Listen and Look!

The third word of this week’s parashah, parashat Ekev, is תשמעון, listen.  Next week’s parashah begins with the command, ראה!, Look! or See!  These two verbs are the perfect bookends for what needs to happen after camp ends: Listen and Look.  After catching up on sleep, after the laundry is done, after the sand is swept out of the house and the facebook accounts checked, campers often have lots to say, stories to tell and lessons to be shared.  At the same time, some campers will hold their memories inside, letting their thoughts ruminate until they draw their own lessons, until they are ready to share.  Regardless of an individual child’s style, our job as parents is to be ready to listen at a moment’s notice so that we can catch tidbits of our camper’s experiences.  Even as I serve as the camp director, I am also a camper parent.  As a result, I know that I often want to hear much more from my children about their summers than they are ready to share when they first arrive home.  But when they are ready, our children share and share and we get to hear about the things they loved this summer, the challenges they faced, the way they grew as Jews and as people. This is the big payoff for us parents!

Similarly, this is the time to look, to see how are children have grown this summer.  This is our chance to see the work they did in amanut (arts and crafts), to see how they developed interests in new musical instruments and to observe new athletic and theater skills our children acquired.  In addition, it is also our chance to see how they grew in their Jewish commitments, in their ability to learn and think critically as Jews and to help them invest that energy and knowledge in their communities and synagogues.  Conservative synagogues provide significant scholarship funds for our children.  Scholarships are investments in the Jewish future and in the strengthening of the Conservative Jewish community and we encourage our campers to provide an outstanding return on that investment by getting involved during the year.  You will be amazed by what you see in terms of growth in skills, social development and Jewish involvement!

Finally, this coming Monday, we will have a very special opportunity to listen and look.  Thanks to the work of a group of Bogrim campers and staff members, in partnership with the fantastic artists and faculty of G-DCast.com, Monday will be the world premier of The Mystery of the Forbidden Fruit, the first ever partnership between G-DCast.com and a Jewish summer camp as well as the first stop-action film by G-DCast.  Part of the pilot summer of Shavua Sababa, specialty week, for Bogrim, this film represents a major accomplishment on the part of our campers.  This five-minute film demonstrates how Ramah emphasizes and teaches both Jewish content AND specialty skills, as well as how we are able to combine fun and friendship together with meaningful Jewish learning and experiences.  The background and energy required to prepare for this kind of effort takes time, as does learning the skill of filmmaking.  This is but one of many meaningful Jewish experiences and opportunities that Ramah Wisconsin campers have during the eight-week session.  

I hope you enjoy the debut of the Ramah Wisconsin-G-DCast collaboration on Monday; that you listen and hear the many stories that your campers will share over the weeks to come and that you enjoy seeing all of the growth your children experienced this summer.  

Shabbat Shalom.

PS:

Special thanks to:
Sarah Lefton, Lom Friedman and Jeanne Stern of G-DCast.com;
To the iCenter for their generous funding of the G-DCast/Ramah Wisconsin collaboration;
To Tali Ribnik, Rosh Adat HaBogrim, for her efforts in ensuring the success of this project; and
To the campers and staff of the G-DCast Shavua Sababa program, whose names are listed in film’s credits.

Perhaps There is Hope...אולי יש תקוה - Lamentations 3:29

Friday night services two weeks ago were the most ordinary and, simultaneously, the most extraordinary services of the summer.  Mincha was led by Rachel, Shir HaShirim was read by Noam and candles were lit by Shelby.  Kabbalat Shabbat was led by Jonathan, Ma’ariv was led by Tyler and the d’var Torah was given by Ari.  Sounds like every other Friday night at Camp Ramah in Wisconsin.  What made this ordinary Erev Shabbat so extraordinary?  The people who led services all came from the Tikvah Aidah, our special needs program,  and the Atzmayim Program.  Several of the campers have Autism or Asperger’s Syndrome.  One of the campers was born both blind and deaf, and he led Ma’ariv.  There was something else that felt ordinary about this extraordinary group leading services: it was totally typical of camp.  Tikvah and our independent living skills program, Atzmayim, are such an embedded part of camp that nobody thinks twice when Tikvah/Atzmayim participants take public leadership roles.

