This year, she was also on the team that created the occupational program for children with Autism requiring inpatient psychiatric hospitalization, a program which is the first of its kind in the nation. She first started her journey to occupational therapy as a Tikvah and Atzmayim counselor and then as Rosh Atzmayim. She has camp to thank for where her career is now! Her work with children of all ages focuses on successful and meaningful participation in the occupations of childhood, which most importantly is play!

Julia Barker Senior Counselor – Cabin
Julia Barker is from the Chicago suburb of Northbrook. She attends the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign and is studying psychology and biology on a pre-health track. This will be her first summer at Ramah. While she has a strong Jewish background, Julia is excited to learn from a new Jewish camp perspective.

Dr. Adam Baruch Doctor
Dr. Baruch is an OBGYN at the University of Michigan where he co-directs the Program on Health, Spirituality and Religion. He is excited to return for his third summer at Ramah with his wife, Tali and his kids, Matan, Lev and Shira who are proud Rishonimers!

Tali Baruch Director of Strategic Initiatives
Tali (Ribnick) Baruch is an alumna of Nivonim 2006 and was a counselor and Rosh Eidah for several summers. Tali grew up in Minneapolis and now lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan with her husband, Adam and three kids – Matan, Lev and Shira.

Shira Baruch Junior Counselor – Cabin
Shira Baruch is from Northbrook, Illinois. She’s a recent graduate from Rochelle Zell Jewish High school. She is excited to be attending the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign where she will be majoring in Psychology. She grew up doing gymnastics. She loves camp and has spent every summer there for the past eight summers. She is super excited to be on staff this summer and get to know her campers!

Mia Bearman Senior Counselor – Music
Mia is from Skokie, Illinois and is currently a student at Bradley University with a major in communications and minors in history and creative writing. Mia spent sixteen summers as a camper at Ramah (Rishonim through Nivonim) and is so excited for her third year on music staff!

Dr. Adina Beiner Associate Director
An alumna of Camp Ramah Darom, where she spent summers as a camper, counselor, and division head (Rosh Eidah), Adina has spent additional summers at Darom and Ramah Sports Academy in senior administrative roles.  She also worked as a middle school humanities teacher and school-wide events coordinator at Beit Rabban Day School in New York. Adina is a graduate of the University of Georgia with a B.S. and M.Ed. in Middle School Education.  She earned her Ed.D from Northeastern University, where her research focused on staff retention in camps like ours!

Eudice Beiner Camper Care
Eudice made aliyah 45 years ago when she was in her 20s. She worked as an Inclusion specialist and then co-founded the Jerusalem Democratic School, where she has passionately devoted the last 24 years of her life. She is an educational counselor, a mindfulness enthusiast, and loves working with kids in more informal settings.

Yuval Ben Shushan Mishlachat – Tarbut Yisrael (Israeli Culture)
Yuval is from Mazkeret Batya, Israel, and is currently completing her gap year at the Upper Galilee Leadership Academy (Mechinat Galil Elyon). Next year, she will be joining tzahal. She was in the Israeli Scouts from fourth grade and spent two years as a youth guide. In the summer of 2024, Yuval participated in Young Judaea’s “Gesher Israel summer.” This is her first summer on staff, and she can’t wait.

Adi Ben Yosef Mishlachat – Shiluv (Inclusion)
Adi is from Ashdod, Israel. She studied education at Kaye College in Be’er Sheva and is still a student. In the past, she worked as a special education tutor, and also as a shift supervisor in a restaurant, kindergarten, and in a summer camp.

Vered Ben-Gideon Jewish Studies Teacher
Vered Ben-Gideon Symons is excited to be back at camp for her first year on staff after spending 8 years as a camper. Vered is currently living in Jerusalem while studying at the Pardes Institute. She graduated from Brandeis University in 2024 with a Bachelors degree in Politics, Philosophy, and Economics. She is excited to be here teaching with her husband Micah Symons.

Leonardo Benitez Valencia Kitchen Staff
Leonardo is from Puebla, Mexico, and studies International Trade at BUAP. This will be his first summer on staff. He enjoys playing soccer and loves learning new languages.

Tamar Benson Mishlachat – Cabin
Tamar is from Beer Sheva. She graduated high school from Amit High School in 2020. After graduating she started a gap year in a pre army program called Mechinat Aderet. After the army she did a service in the IDF as a Mashakit Hasbara in the education unit from 2021-2023. After the service she moved to Tel Aviv and worked in an administrative position in the ministry of Communications. She currently attends Hebrew University where she is studying Philosophy, Political Science and Economics.

Liam Benti Mishlachat – Cabin
Liem Benti is from Israel and will be joining the Camp Ramah in Wisconsin as a Madricha Chevrati for Summer 2026. She is passionate about working with people, creating meaningful connections, and bringing positive energy to camp life. Liem has experience working in customer service and team environments and is excited to share Israeli culture and traditions with the Ramah community. She is looking forward to an unforgettable summer filled with fun, learning, and new friendships.

Adrienne Berman Program Director
Adie Berman became Camp Ramah in Wisconsin’s year-round Program Director in 2022 after 3 summers as Rosh Rishonim. She has a BA in Early Childhood & Elementary Education from Concordia University and an MA in Educational Leadership from McGill University. She brings over 20 years of experience as an educator, school administrator and mom and spent 13 years at her childhood camp (Pripstein’s) as camper, staff and head staff. Adie and her husband, Efrem are originally from Montreal, Canada and currently live in Minneapolis, MN with their Ramah-nik children Cassie (Ruach Ramah Staff), Zach (Machon) and Tessa (Halutzim).

Cassie Berman Ruach Ramah Counselor
Cassie is from Edina, Minnesota and is getting ready to start her senior year at Edina High School in the fall. She spent 10 years as a camper and can’t wait for her first summer on staff!

Teshale Bikaya Mishlachat – Sport
Teshale made aliyah from Ethiopia at the age of 8.5. He was a participant and later a counselor at Bnei Akiva. In school he majored in computer science and chemistry. During his IDF service, he served as a training coordinator for a special army unit. He is currently serving in the military reserves and has been working at a restaurant.

Natalie Blitt Rosh Mercaz
Natalie Blitt is an educator, author of five novels for young readers, and founder of The Story Archivist — helping families preserve their history through genealogical research, family interviews, and shaping Holocaust oral histories into lasting narratives. A proud Canadian who will fly the maple leaf at any opportunity, she lives in the Chicago area with her husband and their three sons, and is always in search of the next great story.

Richard Bloomberg Office Liaison
He grew up in the Baltimore area in a wonderful Jewish community and was very active in the Beth Israel synagogue and USY. He made Aliyah in 1977 and moved to Jerusalem in 1987 with his family. In 1983 he married his next door neighbor from Baltimore, Eudice Beiner. Together they have five children and five grandchildren and currently reside in Jerusalem, Israel. In 2002 they founded the Jerusalem Sudbury and have been involved with it in various capacities for over 25 years. This is his second summer at Ramah Wisconsin. Ricky loves working at camp.

Ilisa Brown Accounting Manager
Ilisa received a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Washington University in St. Louis. She has worked at a public accounting firm and as the controller of the International Academy of Merchandising and Design. Ilisa attended Camp Ramah in Wisconsin (Nivo ’81) for three summers as a camper and four summers on staff. All three of her children, Ari (Nivo ’12), Mason (Nivo ’16) and Sage (Nivo ’19), have attended Camp Ramah in Wisconsin and Ramah Day Camp.

Becca Bubis Yahadut (Jewish Studies)
Becca Bubis serves as the Jewish Studies Department Chair at Rochelle Zell Jewish High School in the Chicagoland area. Originally from Maryland, her education includes Barnard College, the Jewish Theological Seminary, Yeshivat Hadar, Pardes and the Mandel Teacher Educator Institute. This is her third year at Ramah Wisconsin.

Rabbi Jonathan Bubis Yahadut (Jewish Studies)
Rabbi Jonathan Bubis is the Rav Beit Sefer (School Rabbi) at the Solomon Schechter Day School of Northbrook, Illinois. Jonathan is a Jewish educator, prayer leader, composer, and performing artist with a passion for music, theater, and Jewish text. Rabbi Jonathan is thrilled to be in the Northwoods with his family, and considers Ramah a second home after attending camp for sixteen summers.

Dr. Dan Buckland Doctor
Dan is an emergency room doctor in Madison, WI. This is his first year at Camp Ramah in Wisconsin. He was a camper many years ago at Ramah in Palmer, MA.

Audrey Burstin Pianist
Audrey, originally from Munster, Indiana, spent many of her summers at Ramah Wisconsin since Halutzim. She came back on drama staff and spent many years as Rosh Rishonim. A few years after graduating Indiana U with a degree in Education, she met her husband Netanel working at camp in 2008. She made aliyah in 2009, they have three kids together and currently live in Kiryat Tivon, Israel.

Netanel Burstin Yahadut (Jewish Studies)
Netanel is from Israel and holds a Master’s degree in Archaeology from Bar-Ilan University where he also began his studies in Tanakh. He currently teaches middle school and runs a business helping families organize and manage their finances. Netanel was on staff at Camp Ramah in 2007-2008 where he met his wife Audrey. They are excited to return to camp this summer with their children.

Samuel Caplan Chief Development Officer
Sam joined the year-round team in January 2014. Previously, Sam had served for two terms on the Ramah Wisconsin Committee and had been co-chair of Development with Dan Blumenthal on the Ramah Wisconsin Executive Committee. Professionally Sam brings a wealth of development experience most recently serving as the Midwest Deputy Director for AIPAC where he managed an annual campaign of $14M across nine Midwest states. Sam spent four years at Ramah Wisconsin as a camper and seven on staff including several as a Rosh Eidah. Sam met his wife Sarah Ettinger (Nivo ‘98) at camp, and they now have four children.

Naama Caspi Mishlachat – Omanut (Studio Art)
Naama lives in Binyamina with her family and two dogs. It is her first summer on staff. In the army she was mashakit hinuch (educational instructor). She was a guide in the Israeli Scouts for three years. She loves to sing, paint and travel!

Ella Chester Rosh Muzika/Shira (Music and Singing)
This is Ella’s third summer on staff and ninth summer at camp! She is from Minneapolis, Minnesota. During the year she is in the Pre-vet program at Wesleyan University where she is studying biology and dives for their Swim and Dive team.

Afek Cohen Mishlachat – Shiluv (Inclusion)
Afek lives in Israel near Jerusalem. This is his second summer at camp and he is very excited to be back. He loves camping!

Asif Cohen Mishlachat – Rosh Boating
Asif if from Nitzan Israel. This will be his third summer in camp. Most of the year he is on reserve duty because of the ongoing war in Lebanon. He is studying electrical engineering at Tel Aviv University.

Heath Cohen Coach-In-Residence
Heath is from Boca Raton Florida. He attended University of Illinois where he earned a degree in kinesiology and a minor in coaching strategies. He currently works for Bongiovi Aviation. He was a camper for four summers and has been on staff for over ten years.

