As part of the Maslul Fellowship, a new National Ramah leadership initiative for staff returning for their third year, 2019 senior counselor and songleader Alan Imar served as a member of an ‘American Mishlachat’ at two Jewish summer camps in Argentina last month. He shared these reflections:
First, I was really amazed at the transcontinental experience that is Jewish camp. There were many common denominators, but fundamentally, chanichim (campers) in Argentina were taking pride in their Judaism and their madrichim (counselors) were facilitating moments during which they could do so. This was so easy to relate to my own experience at Ramah Wisconsin!
I also really enjoyed sharing some of Ramah’s music at both camps, classics written by our own Rabbi Josh Warshawsky like Mah Rabu, Hameirah, and V’ahavta. I also connected with two musicians who were excellent and incorporated different melodies in their t’fillot (prayers). I hope to bring some of these back to camp this summer.
Lastly, I took away a newfound appreciation for how lucky we are at camp — our cabins, chadar ochel, Beit Am (not to mention, of course, the new Mercaz Omanut Nagarut). At the camps here in Argentina, we lived in tents and ate in an indoor building; otherwise, we were outside. We are so fortunate to have a beautiful campus. I think sometimes we forget that is a luxury, not a norm.
I was so grateful to have this amazing experience!