Camp Ramah in Wisconsin and the entire Ramah camping movement are, and historically have been, at the forefront of partnering with the special needs community to design and create programs for this extraordinary group.  Some of our camps take a more “mainstreaming” approach where participants live in typical camper cabins with special assistants and extra staffing.  Others, like here at Camp Ramah in Wisconsin, take a hybrid approach where Tikvah campers have their own cabins and specialized staff, are connected to either the Bogrim or Machon aidot, and participate in both “typical” camp aidah activities as well as those designed just for them.  Our camps differentiate our programs so that a wide variety of special needs can be met in ways that will insure the greatest success.  As is so often the case, it is the so-called “typical” campers who partner with Tikvah campers and staff members of Tikvah who are most transformed by the experience.  They become ambassadors for and often choose to become professionals in the field of special needs education as a result of their experience with the Tikvah program.

What follows are the words of ARI SCHNEIDER-GANS, a graduate of the Tikvah program and participant in the Atzmayim program, which he shared with the entire camp on Friday night:

Shabbat Shalom.

Tikvah. This common Hebrew word, meaning “Hope,” has been used all throughout Jewish history. It can be found in so many places that the Israeli national anthem takes the word for its title: HaTikvah. The word has also meant a lot to me in my own life. Six years ago, I came to Camp Ramah in Wisconsin with almost no hope. I had struggled at other summer camps and was pessimistic about my chances for success. In 2007, my father told me that he wanted to send me to an environment that was friendly for people like me. He found the Tikvah program here and as they say: Vizohi Rak Hahatchalah- This was only the beginning.

When I first started Tikvah I was the only person standing in my circle. But during my summers here I began to see myself growing and changing in positive ways. Tikvah helped me make these changes—not by forcing a new perspective on me, but by helping me realize my own potential. It took a growing circle of people here to guide me to that conclusion. The Tikvah tzevet I had over the years--Ralph Schwartz, Barak Lanes, Joseph Eskin, and especially Daniel Olson--struggled with me in some areas. But for every hard time there was a learning experience for me, and possibly even for them.

The circle gets bigger with all of the friends who supported me too. They were my Tikvah aidah-mates, of course. They shaped my summers by sharing brilliant ideas for Tikvah Lunch Theaters, and filling my free time with fun antics. They are my friends for life.

The circle is completed by all the Machon aidot that spent their summers with Tikvah. Without Machon ’07, ’08, ’09 and ’10, many fun things like the plays we did, the sports we played, and chaver time in particular would not have been nearly as fun. I would like to ask anyone who has ever been in that circle—Tikvah campers, Tikvah staff, and Machon chaverim, past and present—to rise. Na Lakum. Look how big this circle is! I realize now, six years later, because of all of you, that my time in Tikvah was one of the best times of my life. 

If Tikvah was designed to help me feel comfortable in my own skin, Atzmayim is helping me discover an even bigger circle: the adult world. I was nervous to begin this program because I was so comfortable as a Tikvah camper. After much encouragement from Ralph Schwartz and Margaret Silberman, however, I was willing to give it a shot. I now work at the Olson Memorial Library in Eagle River, which has friendly staff and provides an easy-going environment. Working at the library really has been a benefit to me, and it helped me get a job at a radio station back home.

My work at the library would not have been as successful without the daily social and job skills class we have led by Scott Rosen. Scott is a very helpful individual who is full of insight and knowledge, and he has helped to fuel my summers in Atzmayim even when I was having a difficult time. Indeed, in both Tikvah and Atzmayim, the tzevet have been truly exceptional.

On behalf of all members of the Tikvah program—past, present, and future—I would like to conclude by saying that Camp Ramah in Wisconsin has become a large part of all of our lives. The members of this community here have encouraged all of us to make a name for ourselves in the world. I am so proud of my affiliation with Camp Ramah and have so many moments and memories that I am excited to share with an even bigger audience. Of course, the most important audience is already sitting right in front of me. Todah Rabah L’Kulam Sh’Yoshvim Po, thank you to everyone who is sitting here, for making us the people we are today, as well as the people we may become in the future.

As you can imagine, there was not a dry eye in the Bet Am when Ari finished speaking and that is just as it should be.