Maya Cohen Ruach Ramah Counselor
Maya Cohen is from Boca Raton Florida and a junior in high school. Her current employment is a lifeguard at Woodfield Country Club. She went to camp for all 9 years as a camper and this is her first year on staff.

Shachaf Cohen Mishlachat – Chinuch Bashetach (Outdoor Education)
Shachaf is a 23-year-old from Israel, currently living in Ra’anana. She was released from the army last August and now works as a barista and waitress at a local coffee shop.

Dafna Copelovitch Junior Counselor – Cabin
Dafna is from Madison, Wisconsin, and has been a camper for 9 years! This will be her first summer on staff. She will be attending Oberlin College in the fall to study dance and German language.

Amy Cytryn Office Staff
Amy grew up in Boston, MA. She has a BA, a BHL and an MA. She is a retired special ed teacher and currently lives in Jerusalem with her husband Eric. She has 6 grandchildren. 3 boys who live in Chicago and 3 girls who live in Jerusalem. This summer 4 of her grandchildren will be at camp.

Rabbi Eric Cytryn Yahadut (Jewish Studies)
Rabbi Cytryn is a retired Rabbi, living in Jerusalem and Chicago, who celebrated 15 of his first 28 summers at Camps Ramah, culminating as Rosh Nivonim in 1979-1980. In his retirement he plays guitar, reads murder mysteries, studies Jewish Philosophy and Israeli Poetry, spends time with his family and enjoys his six grandchildren.

Jacob Cytryn Executive Director
Jacob is returning for his 34th summer with Ramah – 27th on staff. In 2018 he became the Executive Director of Camp Ramah in Wisconsin and Ramah Day Camp after having been Director, Assistant Director and Program Director for several years. He earned an M.A. in Talmud and Rabbinics at JTS and is working on a Ph.D. in Jewish Studies and Education at Brandeis University. Jacob lives in Chicago with his wife Tamar and sons Sam, Micah and Hillel.

Itai Dahan Mishlachat – Chinuch Bashetach (Outdoor Education)
Itai Dahan is 21 years old from Yehud, Israel. He will be a first year staff member in the camp and he is a released IDF soldier. His former role was a commander in combat engineering.

Ido Dana Mishlachat – Nagarut (Woodworking)

Gil Dannel Junior Counselor – Cabin
Gil is from Berlin, Germany, and is going to start studying security management at HWR Berlin University. This will be his 3rd summer at Ramah Wisconsin, 2 summers as a camper and this is his first year on staff. In his spare he trains to become a krav maga instructor for MAKKABI Berlin.

Allie Davis Junior Counselor – Cabin

Amichai Davis Junior Counselor – Cabin
Amichai is from St. Louis Park MN. He is planning on studying PT/Kinesiology. He loves to play sports. He has been going to camp for 7+ years as a camper. He can’t wait for the summer.

Avishag Dehokerker Mishlachat – MItbachon (Teaching Kitchen)
Avishag Dehokraker is a 22-year-old from Modi’in, Israel. She currently works as an event producer and enjoys creating meaningful experiences and bringing people together. This will be her first summer at Camp Ramah in Wisconsin, where she will serve as a member of the Mishlachat Mitbachon (Teaching Kitchen) team. Avishag is excited to meet new people, share Israeli culture, and be part of the Ramah community.

Narin Deri Mishlachat – Sport
Narin is from Kiryat Motzkin in northern Israel and completed 12 years of schooling with a focus on physics and chemistry. He holds a basketball coaching certificate and currently works as a basketball coach. During his military service, he worked with at-risk youth and received a certificate of excellence for his contributions. This is his first year on camp staff, and he brings with him strong leadership experience, a passion for sports, and the ability to play several musical instruments.

Aaron Diaz Quiros Kitchen Staff

Ronan Ditkowsky Junior Counselor
Ronan is from Highland Park, Illinois. He recently graduated high school and is about to attend Elon University. He has been going to the Ramah Camps since he was a child.

Nicole Dolin Nurse
Nicole Dolin, from NJ, lived in Madison, Wisconsin for 17 years, and is now in San Diego, California. She worked as a nurse in many areas including Pediatric ICU, Outpatient Cardiology and Outpatient Urogynecology. She has three kids who have gone to camp every summer.

Dr. Ron Dolin Doctor
A longtime staff member, Dr. Dolin joins us from Del Mar, California where he works as a radiologist. He earned his undergraduate degree from Washington University in St. Louis and his MD from the University of Illinois-Chicago. He and his wife Nikki have three children.

Hazzan Joanna Dulkin Clergy in Residence
Hazzan Joanna Dulkin serves at Adath Jeshurun Congregation in Minnetonka MN. Her background as a camp songleader, musician and educator led her to the cantorate, and she is a proud graduate of Stanford University and JTS. Hazzan Dulkin was the first Rosh Shira at Camp Ramah Darom and wrote the Camp Anthem, ‘Drishat Shalom.’ She has taught and performed internationally as a cantor, musician and scholar-in-residence and  is also a published writer and an award-winning composer. Hazzan Dulkin and her husband, Rabbi Dr. Ryan Dulkin, are the proud parents of Zac (Nivo ’19) and Jesse (Ramah Poconos Gesher ’22, current Yahadut Staff).

Avital Edri Mishlachat – Cabin
Avital Edri, 21, is from Netivot and is excited to be joining Camp Ramah for her first summer on staff. She recently completed two years of national service and spent her second year on shlichut in the New York community. Avital enjoys working with people and is excited to bring positive energy to camp this summer.

Eliav Ehrlich Ruach Ramah Counselor
Eliav grew up at Camp Ramah in Wisconsin and attended Ramah Seminar in 2024. He is excited to study business in college and pursue aviation for a career. This is his first summer on staff, and he can’t wait. Eliav is from Mendota Heights, MN, and loves to play sports and work out.

Noah Ehrlich Ruach Ramah Counselor
Noah Ehrlich lives in Chicago, Illinois and he attends Ida Crown Jewish Academy in Skokie. He was a camper for nine summers at Camp Ramah in Wisconsin.

Caleb Ellenberg Senior Counselor – Cabin
Caleb is a rising junior at Brown University, where he’s majoring in Applied Math and Computer Science. Outside of class, he’s head of the data desk at the Brown Daily Herald and he plays intramural soccer. He grew up in Madison, Wisconsin and attended West High School. He spent seven summers as a camper at Ramah in Wisconsin, and he’s super excited to be back for his third full summer on staff!

Elia Ellis Junior Counselor – Cabin
Elia is from Overland Park, Kansas. She just graduated from the Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy and will be attending the University of Rutgers-New Brunswick in the fall earning her degree in Biomedical Nutrition. She was a camper for 10 summers and this is her second year on staff. She is so excited to be a counselor again this summer.

Chana Engelman Nurse
Chana Engelman is a Registered Nurse with more than 15 years of nursing experience, including a decade specializing in pediatric emergency care. Prior to becoming a nurse, Chana worked as an EMT in Magen David Adom. She holds a Masters in Public Administration and a certification in Pediatric Emergency Nursing. Chana is a mother of three girls and is so excited to be spending time at Camp Ramah, treating all the children as if they were one of her own.

Reut Erez Mishlachat – Cabin
Reut Erez is from Modiin Israel. During her military service in the IDF, she was in the Intelligence unit, which she finished in May. She worked at Shikuf Investigations, a private investigation company, as a clerk before her military service. In high school she majored in Arabic and Computer Science.

Katarina Erickson Rosh Rishonim (Pre-Camper Program)
Kate was born in Ukraine and grew up in Israel though she has lived in the United States for 24 years. She is a mom to two wonderful children – Iris is 8 years old and Tani is 6 years old. When not working, she and her husband Matt enjoy spending time with the kids and being outside. During the school year, she is an Early Intervention teacher, working with infants and toddlers with developmental needs. She is really excited to spend this summer at Ramah.

Rotem Eshbal Mishlachat – Cabin

Joseph Eskin Inclusion Specialist
Joseph Eskin lives in Lexington, KY, where he works for the Jewish Federation of the Bluegrass and runs the Religious School at Ohavay Zion Synagogue. Originally from Evanston, Illinois, he attended Camp Ramah in Wisconsin and returns this summer for his eleventh summer on staff.

Eliora Estrin Ruach Ramah Counselor
Eliora is from St. Louis Park, Minnesota, and she attended Ramah Wisconsin for 5 years, and then Ramah in the Rockies for 4 years. She will be a senior at St. Louis Park High School this coming year. This is her first year on staff at Ramah Wisconsin.

Ofek Fatal Mishlachat – Sport
Ofek is 23 years old and this is his second summer at camp. He works as a teacher in an after school program for first and second graders.

Dr. Yonah Fisch Rosh Machlakah – Chinuch BaShetach (Outdoor Education)
Yonah is back in Chinuch B’Shetach this year at camp. Yonah is a science educator currently living in Cincinnati, Ohio. Yonah spent time conducting research on coral reefs in Israel prior to obtaining his PhD in Marine Biology and Ecology from the University of Miami, Florida. Yonah is excited to be back at Ramah this year to help lead an incredible outdoor experience at camp.

Mark Fisch Yahadut (Jewish Studies)

Whitney Fisch Volunteer
In 2010, Whitney graduated with her MSW from the University of Michigan’s School of Social Work and was selected as a National Community Scholar. Whitney subsequently spent 10 years working as a school counselor and education administrator, most recently at Milken Community Schools as their Director of Health and Wellness in LA. Whitney has recently been the Executive Director for the Hillel at Miami University and the CEO of BaMidbar.

Daniel Fiterstein Junior Counselor – Cabin
Dani is from Towson, Maryland, entering his freshman year of college at the University of Maryland where he will be studying finance. He spent 10 summers at Ramah Wisconsin as a camper and this will be his first summer on staff.

Lauren Fleischman Director of Camp Wellness & Inclusion
Lauren joined the year-round team in 2025 after serving as the long-time Associate Director of the Hillel of the University of California at Berkeley. She is excited for her second summer at Camp Ramah in Wisconsin!

Briana Flores Estrada International Staff – Kitchen
Bri is from Mexico and this will be her third year on staff.

Giovana Flores Tolama International Staff – Housekeeping
From Mexico, this is Giovana’s second summer on staff. She is currently studying psychology at BUAP (Meritorious Autonomous University of Puebla).

Valerie Freeman Rosh Anaf (Activity Head) – Mitbachon (Teaching Kitchen)
Valerie Freeman lives in Overland Park, Kansas, and works at Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy. She loves spending time with her husband and three kids, traveling, exploring the outdoors, and experimenting with fun recipes in the kitchen. Their home is full of life with dogs, cats, chickens, and even three ducklings! This is Valerie’s fourth summer at Camp Ramah in Wisconsin, and she’s excited for another amazing camp season.

Nadav Fried Ruach Ramah Counselor
This is Nadav’s first summer at Camp Ramah Wisconsin, but he’s been a camper at other Ramah’s. Nadav is originally from DC, but now lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota! Next year he plans to finish high school before joining the IDF.

