The Ramah Camping Movement
Ramah is the camping arm of Conservative Judaism. With eight overnight camps, four day camps and Ramah Programs in Israel, Ramah impacts more than 9,000 campers and staff every summer.
A summer at Ramah is spent immersed in Jewish living – highlighted by dynamic and innovative programming. Traditional camp and outdoor activities, including swimming, sports, dance and art, are enhanced by Ramah’s dedication to excellence in informal Jewish education. Combining a love for camping with meaningful Jewish experiences, Ramah instills in its campers and staff a love of Judaism, the Jewish people, Israel and the outdoors.
The Ramah Camping Movement is guided by seven core values: self-esteem of every individual; character development; Jewish learning; Jewish identity and community; Jewish observance; Zionism; and Hebrew.
The Ramah Israel Programs:
- Ramah Israel Institute (RII)
The staff of RII custom-designs Israel programs for synagogues (adult or family trips) and schools (8th grade in day school classes, supplementary Hebrew high schools) in close cooperation with local rabbis and educators. Participants have all the fun and excitement of anyIsrael trip, while engaging in hands-on exploration of Jewish values and a variety of themes. The group’s guide is also an educator, actively involving the participants in a process of discovery. Every itinerary is a unique blend of touring and learning experiences- with pace, style of presentation, and level of accommodations meeting the group’s specific needs.
- Tichon Ramah Yerushalayim (TRY)-Jerusalem High School
TRY is an international high school program offering students in grades 10-12 asemester (February-May) of general studies equivalent to those in their home communities, an intensive curriculum of Hebrew, as well as Jewish and Israel studies such as is possible only in Jerusalem and Israel. Students travel throughout the country and spend time in such settings as kibbutz and Gadna. TRY offers a unique opportunity through which theIsrael experience becomes an integral part of the student’s personal development. Graduates return to their home schools with a deepened understanding of their Jewishness and a more mature sense of self.
TRY is based at the Israel Goldstein Youth Village in Jerusalem; it is accredited by the Middle States Association of Schools and Colleges. Our high school department is also available for planning tailor-made academic programs for Jewish high schools.
Usy High
For those juniors and seniors in high school who wish to spend two months learning and living in Israel (February-March), USY HIGH is an ideal program. As with TRY (see above), the program is fully accredited, and at the same time offers an intensiveIsraelstudies program, augmented by field trips and informal experiences. USY HIGH is run in cooperation with United Synagogue Youth.
- Jerusalem Day Camp
Israel, Jewish tradition, and summer fun. An outstanding Israel summer experience for English-speaking children from abroad, entering grades K-8. The campers are taken on outings in and around Jerusalem. When on campus they participate in a rich assortment of fun-filled activities: sports, arts and crafts, nature, music, drama and swimming. Many of these are related to special themes which the campers explore each week. Age-appropriate informal educational activities are integrated into the camp program as a whole. Hebrew is introduced through songs and games.
- Ramah Seminar and Poland Seminar
The Ramah Israel Seminar is six unforgettable weeks of an exciting and fun-filled in-depth program, complete with hikes, archaeology, desert treks, simulation games and an incredible variety of hands-on experiences! The program focuses on contemporaryIsraelin the context of Jewish history, the Jewish tradition and the Middle East. A pre-Seminar option is to spend 8 days in Poland, emphasizing the vitality of Jewish life prior to the Holocaust.