As we enter Shabbat, all of us at Camp Ramah in Wisconsin are appreciative of the willingness of every family to send their child to camp. We are honored to be a place where campers of all kinds, those who learn physically, those who are visual learners, those who learn by doing, make up the diverse and inclusive community that is Ramah Wisconsin. 

Todah Rabbah Ari for sharing your profound and moving thoughts with us all. 

Shabbat Shalom.

An Important Statement from the National Ramah Commission

Our moral and religious compass supports inclusion of all members of our community, regardless of their personal challenges or exceptionalities. Ramah has always prioritized the value of inclusion, and continues to be a pioneer in this area with new programs and initiatives. It is our belief that all Jewish institutions including schools, synagogues and summer camps need to emphasize this value within our communities.

However, each individual's situation is unique and unfortunately, there are times when the importance of inclusion conflicts with the circumstances of a particular camper, staff member, or the rest of the camp community. Decisions in such cases are taken very seriously and discussed directly only with those involved. We at Ramah cannot comment publicly on this or any other individual case due to concerns of privacy.

We understand the sadness and pain these conflicts can create. However, we find it unfortunate that one perspective, however well-intended, has created the false impression of injustice or anything other than caring staff and leaders charged with supporting many people safely.

We appreciate the notes of concern and support we have received from those who have read about the recent situation at Camp Ramah in Canada. To those who have reacted to one blog post with harsh conclusions, without firsthand knowledge of the situation, we would hope that you can understand that sensitive matters like this one are often more complex than presented. Public reactions by those with limited knowledge can be dangerous and hurtful, particularly to those dedicated staff members who work so hard to care for our children.

Camp Ramah in Canada and Ramah camps throughout North America have an outstanding record of inclusion. We have been accommodating children with special needs, educating the entire camp community (and beyond) about the boundless gifts of difference, and have been raising needed funding to extend our program to children with exceptionalities for decades.

The Ramah Camping Movement will continue to nurture inclusive Jewish communities that embrace the value of difference.

Shabbat Shalom.

Rabbi Mitchell Cohen, Director

Sheldon L. Disenhouse, President

National Ramah Commission of The Jewish Theological Seminary

Balak, Ramah and The Lookingglass

This week’s parashah, Balak, reads like a script for a play. We meet a wide variety of characters like Balak, King of Moav and Bilaam ben Beor, a prophet-like character, and watch as they develop throughout the story. There are stage directions, talking donkeys and Heavenly Beings. We have narration, dialogue, poetry and even high drama. Threatened by the other, in this case, the Israelites, Balak seeks out Bilaam and requests that he curse our ancestors. Before any interaction with the Israelites, the others, Balak is frightened. Rather than meet and discover, Balak seeks to destroy. Ultimately, Bilaam is unable to curse Israel and instead proclaims the famous blessing:
 

מַה-טֹּבוּ אֹהָלֶיךָ, יַעֲקֹב; מִשְׁכְּנֹתֶיךָ, יִשְׂרָאֵל

How Goodly are your tents, Jacob; your dwelling places, O Israel...

Numbers 24:5

The story ends with Balak and Bilaam parting ways and with Israel being blessed. The script-like narrative of the parashah mirrors our emphasis on theater in camp this week. This coincidence extends beyond just the theatrical nature of things and includes an encounter withthe other that serves as a blessing for all involved (I will have more to say about that later).

Theater season opened in camp this week! In the span of five days, we saw performances by the Nivonim English Play Company, The Lookingglass Theater Lab Company, Aidat HaShoafim, The Northwoods Ramah Theater Company Camper Workshop and The Tikvah Arts Festival Lunch Theater. Shoafim wowed us with their production of Beauty and the Beastin Hebrew. Campers worked so hard during the first few weeks of camp and the effort paid off in the form of an outstanding production. The Tikvah Arts Festival Lunch Theater just concluded with a variety of short plays written, directed and performed by members of our Tikvah program. They cast the shows to include not only themselves but their chaverim from Machon and their CITs from Nivonim. The enthusiasm of the Tikvah campers was infectious and the cheering was incredibly loud at the end of the performance. Campers from a variety of aidot worked with members of our Northwoods Ramah Theater Company to write, direct and produce their own short theater pieces and performed them for each aidah throughout Thursday morning. The amount of imagination was just astounding.