Nadav Friedman Mishlachat – Cabin

Adi Gantz Mishlachat – Agam (Waterfront)

Maggie Garfinkel Yoetzet (Camper Care Staff)
Maggie is from Chicago and was in Nivo 2003. After taking a long break from being at camp, she is excited to be rejoining as a Yoetzet. During the year, she is a school counselor for Chicago Public Schools and has been there for 13 years. This year she will be sharing the magic of Ramah with her two daughters who are 4 and 9.

Shai Garr Junior Counselor – Cabin
Shai lives in Modi’in with his parents, two older brothers and dog Nico. He works as a waiter at a wedding hall. Shai has been active in the Israeli Scouts since he was 10. He has been a camper at Ramah Wisconsin for five summers and is excited to come back as staff for the first time.

Yehuda Geler Mishlachat – Photographer
Yehuda grew up in the Haredi community of Modi’in Illit, Israel. A photographer with a passion for capturing human emotions and authentic moments, he is also a musician and songwriter who views music as his primary language. After spending extensive time traveling and exploring the Far East, Yehuda is excited to join the Mishlachat for his first summer at Camp Ramah, where he will document the camp’s magic through his lens.

Maxim German Mishlachat – Agam (Waterfront)
Maxim is 22 years old from Yeruham in the south of Israel. He was recently discharged from IDF, where he served in the Golani Brigade. Now heworks as a gardener in the Arava of Israel with a few good friends. He plays the guitar, likes to run and workout and travel all around.

David Ghanouni Junior Counselor – Cabin
David Ghanouni is from Los Angeles, California, and he will be attending Santa Barbara City College next year. There he will be studying Psychology and Political Science on a  pre-law track. This is David’s first year at Ramah Wisconsin and he is very excited to spend his first summer as a Chevrati!

Dr. Jerry Gilberg Doctor

Marisa Goffman Programming Specialist
Marisa is a former Ramah camper being part of the first-ever Kochavim in 2011 and attending every summer (including seminar) through 2021. She currently works as the Youth and Education Coordinator at Beth Jacob Congregation in Minnesota. She’s excited to be returning to her happy place this summer for Kayitz 2026!

Lilianna Goldberg Senior Counselor – Cabin
Lili Goldberg, originally from Chicago, Illinois, was a camper at Ramah Wisconsin for nine years. She attended Rochelle Zell Jewish High School before attending the Hartman Gap-Year Program, Hevruta. Next year she will be at the University of Pennsylvania, majoring in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics.

Yonatan Goldin Mishlachat – Cabin
Yonatan Goldin is a 21 year old from Zikhron Yaakov, Israel. In high school he majored in theater and in music (Drums). Throughout his childhood and teen years he was a member and counsellor in NOAM, the Masorti youth movement in Israel. After a gap year in the Hevruta program at the Hartman institute in Jerusalem, in September of 2023, Yonatan began his military service as a drummer in the IDF Orchestra. This will be Yonatan’s second experience as a counselor at a Ramah camp outside of Israel, having previously been part of the Jewish agency’s “mishlachat” to Raman Canada in the summer of 2023.

Gabi Goldstein Ruach Ramah Counselor
Gabi Goldstein is from Highland Park, Illinois, and attends Highland Park High School. She has been a camper for five years, and this is her first year on staff.

Elijah Golob Senior Counselor – Drama
Elijah is from Bloomington Minnesota and is heading into his junior year at the University of Minnesota. He is studying special education with a minor in theatre. He is incredibly excited for his sixth year at Ramah, and third year on Drama staff!

Juan Gomez Blas International Staff – Kitchen
Juan Carlos Gómez Blas is 21 years old and he is Mexican. He is currently studying nutrition. He is from an island in the Gulf of Mexico called Ciudad del Carmen. It’s a pretty chill place and he really likes where he’s from.

Paulina Salatiel Gomez Rios International Staff – Kitchen
Paulina joins us from Mexico for her third summer at camp. She is from Mexico City, where she studies International Relations at the National Autonomous University of Mexico.

Jonathan Goodgold Senior Counselor – Cabin
Jonathan is from Evanston, Illinois, and he just completed his first year at Emory University studying finance and real estate. Jonathan has been going to camp since 2016, and this is his second year on staff. Jonathan is excited and looking forward to a great year at camp.

Preston Gordman Senior Counselor – Cabin
Preston is from Omaha, NE, and is going into his junior year at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He is pursuing a double major in finance and accounting. This is his third year on staff, but his 11th summer overall.

Jordan B. Gorfinkel Shavua Bogrim Workshop Leader
Jordan B. Gorfinkel—Gorf—is a veteran editor-manager of the Batman franchise for DC Comics and producer of the best-selling Passover Haggadah Graphic Novel and the Tanakh Graphic Novel Series, passion projects that combine his love of visual storytelling and devotion to Judaism and Israel. Gorf travels North America, Israel and the world, serving as a scholar in residence, visiting synagogues, retreats, summer camps, Passover programs and communities around the world. His dynamic presentations and hands-on Jewish Cartoon Workshop engage everyone of all ages and backgrounds with the inspirational message: Make Judaism & Israel Your Superpower! (www.JewishCartoon.com). You can follow Gorf on Instagram and Facebook @JewishCartoon.

Nitai Gorlin Senior Counselor – Cabin
Nitai is from Chicago, Illinois. He went to Rochelle Zell and is going to Columbia University. He has been a camper at Ramah Wisconsin since Garinim summer.

Shachar Gosalkar Mishlachat – Cabin
Shachar is from Zofim, Israel and this is her first summer on staff. Since completing her IDF service as an Education NCO, she has been doing what she loves most- traveling, practicing yoga and having fun with friends and family. Shachar is excited for her first summer in camp!

Mitchell Gottlieb Senior Counselor – Cabin
Mitchell Gottlieb is from  Highland Park, Illinois, and attended RZJHS for high school. Now, Mitchell goes to school at Vanderbilt University, double-majoring in Economics and Political Science with a minor in Data Science. Mitchell is returning to Ramah for his 11th summer and third summer on staff.

Ayelet Graetz Mishlachat – Omanut (Studio Arts)
Ayelet Graetz is from Jerusalem and just finished her IDF service as a medic.

Rabbi Judy Greenberg Yoetzet Tichnun
Judy Greenberg is Campus Rabbi at Hillel at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Previously, she taught Jewish studies at Rochelle Zell Jewish High School in the Chicago suburbs. Judy was ordained at the Jewish Theological Seminary, where she also received a Master’s degree in Midrash. Originally from the Philadelphia suburbs, she moved to Madison with her family eight years ago. This summer, her kids are in Rishonim, Halutzim, and Shoafim. Judy loves reading and baking, but you can most often find her knitting.

Sam Groth Ruach Ramah Counselor
Sam is from Buffalo Grove Illinois. He graduated from Rochelle Zell Jewish High School in May of this year. This is his ninth year at camp and first as a staff member.

Oscar Gutierrez Vidals International Staff – Kitchen

Aleksandra Guzik International Staff – Kitchen
Aleksandra is from the south of Poland. She graduated from the Pedagogical University of Krakow, majoring in Pre-school and Primary School Education. Currently, she works in a hotel as a receptionist and she tutors English and Math part time. This is her fourth summer at Camp Ramah in Wisconsin.

Noga Haimov Mishlachat – Cabin
Noga is from Tel-Aviv, Israel. She majored in theatre and social science, and loves to dance and watch the sunset at the beach.

Benjamin Hammel SeniorCounselor – Cabin
Ben is mainly from the Chicago area but grew up in Efrat, Israel for a few years. He has gone to Ramah since Ruach and plans on drafting in March of 2027.

Lavi Hammel Senior Counselor – Outdoor Education
Lavi has been coming to camp since Ruach Ramah 2013 and this is his fourth year on staff. He’s entering his last year at Syracuse University studying international relations. He loves going outdoors on backpacking, rock climbing, and caving trips!

Alon Hankin Mishlachat – Rosh Eidah Bogrim
Alon joins us from Kibbutz Gezer for his fifth summer on staff. He served three years in the Israeli army. He loves sports, landscaping, woodworking and hiking.

Mark Harris Educational Consultant
Mark has worked been at Camp Ramah in Wisconsin for 20 summers as a camper and staff member. He served as the Rosh Agam for 11 years over two time periods in his life. In his professional career he runs the Harris Development Group which specializes in employee and leadership development and organizational change. Mark’s two sons are also former Ramah campers and staff members. Mark is also a Trustee of Camp Ramah in Wisconsin.

Halel Hazan Mishlachat – Cabin
Hillel lives in Sensana in southern Israel. During her military service she was in the Education Corps. This is her third year at camp.

Lilah Heifetz Junior Counselor – Tech
Lilah is from Madison, Wisconsin, and this will be her first summer on staff after eight as a camper and participating in Ramah Seminar. She will be studying Audio Engineering Technology at Purdue University starting in the fall.

Yaron Heiligman Senior Counselor – Cabin
Yaron is from Kansas City, and just finished his first year at Yeshivat Orayta. He will be doing a second year and drafting with Orayta in March. He was a camper for six summers and this is his second summer on staff.

Miriam Herstein Senior Counselor – Cabin
Miriam is a fourth-year counselor from Los Angeles, California, and this is her 17th summer at camp! She is a rising senior at Brandeis University where she double-majors in International and Global Studies and Near Eastern and Judaic studies. Aside from being a student, she works as a religious school teacher, a Special Projects Fellow for Ramah WI, a student worker at the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education, and served as the Ramah College Network coordinator at Brandeis in the fall. Her favorite parts of camp are Mishmar, Kabbalat Shabbat, and boating!

Nava Herstein Junior Counselor – Sport
Nava is a recent graduate from Milken Community High School in Los Angeles California. She will attend University of Kansas in the fall as an Exercise Science major. She has been a camper since 2017 but has been coming to camp for quite awhile before that. She will be returning to sports staff as an official counselor this summer. She specializes in volleyball, as this is her favorite sport. But she also helps out in frisbee, soccer, softball, and anywhere else she is needed.

Sean Herstein Yoetz Tichnun
Originally from Minnesota, Sean has been a part of the Camp Ramah in Wisconsin community since 1991, including three summers as a camper, four as a counselor, and two as a Rosh Eidah.  After many years on the Yahadut team, Sean is working his 2nd summer in the Mercaz.  During the school year he is a member of the Jewish Studies faculty at Milken Community School in Los Angeles, California. Sean holds a BA from Indiana University, an MA from Hebrew University, and a certificate of advanced Jewish Studies from the Pardes Institute.

Omri Hirsh Mishlachat – Chinuch Bashetach (Outdoor Education)
Omri is from Kadima, Israel. He is a graduate of Oded High school where he studied Chemistry and Arabic. He worked for two and a half years as a network technician and received a CCNA diploma.

Danny Hoffenberg Junior Counselor – Cabin
Danny Hoffenberg is from Skokie, Illinois, and recently completed his freshman year at Oakland Community College in Michigan, where he is studying finance. He plans to transfer to a four-year university this fall to continue his education in business. Danny has been going to Ramah in Wisconsin since he was 4 years old, starting in Family Camp, and has built strong friendships and a deep connection to the community. He is excited to return as a staff member and give back to a place that has played an important role in his life.

