Nurturing and Celebrating
our Jewish identity.
When it comes to our expertise in and connection to Jewish values, we go deep. Ramah is known for its immersive Jewish environment and for having the best-trained staff for nurturing and celebrating Jewish identity.
Making Mensches – Derech Eretz
We promote a culture of kindness and respect throughout camp, recognizing the “Jewish teachable moments” that happen all day long. At the end of the summer one camper from each age group receives the Derech Eretz Award in recognition of the respect they’ve earned from their peers and counselors through expressions of empathy, humanity and friendship.
ISRAEL
How cool is it to live with 50 Israelis and learn about Israel through their stories, music, dance, art and use of Hebrew? These friendships connect our worldwide Jewish community and bring a magical energy to the entire camp experience. We foster a love and connection to the people and land of Israel that is deep and long-lasting.
Shabbat
On Friday afternoon the entire camp gathers by the lake for a spirited Kabbalat Shabbat service. As the sun begins to set and the melodies of Shabbat fill the air, campers feel a sense of peace and a deep connection to their friends, to their community and to Jewish tradition.
The next day campers come together for morning prayer, discussions with peers, and plenty of time to play sports, swim, read, play Frisbee, or simply relax in the sun with friends.
Shabbat comes to a close with beautiful singing and Havdalah as campers look forward to a new week.
Spiritual growth & skill-building
Our talented staff uses music, yoga, drama, art, and games to creatively engage campers in meaningful prayer and Jewish learning. The nurturing community supports campers who want to build skills in Torah and Haftorah reading or in leading prayers. One-on-one Pre-Bar and Bat Mitzvah review and coaching is available.
Camp Ramah in Wisconsin is the proud caretaker of a Torah that survived the Holocaust, on permanent loan from the Memorial Scrolls Trust. Our “Czech Torah” (Scroll #790) came to Ramah in 1971 and is read each summer by our campers. Read how one camper included this special Torah in his Bar Mitzvah celebration.
Hebrew Language
Camp Ramah in Wisconsin has a proud history of weaving Hebrew language into the day’s activities. Campers expand their vocabulary and language skills in a fun and organic way as a component of our experiential approach to Jewish education.
Jewish Identity
Study after study shows that a Ramah camp experience greatly strengthens a child’s Jewish identity, creating a life-long connection to Jewish tradition, more so than other summer experiences, and even more so than other Jewish summer camps. See the results of one such study in this pdf.
Looking for more camp insights?