The crown jewels of the week, however, came from the Nivonim English Play Company and The Lookingglass Theater Lab Company. Each group, working completely independently, wrote powerful, thoughtful shows about religion. They developed complex narratives, characters and themes. Nivonim created a show called The Museum of Religion about a future where all religions were banned, where everything required some basis in rational, factual knowledge and where, in the name of unity, no difference regarding faith and belief was tolerated. Along the way, the high school student characters encounter tableaux that force them to reconsider whether or not they believe in a Divine Being. While the intent of the museum visit is to strengthen commitment to rational knowledge and the banning of religious particularism and faith, the outcome of the visit is the exact opposite. In arguing against religion, the campers from Nivonim end up reaffirming their faith. Writing and performing from the depths of their souls, Nivonimers shared with us a religious journey and set of struggles that each of us encounters throughout life. Their show was a work of beauty, creativity, faith and honesty.

For the first time ever, the Lookingglass Theater Lab Company, a program for 14 - 19 year old teens living in Chicago, visited a summer camp. If you are not familiar with The Lookingglass Theater, here are a few things worth noting. They perform in a theater space on Michigan Avenue in Chicago that used to be part of the old Water Tower pumping facility. Second, they won this year’s Tony Award for Best Regional Theater. Most important for us, however, is the fact that their Executive Director, Rachel Kraft, is an alumna of Camp Ramah in Wisconsin (Nivonim 1980). The group from Lookingglass was incredible. Their performance, titledTainted Beauty: A Spiritual Journey, was created through a process almost identical to that of our Nivonimers. The show was developed by the participants. Their self-created mission statement said:

Religion creates unity as well as separation, so individuals must question to find what is beauty or tainted about their own faith.

While using different techniques, creating different characters and approaching the subject from a very different perspective, Lookingglass cast members created a show that struggled with nearly identical themes as those of our own Nivonim. Their show was also a work of beauty, creativity, faith and honesty.

Prior to their arrival, there was both excitement and trepidation about a visit from theater students who were outside the Ramah bubble. None of us knew exactly what would take place, if the groups would blend and bond, or if this would be an experience more akin to Balak, Bilaam and the Israelites. Many of the participants in Lookingglass had never left their own neighborhoods let alone the city of Chicago. They had never been to overnight camp or to the Northwoods. Many had never been in a canoe and most live in neighborhoods where meeting Jews is not very likely. Our Nivonimers were writing their first show and were doing so in camp. Would their work rise to the level of those participating in a lab from a professional theater company?  Would the groups be able to give honest, open feedback to one another? From the moment they arrived, however, the encounter with the other was positive and powerful. It was the antithesis of the Balak, Bilaam, Israelite experience.

The joint venture between The Lookingglass Theater and Camp Ramah in Wisconsin was a total success, as were the rest of the theater experiences at camp this week. Like so many encounters, participants often learn more about themselves than they do about those they encounter. The questions Lookingglass Lab members asked about camp, about Judaism and about the process of developing The Museum of Religion caused campers to be reflective about their own experiences and beliefs and to appreciate camp even more. Lookingglass members learned about themselves and their faiths and grew in knowledge about Jews and Judaism. All in all, it was proof that we can all meet in the beautiful tents of Jacob and there encounter God.

Special thanks to Charlotte and Michael Newberger for their ongoing support of the Northwoods Ramah Theater. Special thanks to Rachel Kraft, Executive Director of The Lookingglass Theater Company, to David Kersnar and Emilio Robles, directors, and to Lizzie Perkins, Director of Education and Community Programs for partnering with us to make the joint experience a reality. Special thanks to Jonathan Adam Ross who was our liaison to the project and to Lynda Bachman for working with our Nivonimers to create one of the most powerful pieces of theater I have seen.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Loren Sykes

On (No) Pork & (Yes) Beans & Jewish Camp

 “It’s so nice to be in a place where you don’t have to ask if there is pork in the beans!”