Gabriel Hoffenberg Junior Counselor – Cabin
Gabe is from Atlanta and he is studying at the University of Texas at Austin next year for sport management. Gabe loves playing and watching sports and was a camper at Camp Ramah in Wisconsin for 8 years.

Dr. Sara Hoffenberg Yoetzet (Camper Care Team)
Dr. Sara Hoffenberg is a child psychologist at the Atlanta Children’s Center with expertise in child development, developmental/learning concerns, behavioral difficulties, anxiety, and depression. Prior to co-founding the Atlanta Children’s Center, Sara spent 11 years at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and was an Assistant Professor at Emory University School of Medicine. Dr. Hoffenberg is certified through the American Board of Professional Psychology. In addition, she is also on the executive board of Camp Ramah in Wisconsin. Sara lives in Atlanta, GA with her husband, Jon, who she met at Camp Ramah, and their three children.

Jon Hoffman Head Chef
Jon Hoffman is a private chef and caterer in St. Louis, Missouri.  Jon was a camper at Ramah Wisconsin from 1993 to 1998, and spent one summer on staff in 2000.  Jon returned to Ramah in 2021 and has worked in our kitchen every summer since.  He earned a bachelor’s of arts degree from Indiana University, as well as a culinary degree from St. Louis College.

Zohar Holl Mishlachat – Omanut
Zohar is from Israel and this will be her first summer on staff.

Sarah Holzman Junior Counselor – Cabin
Sarah Holzman is from Deerfield, Illinois, and has been part of the camp community for eight summers as a camper. She went on Ramah Israel Seminar last year, deepening her connection to Israel and Jewish learning. Sarah will be attending the University of Michigan, where she plans to major in Economics. She is excited to return as a staff member and give back to a community that has been so meaningful to her.

Beth Hope Camper Care Coordinator
Beth is the Senior Director of Clinical Communication and Quality at Compass Health Center, a behavioral health organization based in Illinois. She has been a therapist and clinical administrator for almost 20 years and prior to joining Compass Health Center, was the Executive Director of Child Welfare Programs with The Heartland Alliance. She serves as a member of the Board of Education for District 225 and on the curriculum advisory committee for Brain Health Academy. Beth was a camper at Ramah Wisconsin from 1994-1996 and then attended the Ramah Israel Seminar & Poland program in 1997 followed by 2 years on staff at Ramah Wisconsin. Beth attended the University of Michigan and New York University where she earned a BA in Psychology and a Masters in Social work, respectively. She is originally from Edina, Minnesota and now lives with her husband and two daughters (both current CRW campers) in Northbrook, Illinois.

Sahar Itach Mishlachat – Chinuch Bashetach (Outdoor Education)
Sahar is from Israel and was a tour guide during his service year before the army. As a teenager he was a guide in the Hebrew Scouts. At home he studied mathematics, psychology and radio communications, and in the army he was a commander, training soldiers in the Intelligence Corps.

Eve Johnson Junior Counselor – Drama
Eve was born in Madison, Wisconsin, but is currently from South Orange, New Jersey. She will be starting  at New York University in the fall with a major in Drama. Eve plans to pursue Broadway and Film, recently making her film debut in ‘Law and Order SVU’. This is her ninth year at camp, first time on staff. She couldn’t be more excited for Ramah 2026.

Shawn Jones Nurse

Sigal Judd Senior Counselor – Atzmayim
Sigal is from Columbus, Ohio. She attends Bryn Mawr College and studies Speech Pathology and Audiology. Sigal spent seven years at Ramah as a camper, and she looks forward to returning for her second summer on staff!

David Kamen Mishlachat – Sport
David lives in Shorashim, Israel. This is his second year at camp. After camp he plans on traveling the United States and South America.

Samantha Kaminsky Infirmary Aide
Samantha Kaminsky is from Northbrook, Illinois. This is her 12th summer at camp, and fifth time on staff. She recently graduated from the University of Michigan where she received a Bachelor of Science in Biology, Health, and Society. After camp she will be working as a medical assistant in her gap year before attending medical school.

Erez Kanner Mishlachat – Rosh Nagarut (Woodworking)
Erez is 22 years old and lives in Kfar Saba Israel. This is his second summer at camp.

Rena Kantor Senior Counselor – Agam (Waterfront)
Rena is from Farmington Hills Michigan and she will be on Tzevet Agam as boating staff! She spent the past year in Israel on Young Judaea Year Course and will be going to Binghamton University for computer science. This is her secnd summer as staff and her fifth summer at Ramah Wisconsin.

Devorah Kaplowitz Junior Counselor – Cabin
Devorah Kaplowitz is from Chicago. This is her second summer on staff and her seventh summer at camp. She just graduated from Ida Crown Jewish Academy, and plans to study in Israel next year, and then attend Columbia University. Devorah enjoys running, reading, singing, and dancing, and can’t wait to get to know her campers and make new friends this summer!

Benjamin Kaufman Rosh Eidah – Garinim
Benji Kaufman grew up in Chicago, and recently graduated from the University of Maryland. With a degree in Journalism, Benji is pursuing a career in sports broadcasting. After seven summers as a camper, Benji went on Ramah Seminar in 2021 and spent three summers as a chevrati counselor. Now, Benji returns on staff as a rosh eidah.

Eliana Kaufman Mitbachon (Teaching Kitchen)

Rachel Kedma Mishlachat – Rikud (Dance)
Rachel Kedma is a 22 year old from northern Israel. She previously worked as a teaching assistant at a high school in Israel, and this is her first year as a staff member.

Mark Kelln Rosh Machlakah Sport
Mark is from Omaha, Nebraska where he is the Education Director at Beth El Synagogue. This his fourth summer at camp but first without a camper. He has a masters degree in Education Administration from the University of Nebraska.

Ruth Klein Mishlachat – Shiluv (Inclusion)

Bence Kleiner International Staff – Kitchen
Bence Kleiner came from Hungary. He is at University of Dunaujvaros right now, and he is studying business economy technologies. This is his third summer at camp.

Yuval Koplovich Mishlachat – Chinuch Bashetach (Outdoor Education)
Yuval is 23 years old. He has four brothers, one of whom is his twin. He was discharged last August from permanent service in the IDF after 4 years, a total of 2.8 years of active service. He loves to travel, hang out with friends, and play board games.

Noemi Kovacs International Staff – Kitchen
Noemi is a hungarian unversity student coming for her first summer in camp in 2026. She is really excited to get to know everyone and start working as kitchen staff. Right now she attends Eotvos Lorand University in Budapest. Since she was always interested in languages and cultures, she did her Bachelor’s degree in English Studies, and now she is doing a Master’s program in Intercultural Business Communication. She likes travelling and she is eager to see America.

Lori Kramer Shiluv (Inclusion)

Maya Kraus Mishlachat – Tarbut Yisrael (Israeli Culture)
Maya is traveling from Israel to join Camp Ramah in Wisconsin. She is currently finishing her National Service in a biology lab and previously worked at a museum in Petah Tikva. She’s joining the camp for the first time!

Yael Kula Mishlachat
Yael is from Tel Aviv, Israel and has studied in Midreshset Ein hanatziv. Today she is a student at the Hebrew university of Jerusalem. This will be her third summer working in camp, and she is very excited to be back for the summer!

Solomon Lamin Junior Counselor – Agam (Waterfront)
Solomon is from Eagan, Minnesota, and plans to take a gap year in Israel next year. He currently works as a host at Hazelwood restaurant in Bloomington, Minnesota. This summer marks his eighth year at camp.

Hodiel Lancry Mishlachat – Cabin

Rachel Landau Mishlachat – Tarbut Yisrael (Israeli Culture)
Rachel Landau, 20 years old, from Netivot, is joining us for her first year at camp. During her national service, she worked as an instructor at a youth center for children from underprivileged backgrounds. Rachel loves kids, nature, extreme activities, and sports, and is excited to meet the campers and create unforgettable experiences with them.

Gavriel Lappen Junior Counselor – Cabin
Gavi Lappen is from Cleveland, Ohio and is going to attend the University of Maryland next fall. He plans on studying Aerospace Engineering and has been at Camp Ramah in Wisconsin for four years as a camper.

Daniel Lavi Mishlachat – Noam Counselor
Daniel is from Mazkert Batiya, Israel. He served at the medical school of the IDF as a medic instructor. This is his first time at camp.

Ayelet Lazar Senior Counselor – Agam (Waterfront)
Ayelet Lazar is from Chicago, IL and attending Marquette University where she is majoring in Chemistry and minoring in Computer Science. This is her third summer at camp on Agam staff and has been attending camp since Ruach Ramah.

Joshua Lazar Atzmayim Counselor
Josh is initially from Chicago, Illinois and is a graduate of the University of Minnesota. Go Gophers! This will be his sixth summer on staff and 14th summer in total.

Moria Lehman Rosh Machlakah Omanuyot HaBama (Head of Performing Arts)
Moria is from Jerusalem. She is a high school teacher at Inbar school in Jerusalem, teaching drama, literature and Tanakh. Moria first arrived to Ramah Wisconsin in 2021 as a Shlicha in Milwaukee, and feels very lucky to return every summer since, with her children Nadav, Ronnie and Yuval.

Orit Leiferman Senior Counselor – Cabin
Orit Leiferman is from Cincinnati, OH and will be attending The Ohio State University in the fall. She just completed her gap year at Midreshet Machon Ma’ayan in Israel and is excited to return to camp for her second summer on staff and sixth summer at camp!

Sky Leventhal Junior Counselor – Sport
Sky is from Minneapolis, Minnesota and is excited for his first year on staff after being a camper for over six years at Camp Ramah in Wisconsin

Joel Levinson Artist in Residence
Joel is the Head of Content and Growth at an EdTech company working in higher ed, father to a camper, and in his fifth year making music at Camp Ramah.

Elena Levitt Yahadut (Jewish Studies)
Elena Levitt is from St Louis Park, MN. She has a Master’s Degree in Jewish Education from American Jewish University, and is finishing her 19th year teaching at Smith Jewish Academy. Elena began her prestigious Ramah career in the kitchen in the summer of 2021, and this is her sixth summer with us. Elena’s two daughters, Hannah and Tovah, are also Ramahniks!

Hannah Levitt Ruach Ramah Counselor
Hannah is from Saint Louis Park, Minnesota. This is their first summer on staff, but 8th summer total. She is entering 12th grade at SLP while taking classes at Normandale Community College. Hannah is so excited to join the amazing staff at camp this summer!

Jessica Levitt Engagement Associate
Jess graduated from the Ohio State University in December 2023 with a degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering. Jess has been spending her summers at Camp Ramah since 2011, and spent two summers rosh eidah, and joined the year round team in 2024.

Dr. Mia Levy Doctor

Lorelai Lindon Senior Counselor – Agam (Waterfront)
Lorelai is from Deerfield IL. This is her 12th summer at Ramah and second summer on staff at the Agam. She just finished up a year in Israel on the Gap year program Hevruta through the Shalom Hartman Institute. While in Israel she interned at the Ramah Israel office working with TRY and helping prepare for Seminar. Next year she will be heading to the University of Maryland to study Architecture. She can’t wait to meet everyone on the kikar!

