by Rabbi Josh Warshawsky, Musician-in-Residence
This week at Camp Ramah in Wisconsin we gathered for our annual first all-camp event of the summer: the Zimriyah! The location was our gorgeous new Mercaz Tarbut, with an incredible set backdrop and an amazing 15 piece band featuring six Machon and Nivonim campers. The theme for this year’s Zimriyah was journeys. In the book of Bereshit (Genesis) we learn that Abraham began his journey to start a new nation at the age of 75 years old:
“וַיֵּלֶךְ אַבְרָם כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר אֵלָיו ה׳ וַיֵּלֶךְ אִתּוֹ לוֹט וְאַבְרָם בֶּן־חָמֵשׁ שָׁנִים וְשִׁבְעִים שָׁנָה בְּצֵאתוֹ מֵחָרָן׃”
Abram went forth as God had commanded him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran. (Breishit 12:4)
This year, Camp Ramah in Wisconsin turns 75. We learn from Abraham that even at 75, the journey has just begun. The road ahead lies before us, and we can’t wait for what’s next. At camp we know it will be filled with Joy, Growth, Inclusion, and Connection. The songs this year featured an amazing diverse mix of artists from Israel and the US and our campers sang their hearts out. We capped off the night with a mega-song session featuring all of our camp hits.