                                                                                                         Geoff Rice

The Northwoods Ramah Theater Company

This week, members of the Northwoods Ramah Theater Company arrived at camp for the start of their annual workshop.  After dinner on the first night, Jonathan Adam Ross, known as JAR in camp, came to share the above quote about beans with me.  We could not stop laughing!  Being at camp for the summer, it is easy to forget that we take for granted that which cannot be assumed outside of our Jewish summer bubble. In the midst of all of the great friendships we build at camp, with all of the incredible fun we have, we live full Jewish lives and experiences in such natural ways that we sometimes forget to even notice they are happening.

Take a few glances at the photos on the website and you will see a week full of fun.  We had inter-aidah basketball and softball games, as well as a fantastic Zimriyah.  On Wednesday, it was so hot that we had an all-camp water battle on the lower kikar.  Our first group of Kochavim chanichim went home until next summer and our second group arrived on Wednesday.  There were friends walking arm-in-arm.  There was laughter. There were smiles everywhere throughout the week. There was all this and even more fun.  Plus, there was so much Jewish learning that just happened all week long.

Here is an example of how we weave Judaism into the camp experience in a way that pays dividends for life.  My wife, Rebecca, teaches a Yahadut (Judaics) class to campers in Machon on Kabbalah and the Body.  Becca takes the practice of Yoga and combines it with classical concepts from Kabbalah, including the 10 Sefirot, to help campers discover the power of personal practice while exploring Jewish mysticism. Because Becca was out of camp for a few days visiting other camps on behalf of the Foundation for Jewish Camp, I was the substitute teacher.

Yoga is not part of my personal daily life and I was not going to be teaching campers how “Warrior II” speaks to concepts like Tiferet and Netzach.  Instead, it was my job to teach campers about a different approach to Jewish mysticism, one from the Talmud.  Oy!  How can I, who cannot even do downward dog for more than three seconds, compete with handstands and arm balances and Lurianic Kabbalah taught by my entertaining, thoughtful, talented and energetic wife?  Even worse, in a world that tells us that teens are not interested in actually studying Jewish text, in a world where people are saying that “all toys now have to have some electronic gadgetry or kids won’t be interested,” is it possible to make a text like Hagigah 14b and the story of Rabbi Akiva, Ben Zoma, Ben Azzai and Acher come to life?  

But here’s something we can’t take for granted – our campers actually are interested in engaging with challenging Jewish texts.  Many of them will sit for 45 minutes and explore the implications of an obscure aggadah from the Talmud on life and, yes, even on their yoga practice.  So, I had the privilege of sharing a different kind of Jewish mysticism, Ma’aseh HaMerkava and other Talmudic mystical ideas, with a group of campers.  Together, we struggled to understand how Rabbi Akiva could exit the journey in Peace yet come to such an awful end in a later aggadah.  Today, the same campers studied with Dr. Rebecca Schorsch about the Kotzker Rebbe and the concept of Hitboddedut, self-seclusion or meditation.  I am certain that Dr. Schorsch was equally impressed with the campers, with their depth of thought, and their interest in the topic.  

The preciousness of the gift of learning in camp, the importance of not taking it for granted, even appears in this week’s parashah.  At the end of Hukkat, there is a short passage about the Israelites wandering in the desert that mentions three different locations as stops along the way:

           

וּמִמַּתָּנָה, נַחֲלִיאֵל; וּמִנַּחֲלִיאֵל בָּמוֹת

And from Matanah to Nahaliel and from Nahaliel to Bamot. Numbers 21:19

These three names are dripping in meaning in Hebrew, a fact the midrash does not fail to notice.  Matanah means a gift.  Nahaliel is an inheritance from God.  Bamot means high places.  The Mechilta notes that there are four places referred to as inheritances: The Temple in Jerusalem; the land of
Israel; the Torah; and the People of Israel.  

Another way to understand these names is that they represent a progression of learning:  A gift that is given, in our case Torah, becomes an inheritance when it is thoroughly studied and digested, thereby raising us to higher and higher places of understanding of self and relationship with God.  This is exactly what I see happening at camp all the time.  Parents give children the gift of a Ramah experience, the gift living Torah in a vibrant community of peers. Campers learn Torah in every possible setting, from formal classes to activities, from Israeli music on the radio to doing tzedakah in active ways.  Campers make Torah and Judaism their own.  Then, they discover more about themselves, about their friends, about their People and about God.