Laeh Litin Office Staff
Laeh is a veteran staff member who has worked in numerous areas of camp over the years.  Aside from her 48 years at camp (6 as a camper), Laeh has lived in Chicago her entire life. She earned degrees in Dietetics, Sociology, and Athletic Training from UIC. After 25 years at Gordon Tech High School, she moved to her current job at Rochelle Zell Jewish High School in the fall of 2019 as the Athletic Trainer, and is now also the Head Track Coach and Assistant Cross Country Coach.  In her spare time, she plays hockey, bowls, and is the Daily Minyan Torah reader at Mah Tovu (aka Ner Tamid Egalitarian Minyan) in Chicago.

Sara Maya Littky Mishlachat – Atzmayim

Jason Litwack Kitchen Staff
Originally from St. Louis, Missouri, Jason has been a part of the Camp Ramah in Wisconsin community since 1992, including numerous summers as a camper and counselor as well as several summers working in the kitchen. Jason currently lives in Chicago, Illinois with his wife (Nivo ’97) and three children. Jason is a member of the Camp Ramah Board of Directors.

Marc Luban Head Songleader
Marc Luban is a born and raised Chicagoan who recently graduated from Columbia University and The Jewish Theological Seminary with degrees in Jewish Thought and Music, and currently lives in Harlem, NY! He’s been professionally songleading for the last decade or so at Jewish overnight camps across the country, and spends his winter months working as a congregational and freelance musician in New York. He spends his free time reading sci-fi and fantasy novels, sailing, or taking long naps in Central Park. Can’t get much better than that, if ya ask him! This will be Marc’s first summer working at Ramah, and boy is he ready and willing to learn and experience what makes Ramah so special for so many people.

Avital Lupovitch Rosh Eidah – Ruach Ramah
Originally from Evanston, Illinois, Tali is so excited to be back at her summer home after spending six amazing years at camp as a camper! She’s a big believer in the power of education, having studied Early Childhood and Special Education at the University of Maryland and later earning her Master’s in Teaching Hebrew from Middlebury College. Whether she was teaching English for a year in Bat Yam, Israel, or spending the last eight years at Solomon Schechter in Chicago, Tali loves working with kids and can’t wait to bring that same energy and fun to camp this summer!

Elena Macias Huerta International Staff – Kitchen
Maty was born in Mexico but loves to travel and discover new stories. She’s currently studying psychology and doing her community service supporting children at a rehabilitation center. This is her second year at camp, and she loves being surrounded by such amazing people.

Noa Maeir Rosh Eidah – Machon
Noa is from Deerfield, IL and just graduated from the University of Vermont with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. She is so excited to return to camp for her 13th summer and first as a Rosh Eidah! After camp, Noa plans to work as a nurse in Chicago!

Magali Magdaleno Pena International Staff – Kitchen
Magali is from Mexico and is currently studying languages; which are French, German, English and Japanese. One of her biggest passions is drawing.

Hector Marmolejo Lizama International Staff – Kitchen
Hector is from Mérida, Mexico. He is currently studying Architecture, and this will be his fourth year at camp. Camp is one of his favorite experiences because of the adventures and the new people he meets along the way.

Eddy Martinez Lozano International Staff – Kitchen
Eddy is a modern languages student, almost graduated, and he is from Mexico. This is his first summer at camp working as kitchen staff. He is very excited to meet new people, learn new skills, and also experience new cultures.

Elad Mashav Mishlachat – Sport
Elad Mashav is a 23-year-old professional from Israel. After earning his degree in Math and Physics from Bar-Ilan University, he transitioned his academic expertise into a practical career as a private educator, teaching kids and students.

Rebecca Mayerhoff Nurse
Rebecca Wilkof Mayerhoff joins Camp Ramah in Wisconsin from Columbus with her husband, Yaakov, and their 6-year-old twins, Dexter and Annie. Originally from Canton and Oakland, Rebecca studied public health at Brandeis University and University College London before earning her BSN from Columbia University. She has worked as a labor and delivery nurse for the past 10 years and is currently pursuing her master’s degree in nursing at Ohio University, with plans to become a Family Nurse Practitioner in primary care. In her free time, Rebecca enjoys playing tennis, walking her dog (Polly), biking with her twins, and trying iced matcha lattes around Columbus. She is especially excited to introduce her children to the Ramah community, having spent six summers as a camper at Camp Ramah in Canada.

Yair Mazursky Mishlachat – Sport
From Netanya in Israel, Yair studied chemistry and biology in high school. He served in the IDF for three years.

Ike McClelland Maintenance

Dr. Rachel McDowell Doctor  
Rachel was a camper at Ramah from 1986-1992, then on staff in 1994, 1996 and 1997.  She is board-certified in Emergency Medicine, and is now leaving the ER to pursue a fellowship in Hospice and Palliative Medicine. She has been a part of the camp medical team for several summers, and is the mother of 6 kids, including 2 current campers. She lives in Riverwoods, IL.

Abby Mehr Hanhallah Coordinator
Abby Mehr is from Niles, Illinois. She graduated from The Ohio State University in 2025 with a Bachelors in STEM Education. Abby spent this past year teaching English with the Masa Israel Teaching Fellows Program. This upcoming school year, she will teach 5th and 6th grade science in Morton Grove, IL.

Molly Mehr Senior Counselor – Shiluv
Molly is so excited to be returning to camp for her 12th summer, and third summer as a counselor! She is from the suburbs of Chicago and attends The Ohio State University with a major in special education..

Hannah Melman Junior Counselor – Cabin
Hannah is from Northbrook IL and will be starting her freshman year at Syracuse University in the fall where she will be studying advertising. This summer is going to be her 14th summer at camp, 12 as a camper and this summer will be her second as staff.

Eli Melnick Senior Counselor – Cabin
Eli is from Chicago, Illinois and currently goes to school at the University of Alabama. He is studying mechanical engineering. He’s been involved with Ramah for over a decade.

Selene Mendez Gonzalez International Staff – Kitchen
Selene is from Mexico and is currently studying Tourism Administration at college. She is also learning French, driven by her passion for languages. This is her first summer at Camp Ramah, and she is excited to be part of the community. Selene enjoys meeting new people, creating meaningful experiences, and making others feel welcome.

Brithany Mendoza Barboza International Staff- Kitchen
Brithany is originally from Mexico and is currently pursuing her university studies, where she is focusing on developing skills in communication and business-related areas. She has work experience in customer service at a family-owned company, where she has learned to interact with diverse people and solve problems effectively. This is her first summer at camp, and she is excited to gain new experiences, contribute to the team, and grow both personally and professionally.

Abby Merkel Head of Housekeeping
Abby is from Eagle River, Wisconsin and is joining us for her 14th summer working at Camp Ramah.

Leehe Milligan Rosh Machlakah Omanuyot (Arts)
Leehe lives in Northbrook with her husband, Sam and her two children, Noah and Maya.  She attended List College and graduated with a double degree in Visual Arts and Art History, and a degree in Bible Studies. She also holds a Masters Degree in Art Therapy from the School of Visual Arts. Leehe has spent years in the Jewish educational world, in both formal and informal settings and is passionate about experiential ed, art, Israel ed, and helping others engage with the always changing modern classroom. She first came to camp in 1999 as a staff member and it has felt like home ever since.

Ilyssa Minkus Nurse

Daniela Moran Cumbalaza International Staff – Rishonim (Pre-Camper Program)
Daniela is from Colombia. She studied modern languages, English and French, at the University of Cauca. She currently works at a preschool and is very happy to be part of camp for the third consecutive year.

Or Moshe Zahav Mishlachat – Sport
Or is from Holon, Israel. This is his first year at camp as staff member (martial arts specialist).

Jocelyn Munoz Cortes International Staff – Rishonim (Pre-Camper Program)
Jocelyn is from Mexico and studied at BUAP, a university in Puebla, where she earned a degree in Teaching English. She currently works as an English teacher in a preschool. This is her second year at Camp Ramah, where she works with the Rishonim group. She enjoys supporting young learners and creating engaging, fun environments for children to grow and learn.

Joseph Murciano Ruach Ramah Counselor
Joseph attends Amundsen High School in Chicago Illinois. This is his ninth summer at camp, first as a staff member and eighth as a camper.

Shaked Nahmias Mishlachat – Sport
Shaked Nahmias is a 21-year-old from Israel. After completing his service in the IDF a year ago, Shaked has been working as a waiter in a chef restaurant, where he refined his communication and service skills in a fast-paced environment. This is his first year as a staff member at Camp Ramah, and he is eager to bring his leadership experience and creative energy to the camp community this summer.

Maayan Nesher Michlachat – Chinuch Bashetach (Outdoor Education)
Maayan is from Israel and recently completed a long trip in South America. This is her second summer on staff and she is really looking forward to the summer.

Keren Nevenzal Mishlachat – Tarbut Yisrael (Israeli Culture)
Keren is  from Israel. She loves to dance and draw and this is her first time at camp.

Aaron Newman Rosh Eidah – Halutzim
Aaron Newman is from Omaha, NE and currently lives in New York City. He is a third year rabbinical student at the Jewish Theological Seminary. This past year, he served as a rabbinic intern at Columbia/Barnard Hillel. Before rabbinical school, Aaron studied for a year at the Pardes Institute for Jewish Studies in Jerusalem. He was also a youth director at Beth El Omaha. Aaron is currently a graduate fellow with The Nachshon Project. This will be his fifth summer on staff and he is so excited to be returning as Rosh Halutzim!

Sydney Newman Shiluv (Inclusion)
This is Sydney’s 6th year on staff and she was a camper for 8 summers. She graduated from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 2025. She just finished her first year of teaching as an elementary special education teacher.

Tomer Nimtsan Mishlachat – Chinuch Bashetach (Outdoor Bashetach)
Tomer is from the city of Hadera. It’s his first time coming to a US summer camp! He’s now working as a substitute teacher and kindergarten teacher.

Samuel Nussbuam Junior Counselor – Cabin
This is Sam’s fourth summer at camp, and his first as a counselor. Sam is from Leawood, Kansas and is heading to Indiana University to study finance after camp.

Avi Okner Senior Counselor – Agam (Waterfront)
Avi Okner was born and raised in Chicago. He attended Ida Crown Jewish Academy and spent seven summers as a camper at Camp Ramah in Wisconsin, followed by one summer on staff. After high school, he took a gap year to study in the Old City of Jerusalem.

Dr. Sarah Olitzky Yoetzet (Camper Care Team)
This will be Sarah’s fifth summer as a Yoetzet and she LOVES supporting staff learning and campers! Sarah has a PhD in School Psychology and is a licensed clinical psychologist and nationally certified school psychologist. She founded and directs  Pediatric Psych Services- a company providing outpatient mental health services to children and special education evaluation and consultation to local schools.

