by Adina Allen, Assistant Director
Shoafim celebrated a special milestone in the life of one camper this week. Ashley Mason is a “military kid” and her family has moved 10 times since she was born 13 years ago. According to Ashley’s mother, “Ramah is our village – a Jewish constant in our lives.”
When the family requested that Ashley celebrate her Bat Mitzvah at camp, I recognized the unique situation and worked with them during the year to coordinate the date and Torah reading and help Ashley begin to learn the service. Parent liaison Robin Rubenstein helped with logistics here in camp to make the Simcha very special.
Ashley led the Monday morning service, held down by the lake. With her family and camp friends surrounding her, she read Torah and honored her cabinmates with the first aliyah. Following Ashley’s dvar Torah, everyone threw candy as they sang Siman tov u’Mazal tov. A celebratory breakfast followed the service complete with a cake baked by our camp baker.
In honor of her Bat Mitzvah, Ashley was excited to do a service project for camp. Yesterday the whole aidah decorated planters and planted flowers to beautify our “village.” In lieu of gifts, Ashley asked friends and family to make contributions to the Ramah Scholarship Fund.
“I had all my friends here, in a place I happily call my home” said Ashley. “I became a Jewish young lady in one of the best places in the world.”