At camp, we can’t take fun for granted.  We can’t take friends for granted.  And...we cannot take living Judaism for granted either. If challenged in an authentic and compelling way at their own intellectual and spiritual level – at camp and throughout the year - our campers come to own their Jewishness in a deep and meaningful way.  Torah becomes their inheritance - one that you have given them – and they will take that inheritance to an even higher level. That is the incredible gift that you have given them.  Now we have to make sure that none of us take it for granted.

And, finally, we can’t take for granted that all summer long we live in a place where we don’t have to worry about finding pork in our beans!

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi
Loren Sykes

P.S.  A very special welcome to camp to Jeremy Fingerman, CEO of the Foundation for Jewish Camp, and his wife, Gail.  Jeremy is an alumnus (Nivonim 1977) and was my CIT during my first summer at Ramah Wisconsin in Sollelim 1977.  It is a privilege and a pleasure to have you both here for Shabbat!

To Give and To Take

אדם צריך שתיהי לו מילה

קצת מקום בעולם

אהבה לא נשכחת

וקול אמיתי לתפילה

ורגע מושלם

כדי לתת ולקחת

...ולא

לפחד מהפחד.

A person needs to have a word,
A little place in the world,
Unforgettable Love,
A real voice for prayer
And a moment of completeness
In order to give and to take,
And to not be afraid of fear.

Shlomo Artzi, To Give and To Take

Sitting at a picnic table in front of my house, under the bright blue sky, the bald eagle soars overhead as I listened to music with three roshei aidah.  We hear the words of Shlomo Artzi’s song לתת ולקחת, To Give and To Take.  The refrain lists five things a person needs - a word or voice, a place, unforgettable love, a real, prayerful voice, and a sense of completeness or integrity - in order to truly give and receive and to face fear without being afraid.  We listened a second time to the refrain and then entered into a conversation about tefilah, prayer.  Among the questions raised were:

• How do we balance individual needs in prayer with communal needs?
• Can every text be viewed as a prayer or is there something about liturgical poetry that puts some things within the realm of prayer and some things outside that realm?
• What is the meaning of a real or truthful voice for prayer?
• What does it mean that a person needs a word or a voice in the context of prayer?  Is that a reference to fixed liturgy or to the need for personal prayer?

As the conversation proceeded, as we went deeper trying to answer one question, we arrived at more questions than answers.

Daniel Olson, rosh aidah for our Atzmayim program, pointed out that the five precursors for successful giving, receiving, and confronting fear are, in many ways, the same things we needed to have successful, powerful tefillot in camp and in life:

אדם צריך שתיהי לו מילה
A person needs a word...

The traditional language of the siddur provides us with words, with a language for conversation with God and with ourselves.  They give us poetry and imagery that link us to our history and to the worldwide Jewish community.  At the same time, each one of us needs our own words to convey wants and desires, hopes and aspirations, thoughts and feelings.  As educators, we constantly struggle with the balance between the creative and the traditional, the communal and the individual, as we think about tefillah in camp and for ourselves.  What words do we need? Halakhically? Personally?

קצת מקום בעולם
A little place in the world
 
What is the setting for prayer, individual and communal?  How do we make our prayerful places, our מקדשי מעט , appropriate settings for tefillah. In camp, most davvening places are multipurpose spaces transitioning quickly from tefillot into stages for theater, into studios for dance, into practice rooms for music, etc.  The atmosphere of the place can help put us in the right mood for intimate conversation with God and with self or it can convey a sense of “get this over with quickly” because someone needs the room for another activity.  Our job is to insure that where we pray is conducive to prayer, that it is warm, that it inspires us to take our time in self-reflection and connection with The Divine.  And then, as we learn from the beginning of this week’s parasha, Naso,  just as was the case with moving the portable Tabernacle, the Mishkan, we need to break the room down in a respectful and careful way, treating all of the ritual objects with kavod, with respect.

אהבה לא נשכחת
Unforgettable Love

I asked the shlichim to translate this phrase for me and they said that the best translation was “unforgettable love.”  In the context of tefillah, I think Shlomo Artzi is talking about unconditional love or אהבה שלא תלויה בדבר, love that is not dependent on anything.  In tefillah, no matter what we say in our hearts, we need to remember that we are loved, somewhere, somehow, unconditionally, be that God’s love, parental love, etc.  Camp is a place where everyone needs to know that they are valued and respected.  Tefillah, with its language of thanks, provides us with the opportunity to be reminded of the sources of love and hope and blessing in our lives.