Dr. Daniel Olson
Dr. Daniel Olson is the Assistant National Director at the National Ramah Commission. He leads year-round professional development opportunities for Ramah’s year-round and seasonal staff. He has also conducted research on key issues within the Ramah Camping Movement.

Fanni Omray International Staff – Rishonim (Pre-Camper Program)
Fanni is a Hungarian staff member. She’s attending the University of Pécs where she’s studying Tourism. This will be her third year as a Rishonim staff member. She’s very excited to see everyone at camp again and continue making great connections with staff and kids as well.

Emily Paper Infirmary Aide
Emily Paper is an elementary educator with 19 years of teaching experience in the Twin Cities.  She lives in Mendota Heights, Minnesota with her husband and two Ramahnik daughters, Stevie and Billie.  As someone who was never an overnight camper, she looks forward to spending part of the summer at Ramah!

Colby Parkinson Maintenance

Danielle Pearl Nurse

Mia Pearl Junior Counselor – Cabin
Mia is a first year Junior Counslor who just graduated from Highland Park High School this spring and will be attending Tulane University to study psychology in the fall. She has been a camper at Ramah since Ruach Ramah and has been at camp all eight summers since!

Yeheli Peled Mishlachat – Cabin

Shira Pellegrino Rosh Schiyah (Swimming)
Shira is from Overland Park, KS. This fall, she will be entering her senior year at University of Kansas, majoring in Industrial Design. She spent six summers as a camper, five at Ramah Wisconsin and one on Ramah Poland/Israel Seminar. This summer is her fourth summer on staff.

Joe Pennington Food Service Director
Joe joins us from Louisville, KY for his 17th summer on staff. After completing his studies at the University of Louisville he enrolled at Sulllivan University for Culinary School where he met his wife Christina. They now have 3 children: Joey, Madelyn and Lily.

Jorge Perez Baeza International Staff – Kitchen
Jorge is originally from Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico. He has pursued his university studies in his chosen field, building a strong academic foundation while gaining valuable experience along the way. He has been actively involved in camp life, both as a participant and as a staff member, where he brings enthusiasm and dedication to his role. He is passionate about creating positive experiences and supporting others in a fun and engaging environment.

Anita Phelps Welcome Center
Anita Phelps has been on staff for 14 seasons, most of which have been in our Welcome Center. She lives in Eagle River with her husband, Don, and has four adult children, three of whom worked at camp for several years. During the off-season, Anita is a paraprofessional for the Three Lakes School District and enjoys her hobbies of crocheting, quilting, and reading.

Don Phelps Office Staff
Don lives in Eagle River and is a retired teacher. He has 4 grown children and 7 grandchildren.

Nina Pickus Senior Counselor- Cabin
Nina Pickus is from from Chicago, Illinois. She currently attends University of Maryland College Park where she is double majoring in English and Government and Politics. She also works as a tour guide at school. This is Nina’s second year on staff.

Greta Plesovszki International Staff – Kitchen
Greta is from Budapest, Hungary, and this will be her first time at camp. She studies Tourism and Hospitality at the Budapest University of Economics and Business. Currently she’s working for an online marketing company as well as in a pastry shop.

Shayna Podhoretz Rosh Eidah – Shoafim
Shayna Podhoretz is so excited to return for her fifth summer on staff and to be a Rosh Eidah for the first time!!! This fifth summer on tzevet means she has worked at camp longer than she was a camper for (four summers, RIP Nivo 2020). She graduated from Williams College in June 2026 with a degree in History and Jewish Studies. After kayitz 2026, she will be working as an RA on the Kivunim gap year program.

Jocelyn Ramirez Cruz International Staff – Housekeeping
This is Jocelyn’s third year at camp. She is from Mexico City, where she is currently studying Design and Visual Communication at UNAM..

Liz Rappaport Mitbachon (Teaching Kitchen)
Liz Rappaport is the Associate Director of Beth El and lives in the Twin Cities of MN. Both of her kids have attended Camp Ramah. In her free time, Liz is an avid baker (specializing in rugelach) and serves on the board of directors for Maayanot Community Mikveh of Minnesota.

Sarah Rappaport Senior Counselor – Cabin
Sarah is from  Minnesota and currently attends the University of Kansas, where she is majoring in Speech, Language, Hearing. This will be her third summer on staff and her 11th summer at camp.

Alexander Rich Senior Counselor – Cabin
Alex is from Omaha, Nebraska. He is currently attending Nebraska-Omaha as an Aviation Major, while also working as a student assistant with the school’s NCAA Hockey team. This will be his eighth summer at camp, third as a counselor, and first as a cabin counselor

Dr. Reena Ritter Yoetzet (Camper Care Team)
Reena Benson Ritter, Psy.D., is a clinician in a group practice, where she provides assessment and treatment services to children, adolescents, adults, and families. She is thrilled to be returning as a Yoetzet this summer and to be back at camp. Reena is delighted that her family will be joining her and looks forward to a wonderful summer of community, connection, and fun.

Aneth Rodriguez Lopez International Staff – Kitchen
Aneth is from Mexico and has a degree in international business.

Ann Lesley Rosen Assistant Director of Communications & Development
Ann Lesley was a camper for two summers, participated in Ramah Israel Seminar in 1997, and is now in her 26th summer on staff. She joined the year-round staff team in 2010. She earned a BA in music and English from Lake Forest College and an MFA in creative writing and poetry from the University of Missouri in St. Louis. Originally from St. Louis, she and her husband Scott now live in Buffalo Grove, Illinois with their four children.

Ilex Rosen Senior Counselor – Cabin
Ilex is from Buffalo Grove, IL, currently studying stage management and physics at the University of Wisconsin, La Crosse. This is Ilex’s third summer on staff after growing up here as a camper.

Scott Rosen Summer Operations Manager
Scott Rosen has lost count of how many summers he has been at camp.  In the many years  working at Camp Ramah, he has worked with the Tikvah and Atzmayim programs, done staff training with a focus on campers with special needs, and has planned many Machon Trips.  He is currently the Summer Operations Manager and is very excited for another amazing summer.  Scott is joined at camp by his wife, who he met in Nivo ’96, three of his children (Bogrim, Nivo, and third year staff) and has a daughter who is the photographer at Ramah Day Camp in Chicago.

Ella Rosenblum Mishlachat – Cabin
Meet Ella Rosenblum! This is her second year at camp, and she’s excited to be here. Ella comes from Giv’at Shmuel, Israel, where she lives with her three younger sisters. During her service, she was a combat soldier and a commander in the IDF. Ella loves spending time with friends, listening to music, and exploring new places. She’s looking forward to making new memories and sharing great experiences with everyone at camp!

Sadie Rosenthal Rosh Eidah – Ruach Ramah B

Jonathan Ross Business Office Liaison
Jon Adam Ross has co-created theater in communities around the United States and across the globe to address acute civic divisions. Jon is the Executive Director and a Co-Founding Artist of Inheritance Theater Project (ITP), a national nonprofit that bridges divisions through creative collaboration. Over the past decade, ITP has employed more than 250 artists to engage 14,000 people to collaborate across generational, political, and religious divides in projects spanning 19 cities around the country. Jon has served as an artist in residence at Harvard Divinity School, Union Theological Seminary, the Jewish Theological Seminary, and many other religious and educational institutions. Jon has held fellowships with Cogenerate, Invested Faith, the Covenant Foundation, LABA, M², and as a Spielberg Fellow in Theater Education with the Foundation for Jewish Camp. As an actor, Jon’s stage credits include: a dog, a 2,000-year-old bird, a spurned housewife, a horse, a British naval officer, a goat, Jesus, a wrestler, a hapless police chief, and a cyclops. Jon holds a BFA from NYU/Tisch. And as a parent to a five year old, Jon has recently provided silly voices to such inanimate objects as a winter hat, a rubber ducky, and a syringe of children’s tylenol. www.inheritancetheater.org

Dr. Esther Roth Doctor

Nadav Roth Ruach Ramah Counselor
Nadav Roth is from Jerusalem, Israel. Nadav is currently attending Hartman High School, and is finishing 11th grade this year. Nadav has been a camper for five years, and this is his first year as staff.

Shiraz Rothschild Senior Counselor – Cabin
Shiraz Rothschild is a Senior cabin counselor hailing from the great state of sunny Arizona! This past year she spent in Jerusalem with the Shalom Hartman institute as part of their Hevruta gap year program. This fall she will be returning to the West Coast to attend Stanford University studying economics and history. Her favorite day off activity is tubing down the lazy river and then getting dinner in Eagle River!

Robin Rubenstein Family Engagement Director
Robin is originally from suburban Chicago. She graduated from the Joint Program of the Jewish Theological Seminary and Columbia University in 1996 with degrees in Talmud and political science. Robin currently lives in West Bloomfield, Michigan with her husband Steven and their children, Ari (Nivonim 2017) and Tali (Nivonim 2020).

Hazzan Jacob Sandler Clergy in Residence

Beckett Sas Senior Counselor – Cabin
Beckett Sas is from the Bay Area and is a rising sophomore at UCLA, where he is pursuing a major in Statistics and Data Science. Outside of academics, he competes on the UCLA Club Water Polo team and brings several years of aquatics coaching experience from his time with Berkeley Aquatics. This summer marks his ninth year at Camp Ramah Wisconsin and his second on staff, where he is excited to return as a senior counselor.

Yair Sas Senior Counselor – Cabin
Hailing from the great town of Berkeley, California, Yair Sas returns to camp excited for his second summer on staff. A Ramahnik since his Kochavim summer in 2016, he spent the last year studying in Paris on a gap year, and will attend Cornell University in the fall.

Nadav Savaya
Nadav Savaya is an experienced Israel educator with over 20 years of work strengthening the connection between the Jewish people and Israel. Throughout his career, he has worked with diverse audiences — from students and young adults to community leaders — across organizations in Israel, the United States, and the Jewish diaspora. Nadav has held leadership roles at the Jewish Agency for Israel, Birthright Israel, the Israeli American Council, and ScienceAbroad, among others, managing complex educational programs and building strategic partnerships on an international scale. He holds an MA in Jewish Professional Studies from the Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning & Leadership in Chicago, and a certification in Israel Education from the iCenter.

Rachel Savaya Yoetzet Tichnun (Programming Specialist)
Rachel Smith-Savaya is a veteran Jewish and Israel educator with over 30 years of experience across five continents. She holds a BA in Education and an MA in Religious Education, is a licensed tour guide for Israel, and has served four times as a shlicha. Rachel currently teaches English and is a third grade home room teacher at a bilingual school in Israel. She is excited to be returning for her third consecutive summer at Camp Ramah in Wisconsin with her husband, Nadav, and their three daughters, Aviv, Hadas, and Harel.

Ilan Schein Junior Counselor – Cabin
Ilan is from St Louis Park, MN. Next year he will be going to Indiana University to study Sports Management and Marketing. He has gone to camp since he was eight and he is very excited for this summer.

Randy Schelper Facilities
Randy has spent over 40 seasons on staff. In his year-round work for camp, Randy specializes in building and maintenance projects. Randy is from Conover, Wisconsin.