וקול אמיתי לתפילה
A real voice of prayer

For many people, camp is the place where they first discover their own prayerful voice.  Encountering the siddur, struggling with the literal and personal meaning of the prayers, helps us find our voice for talking with God and with our souls.  From the moments when we pray with our internal voice to the times we sing out with our peers, camp can be the place where people first enter conversation with God or the place where they start to discover who they are.  How do we create the atmosphere, the trust, required for campers and staff members to feel safe exploring these aspects of self?  What is a real voice of prayer?  Is there a difference between communal singing and prayer?  If so, how do we know when we are doing one and not the other?

ורגע מושלם
A moment of completeness

A personal sense of integrity, a sense of wholeness, of authenticity helps bring people to deeply prayerful moments.  Recognizing who we truly are, what we truly believe, helps motivate us to act, to give genuinely and to receive genuinely.  Walking around camp with other people, you often get gifts that open up parts of your soul, that lead to deeper understanding and that lead you to be able to face challenges and moments without fear, without worry of the “if only I...”  I often hear people say that camp is the only place where they can truly be themselves.  Tefillah can be a time for feeling this sense of completeness, of integrity, of perfection which prepares you to give and to receive.

As the staff builds over the course of the week to come, we will continue the conversation about tefillah in camp.  We will seek to build an inspiring community that is steeped in our traditional siddur.  We will work to maintain the proper balance between the voice of the community and the voice of the individual in the conversations that take place at camp between us and God.  At moments, our prayers and our souls will soar without fear, like the eagle, to the Heavens.  At others, they will be the still small voice in our souls reminding us that we are loved.  They will remind us that to give and to receive, we must be authentic in our voices, in our words, in our actions.  Finally, we will be blessed to achieve all of this in our מקום בעולם, on the shores of Lake Buckatabon at Camp Ramah in Wisconsin.

Shabbat Shalom.

VaYakhel - Bringing us Together - The Torah and Jewish Camp

I am amazed by how often the weekly Torah portion - the פרשת השבוע - coincides so perfectly with issues and events arising during the week preceding its reading (what we refer to in Aramaic as ענייני דיומא - current events or topics of the day).  While there are weeks where we clearly stretch to make such connections, there are more weeks where it is beyond just coincidence that there is a correlation between what is going on in the world and what is going on in the parashat hashavua.  This week falls into the latter category.  Let me explain.

This week, we read parashat VaYakhel whose opening verse teaches us:

וַיַּקְהֵל מֹשֶׁה, אֶת-כָּל-עֲדַת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל--וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם

Moses then convened the whole Israelite community and said to them:

Exodus 35: 1

The majority of the parashah deals with Moses telling the Israelites what needs to be included in the building of the Mishkan, the portable Tabernacle, as instructed by God.  This is followed by the Torah recording that the Israelites carried out Moses directions in exacting fashion. In between the first verse of VaYakhel and the people carrying out Moses’  instructions, however, are three important directions about how the work is to be done:

1.  The Israelites are told that they can work on the project for six days a week but must have complete rest - Shabbat - on the seventh day. Exodus 35: 2 - 3

2.  To the extent that their hearts are moved to contribute, our ancestors are instructed that everyone should bring gifts for the construction of the Mishkan. Exodus 35: 4 - 9

3.  Skilled artisans and craftspeople are directed to come forward and  build the Mishkan. Exodus 35:10 - ff

In other words, before the instructions for what is to be done can be told to the people, they need a set of core principles and work rules:  You have to take a break, you have to imitate God and rest and recharge on Shabbat; everyone has a portion in the project, in this case the building of God’s dwelling place in this world, and as such, everyone needs to  contribute materials for the project to the level that they are able and at the level they are moved to give; and finally, people with special skills have an added  responsibility to actualize the vision, to make it happen.  Once these principles are made explicit, the Torah returns to the telling of the actual construction of the Mishkan.