Sylvia Schmitz Senior Counselor – Drama
Sylvie is so excited to be returning for her tenth summer at Camp Ramah Wisconsin! Having completed her freshman year at the University of Iowa (Go Hawks!) studying elementary education, she cannot wait to be back in the Dairy State she calls her home. Back for her second summer on drama staff, she hopes for another summer full of singing, dancing, and never-ending creativity.

Erica Schwab Shiluv Yoetzet (Camper Care Team)
Erica Schwab earned her M.Ed. in special education and behavior analysis from Rutgers University. Erica has worked with our Tikvah and Atzmayim programs for many summers and was previously on staff at Ramah in the Poconos for six summers. Erica is currently a behavior consultant and early childhood educator. Originally from Philadelphia, Erica lives with her husband and four children in Highland Park, Illinois.

Moki Schwartz Yoetz (Camper Care Team)
Moki Schwartz lives in Jerusalem with his wife, Rahel, and their three children, Harry, Michael, and Natalie, all of whom are part of the camp community. During the year, Moki travels around the world with his students through the Kivunim Gap Year Program, where he serves as a faculty member, guiding and lecturing students through meaningful global experiences. An avid long-distance runner, Moki has found Ramah Wisconsin to be his new happy place.

Ralph Schwartz Shiluv (Inclusion)

Brianna Schwartzberg Junior Counselor – Cabin
Brianna is from Shakopee, MN where she graduated from Shakopee High School. She will be furthering her education in the fall at the University of Kansas to study Social Work. Brianna was a camper for 10 years and spent the past summer in Israel for Ramah Seminar.

Tal Segev Mishlachat – Shiluv (Inclusion)
Tal is from Beer Sheba, where he studies education and history at Ben Gurion University. He currently works at the Rothschild foundation as a counselor in a leadership program for youth. This is is second summer at camp

Sylve Semanoff Junior Counselor – Cabin
Sylvie is from Missoula, Montana. This will her second summer on staff after six summers as a camper. Next year she will be attending Washington University in St. Louis.

Avi Shapira Shiluv (Inclusion)
Avi Shapira graduated from the University of Michigan where he studied cognitive science and Judaic studies. This will be Avi’s 14th summer at Camp Ramah and 6th summer on staff.

Eliana Shapira Junior Counselor – Cabin
Eliana Shapira lives in Evanston, IL. She recently graduated from Rochelle Zell Jewish High School and is excited to start her college journey at Tulane University. This summer marks a major milestone – after nine very special summers as a camper, she’s officially joined the staff team! When she’s not chasing after soccer balls or perfecting her tennis serve, you can find Eliana working with the adorable children at camp. From camper to counselor, Eliana is ready to make this summer unforgettable!

Tamar Shapira Office Staff
Tamar Shapira holds a BA in Jewish History from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a second BA in Graphic Design from Columbia College. She spent her junior year studying at Hebrew University of Jerusalem and completed the Florence Melton Adult Mini-School program at Anshe Emet Synagogue in Chicago. Prior to joining Chicago Jewish Day School, Tamar worked as a graphic designer in Chicago and as a preschool teacher at Beth Emet in Evanston, IL. For the past 15 years she has worked at Chicago Jewish Day School, where she has worn many hats: early childhood art teacher, admissions support staff, staff liaison to the Parent Committee, and bus transportation chaperone. In her spare time, Tamar enjoys yoga, cooking, baking, hiking, board games, puzzles, and long walks with her goldendoodle, Jonny. Tamar lives in Evanston, IL with her children: Avi (23), Jesse (20), and Eliana (17).

Fran Shapiro Shiluv (Inclusion)
Originally from Brooklyn, NY, Fran has lived in Highland Park for almost 40 years. She has worked in a variety of roles with children and teens, from pre-school teacher to school psychologist and now as a religious school teacher at NSS Beth El! Although never a camper herself, Fran & her husband Steve have sent three children to Ramah Wisconsin and now enjoy seeing her grandchildren at camp.

Jacob Shapiro Artist in Residence
Jacob is looking forward to his 22nd summer at camp. Jacob graduated from Princeton University with a BA in architecture and is the owner of Vero Design + Build in Chicago. Jacob was a rishonimer and chanich for many years, spent two summers on tzevet and has been coming back as an artist in residence since 2017. 

Ethan Sharp Rosh Eidah – Nivonim
Ethan is coming back on staff for his sixth summer at Ramah Wisconsin. He is originally from La Crescenta, California, and graduated from University of Wisconsin – Madison in 2023. He spent two years teaching math at La Follette High School in Madison, WI, and most recently teaching English at Ben Gurion School in Haifa, Israel.

Dina Shiner Yoetzet (Camper Care Team)
Dina lives in Deerfield, IL and is the proud mother of Ari (Nivo ’18), Zachary (Nivo ’20) and Nathan Rosen. She has worked as a school social worker since 1989. She recently started a part time private practice and will be retiring from her school job in 2 years. Dina was a camper at Ramah for 3 years (Nivo ’82) and also attended seminar. She has worked as a yoetzet for over 10 years and is happy to be back.

Gili Shouval Mishlachat – Chinuch Bashetach
Gili Shouval is from Rehovot, Israel. This is her second year on staff as a machnaut counselor. Gili was backpacking through South America in between the summers at camp.

Yabi Silvers Senior Counselor – Shiluv (Inclusion)
Yavi is  from Chicago! He attends Wake Forest University in North Carolina. Last time he was a camper was in 2019, Machon summer. He is looking forward to creating great memories!

Rita Simon International Staff – Kitchen
Rita is from Hungary and usually works in retail while at home. Her first year on staff was in 2016.

Heidi Simons Yoetzet (Camper Care Team)
First a lifelong camper, Heidi has now been coming to camp as a staff member for over a decade, in all manner of capacities, and this will be her sixth summer as a yoetzet. Heidi is a fifth-grade teacher from Lexington, Kentucky, where she lives with her husband, Matt, and two children.

Atara Sinton Mishlachat – Shiluv (Inclusion)
Atara is from Jerusalem and this is her first year atCamp Ramah. She just completed her IDF service. 

Naomi Sitbon Mishlachat – Agam (Waterfront)
Naomi is a returning shlicha, being a counselor for two years at Ramah Day Camp in Chicago. This year she’s coming back for Ramah Wisconsin— as a lifeguard! She will be oging to Rimon School for music next year-playing the piano and guitar, but mostly singing.

Ari Slomka Rosh Eidah – Solelim
Ari Slomka is excited to join the Wisconsin team as Rosh Solelim. Ari grew up spending his summers at Ramah Darom and has worked as a Jewish Education Specialist for BBYO Summer Programs since 2022. After graduating from List College in December 2025, Ari spent his spring immersed in Torah at the Pardes Institute in Jerusalem. Next year Ari will begin his Rabbinic journey at JTS Rabbinical School.

Emily Slutsky Mishlachat – Sport
Emily is from Modiin in Israel. She was serving in the army as an air defense fighter. Previously, she was a counselor at a summer camp in Israel.

Scott Small Maintenance

Tehila Solomovich Mishlachat – Omanut (Art)
Tehila is from Haifa in Israel. This is her first summer on staff.

Mandy Spiwak Nurse
Mandy is so excited to return to camp for her fourth summer as a camp nurse! She lives in Deerfield, Illinois with her husband and two daughters (both Ramah campers) While not at camp, she works for Endeavor Health. She is looking forward to a great summer!

Bobbi Steines Assistant Director of Operations
Bobbi grew up in northern Wisconsin and currently lives near Green Bay. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Organizational Leadership from the University of Wisconsin–Green Bay and has worked in a variety of office administration roles. Bobbi spent four summers as the Office Manager at Camp Young Judaea Midwest, where she supported camp operations and wore many hats to keep camp running smoothly. Outside of work, Bobbi loves to travel and has backpacked across 15 countries. She enjoys spending time in nature, gardening, and cooking. Bobbi is excited to join the year-round team at Camp Ramah and to return to her northern roots at camp this summer.

Cheryl Steines Baker
Cheryl lives in the beautiful Florida Keys year-round, but is originally from Wisconsin. She has a Culinary Arts degree and has had three major careers in her life: real estate broker, floral designer and her favorite, being a chef.

Emmy Stern Junior Counselor – Cabin
Emmy Stern is from Los Angeles, California, and will be attending Bar-Ilan XP, a gap year program in Tel Aviv, Israel, next year. After her gap year, she will continue on to the University of Maryland, where she plans to study public health on a pre-physician assistant track. Emmy spent four years as a camper at Ramah Wisconsin and is excited to return for her first summer on staff!

Ido Stoopel Mishlachat – Cabin

Hannah Straub Shiluv (Inclusion)
She’s originally from Portland, Oregon but has studied in Israel the last two years, most recently at the Fuchsberg Jerusalem Center. Hannah loves the outdoors and is excited for camp!

Dr. Daniel Stromberg Doctor
Daniel grew up in Dallas, Texas and went to college at Princeton University. He attended medical school at UCSF, and did General Pediatrics residency there as well. He then went to Texas Children’s Hospital for Pediatric Cardiology and Intensive Care training. He now works at UT Austin/Dell Medical School. He has worked in the MARP briefly for three summers. But his real claim to fame is being the father of Sophia, Allie, Sammi, and Camila (Braden too but he never went to Ramah)!

Attila Sule International Staff – Kitchen
Attila joins us from Budapest, Hungary for his seventh summer on staff. 

Micah Symons Yahadut (Jewish Studies)
Micah Symons is a third-year rabbinical student at JTS pursuing the rabbinate on account of his deep love for Jewish peoplehood. He loves to study Jewish and Israeli history, rabbinic texts, and culinary traditions as he considers what it means to build community across time and space. Prior to beginning his studies at JTS, Micah studied at the Conservative Yeshiva in Israel as well as Hadar’s Summer Beit Midrash. He earned his BS in Marketing and Organizational Management and an MBA from Drexel University. He enjoys cooking, exploring specialty coffee, visiting museums, and cheering on his hometown Pittsburgh sports teams.

Ariella Tabick Atzmayim
Ariella is a special education teacher from New York. She earned an MA in Autism and Intellectual Disabilities from Teachers College, Columbia University, and has been teaching for 13 years. This is her third summer on staff.

Dr. Jeremy Tabick Mashigach Ruchani
Jeremy is the mashgiah ruhani (spiritual advisor) and scholar in residence, helping with the tefillah programming and teaching tzevet limmud. In his regular life, he teaches Talmud at Hadar, a center for higher Jewish learning and community building based in New York City. He is accompanied at camp by the much better and cuter members of his family. Talk to him about Talmud, tefillah, Devash magazine, science fiction and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Ori Tamam Mishlachat – Music/Shira
Hailing from Kiryat Ata, Ori Tamam joins the 2026 Muzika/Shira staff as a guitar instructor! Bringing a unique blend of creativity and Israeli spirit to the team, Ori is excited to fill the summer with music and great energy!

Benjamin Terner Cabin Counselor
Benjy Terner is 18 years old and is from Johannesburg, South Africa. He was a camper with Bnei Akiva South Africa and is a first time counsellor at Camp Ramah. He completed short courses in Digital Marketing and Graphic Design at Red & Yellow Business School. He loves sports, video games, and his dogs.

Mark Topal International Staff Liaison/Rosh Foam/Office Staff
Mark hails from Rockaway Beach,NY to join us for his sixth summer on staff.During the rest of the year Mark works with kids and adults at the JCC in Harlem.Known as ‘Uncle Mark,’ he even has his own superpower: he has the ability to make people smile within seconds.

Matyas Traj International Staff – Kitchen
Matyi is joining us from Hungary, where he studies finance and accounting at Budapest University of Economics and Business (BUEB). This is going to be his first year at camp, and he’s looking forward to being a part of the Ramah support staff team.

Sheis Truman Yahadut (Jewish Studies)
Sheis Truman has learned at Yeshivat Hadar, Yeshivat Yashrut, and the Pardes Institute for Jewish studies as the Eunice Denenberg z’l Fellowship Scholar (Spring ’26). Sheis was also classically trained in Muscial Composition and Education with an Opera and Theater emphasis at Capital University’s Conservatory of Music. From 2020 until 2025, he was a Pre-K Lead Teacher and Specialist at the Jewish Community Center of Greater Columbus Early Childhood Learning Community, eventually moving on to become the Administrator of The Beis Community of Washington Heights. In the upcoming academic year, Sheis will begin formal rabbinic studies at Yeshivat Chovevei Torah in Riverdale, New York IY’H.

Rotem Tsadok Junior Counselor – Cabin

Michael Tsviling Mishlachat – Agam (Waterfront)
Michael is 23 years old from Jerusalem. He completed national service with at-risk youth and for the past two years he has been a shift manager at Crave Restaurant.

Amitai Vales Rosh Anaf (Activity Head) – Drama
Amitai Vales is from Chicago, Illinois. He earned a BFA in Drama, with a minor in Hebrew and Judaic Studies, from New York University. This is his 14th summer at camp and his sixth summer on staff.

Diego Vazquez Villa International Staff – Kitchen
Diego is from Puebla, Mexico. He’s a student of psychology at BUAP. This will be his third year at camp.

Noa Veksler Mishlachat – Cabin
Noa lives in Israel. In high school she majored in psychology in high school and later went to the army. This is her first year on staff.

Ron Vider Mishlachat – Cabin
Ron is from Qiryat Atta, Israel and is currently in military service. This is his second summer on staff.

Atara Volk-Itzchaki Mishlachat – Rosh Tarbut Israel (Israel Education)
Atara Volk-Itzchaki, a former shlicha and senior educator with an MA in American Jewish History, returns to Camp Ramah in Wisconsin after a long hiatus for her second summer as Rosh Tarbut Israel. A mother of three with extensive experience in Jewish education, she is thrilled to return with her family and share the unique Ramah experience together.

Dr. Andy Wapner Doctor
Andy Wapner is a pediatrician and public health professor. He received his DO degree from Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine and his MPH degree from The Ohio State University. Dr. Wapner spent six years as a camper at Cam Ari in Western Maryland and has been a camp physician at a camp for youth with diabetes. He lives in Columbus.

Daniel Warshawksy Shiluv (Inclusion)
Daniel Warshawsky is currently pursuing his PsyD in Clinical Psychology as a doctoral student at the Chicago School of Professional Psychology. Before beginning his studies, he served as the Engagement Director for the Midwest regions of United Synagogue Youth (USY). He earned his MA in Clinical Psychology at the Chicago School and holds dual Bachelor of Arts degrees in Communications and Jewish Studies from Indiana University. Daniel is a lifelong Ramahnik — as a camper, counselor, and Rosh Eidah — and is excited to be returning to camp for his 17th summer at Camp Ramah in Wisconsin! He is passionate about LGBTQ+ issues and advocating for reducing the stigma associated with mental health conditions. He has received certifications in Youth and Adult Mental Health First Aid, Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST), Suicide Prevention from the QPR Institute, and has facilitated support groups for teens around the country. He is thrilled to be returning to camp for his fourth summer as a member of the Camper Care team.

Alex Waxman Rosh Machlakah – Agam (Waterfront)
Alex is an out of place southerner who grew up in Augusta, Ga (If you golf, you might’ve heard of it). He attended Georgia State University for both undergrad and graduate studies, focusing on animal biology and applied environmental microbiology. Currently he is working for the Oxford College of Emory University. This is only Alex’s second summer at this camp, but it will be his 16th summer attending a Ramah summer camp.

Sam Weiner Rosh Atzmayim (Vocational Program)
Sam is eager to join the Camp Ramah tzevet for the upteenth summer. Growing up in Deerfield IL, Sam started coming to camp in 2003 in Rishonim and has been back almost every summer since then! Sam has had experience working in schools such as Keshet and Wolcott College Prep post college. Currently, Sam is completing his Master’s in Social Work at the University of Illinois Chicago. During the summer you can find Sam running many many laps around the Garbage Trail.

Meredith Weprin Rosh Atzmayim (Vocational Program)
Meredith was a camper at Ramah New England and was a staff member there for five summers. This is her twelfth summer on staff at Ramah Wisconsin. She attended Ramah Israel Seminar in 2000. She lives in Columbus, Ohio and earned her MA in speech-language pathology from New York University. She is in private practice as a pediatric speech-language pathologist.

Lillianna Wieczorek International Staff – Rishonim (Pre-Camper Program)
Lila is a third year student of Management and Production Engineering at Warsaw University of Technology. It’s her first time at an American camp. She loves traveling, reading, writing, doing sports and creating art.

Eliana Wool Shavua Bogrim Workshop Leader
Eliana is a psychologist based in Illinois, where she lives with her husband, two children, and dog. She has spent most of her life working with clay on the pottery wheel, and is excited to share this craft with campers during Shavua Bogrim. Eliana spent her summers as a child in the Northwoods, and this year marks her first time at Camp Ramah!

Andy Wucherpfennig Nurse
Andy is originally from Colorado and earned her first bachelor’s degree at MSU Denver. She later earned her nursing degree from MGH Institute for Health Professions while living in Massachusetts, and has since returned to Minnesota with her wife. Andy now works as a school nurse for the St. Paul Public School District.

Harel Yanni Mishlachat – Chinuch Bashetach (Outdoor Education)
Harel is  from Haifa in Israel. Iin high school he was a guide for five years in the Mashatzim youth movement. He recently finished his service in the army as an Instructor and mentor for at risk teenagers in military schools and special education. In addition, he is very interested in general knowledge, and loves to swim, play basketball, and travel in the Land of Israel.

Gavri Yares Artist in Residence
Gavri Yares is a musician and music educator who plays upright bass, banjo, guitar, and oud. He is passionate about music from all genres, but he regularly performs Latin and Mediterranean music with his band La Media Hora. He is a certified public school music teacher at Red Cedar Elementary in the East Lansing Public School District, where he teaches music to students from pre-K through fifth grade. Gavri also serves as the Jewish Educator and Musician-in-Residence at Michigan State University Hillel and the Hillel Campus Alliance of Michigan, leading Shabbat and High Holiday services and engaging college students in Jewish learning. He is thrilled to be returning to Camp Ramah in Wisconsin this kayitz!

Laura Yares Programming
Laura Yares is an Associate Professor of Judaism at Michigan State University, though she is originally from England. She’s delighted to be returning to camp for her third summer with her husband Gavri (tzevet musika) and sons Nadav (Garinim) and Jonah (Rishonim)

Ranny Yeshaaya Mishlachat – Rishonim (Pre-Camper Program)
Ranny was born in Israel in Petah Tikva. She is a teacher at an elementary school and teaches all subjects.

Forrest Yesnes Shavua Bogrim Workshop Leader
Forrest Yesnes (he/him/his) is the Director of Youth Engagement at Beth El Synagogue in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He grew up in the Reform world as a NFTYite and camper at URJ Kutz Camp. Forrest has a Master’s Degree in Jewish Education and a Bachelor of Science in Youth Studies. Forrest married into the Ramah Wisconsin family with his husband, Ari Weinstein (Nivo 2012).

Yoni Zacks Senior Counselor – Communications
Yoni is from Plymouth, Minnesota and is thrilled to come back for his 11th summer at camp! He recently finished his first year at Northwestern University, where he studies journalism and political science. After being a Ruach Ramah counselor last summer, Yoni is excited to join the media and communications team.

Amir Zadaka Nurse Practitioner
Amir was born in Israel and lives with his family in Chicago. They have three kids (two at camp this year!) and enjoy biking and walking around Chicago. He went to the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities and Loyola University-Chicago and is practicing as a family nurse practitioner at Oscar Health. This will be his first year on staff.

Yuval Zahavi Mishlachat – Rosh Rikud (Dance)
Yuval is from Nahariya, Israel. She has been a modern dancer for the past 20 years and a dance teacher for the past eight years. In the army she served in the Air Force and worked with intelligence and navigation. After her military service, she completed a dance instructor course at the Wingate Institute. This will be her fourth summer at camp and she is very excited to be back for the summer!

Ana Carmen Zaldivar Sanchez International Staff – Housekeeping
She studied International Business at the State University of Tlaxcala and currently lives in the state of Puebla, Mexico. She is pursuing a Master’s degree in Administration. And she has worked at Camp Ramah in Wisconsin for three consecutive years, this being her fourth year, happily forming part of the housekeeping staff.

Shalev Zalkind Mishlachat – Nagarut (Woodworking)
Hailing from Kibbutz Kvutzat Yavne near Ashdod, he is a 23-year-old newcomer to the camp community. With years of experience working in kibbutz agriculture and a completed high school education, he is ready to transition his practical expertise to the camp setting. He is thrilled to spend his first summer at Ramah leading the woodworking program and mentoring campers in the shop.

Rebecca Zarrabal Corona International Staff – Housekeeping
Rebecca is from a city in México called Puebla. She is a psychology student at BUAP and has a small crochet business.

Rabbi Maya Zinkow Yahadut (Jewish Studies)
Rabbi Maya Zinkow, a lifelong Ramahnik, has spent the past five years as Campus Rabbi at the University of California, Berkeley Hillel. She originally hails from St. Paul, Minnesota en route to Columbus, Ohio. After studying English at Barnard College, Maya spent two years in the Pardes Institute Beit Midrash in Jerusalem, where she has recently served as summer faculty. She was ordained from the Jewish Theological Seminary, where she also earned a Master’s in Jewish Women and Gender Studies as well as a special certification in Halacha. Maya spent six summers as a camper and returns this summer for her ninth summer on staff, having served as a madricha, Rosh Eidah, and Rosh Tefilah.

Guy Gad Zoaretz Mishlachat – Sport
Guy is from tel Aviv Israel. He finished high school five years ago and the army a year ago and now he is working as a bartender. This is his second summer at camp.

Mika Zucker Mishlachat – Music/Shira
Mika is from Petah Tikva in Israel. She graduated high school with honors and studied music and psychology (also took the recital exam). She finished 3 years of service as a fighter in the army and is now doing reserve service.