This past week, I had the privilege of attending a הקהל - a convening - for the entire world of Jewish camping, The Foundation for Jewish Camp’s (FJC)  2012 Leaders Assembly.  The largest gathering in the history of the field, over 650 professional and lay leaders, funders and friends of not-for-profit Jewish overnight camping met in New Brunswick, New Jersey to celebrate our field and to dream about where we might go in the future.  From a small start up organization started by FJC founders Rob Bildner and Elisa Spungen Bildner and led by Rabbi Ramie Arian to a mature thirteen year-old organization led until recently by one of my mentors,  Jerry Silverman, now President and CEO of The Jewish Federations of North America, honoring its most recent President, the exceptional and visionary Dr. Skip Vichness, FJC has helped put Jewish overnight camping on the agenda of the broader Jewish community.  As a result, the Jewish world now knows and recognizes what those of us in the field have known for decades:  

• The more summers spent at high impact Jewish overnight camp is one of, if not the best guarantors of continued involvement in and lifelong commitment to Jewish community, Jewish living, and Jewish learning.  

• Jewish camp is a key investment in the future of North American Jewry and merits significant financial support from the Jewish world to make it possible for every Jewish child to attend camp, regardless of their family’s ability to pay.

• New programmatic initiatives at individual camps and camping movements are worthy investments because they work and can often be replicable in other Jewish educational settings.

• Graduates of Jewish overnight camp are disproportionately represented at every level of  professional and lay leadership in the organized Jewish community.

• Graduates of Jewish overnight camp are among the most innovative and creative contributors to new initiatives in the Jewish community.

In other words, Jewish overnight camp works.

Of the many takeaways from Leaders Assembly 2012, a few stand above the rest. First, Jewish camp must be built around and embody Torah, broadly defined and in all of its forms.  Just as Torah stands at the center of the Mishkan, the portable Tabernacle in the Beit HaMikdash, The Temple in Jerusalem, Torah must be at the heart of the Jewish camping experience.  For Jewish camp to have the type of impact it can have on individuals now and on Jewish  Peoplehood in the future, experiencing fun, meaningful Jewish living and learning must be at the center of the experience. Shabbat is one of the best examples of how this happens in every Jewish camp.  We each observe Shabbat differently but that observance dictates the rhythm of life at camp, enhances the nature of friendships and connections within the camp community and brings us closer to The Divine.

Second, increasing the number of Jewish camps, supporting new programs at existing camps, and increasing the number of scholarships and incentive grants that make it possible for every child to attend a Jewish overnight camp should be an obligation of the entire North American Jewish community.  Each community should contribute to the level it is moved to contribute.  Given the high return on the investment communities receive from Jewish camp in the form of energized, knowledgeable, committed Jewish children and adults, however, it is reasonable to expect that all communities will be inspired to contribute at the highest possible levels.  It must be understood today that Jewish camp is not a luxury for the few or a scholarship gift to those in need; rather, it is a required experience for and investment in the future of North American Jewry.  Every Jewish child merits such an  investment.

Finally, the field of Jewish camp requires outstanding, visionary professionals to design and build our camp communities anew every summer just as skilled artisans were required to design and build the Mishkan.  FJC investments in professional development programs like ELI: the Executive Leadership Institute for senior camp directors and Yitro for assistant directors are advancing the profession of camp director by exposing senior professionals to best practices in everything from customer satisfaction to development and implementation  of institutional vision.  Returning from New Brunswick, I am invigorated by the conversations I had with fellow directors and by their visions not only of individual camps but of the Jewish future as well.  Moreover, I am inspired by the  many emerging adults involved in the most innovative, transformational, new projects in the Jewish world, all of whom grew up in and are still deeply involved with the Jewish overnight camp they attended.

As the field continues to grow, as Jewish camp becomes more and more central to insuring the vibrancy of the Jewish future in North America, a few challenges remain.  To secure the future impact of Jewish camp on the broadest possible audience,  I believe we must  focus our attention on the following:

Make Jewish overnight camp affordable for families who are already investing in their children’s Jewish education by sending them to Jewish Day School.  Jewish overnight camp is as important for students of Jewish Day Schools as it is for every other Jewish child.  It is at Jewish camp where Day School students get to make Judaism their own just as it is for their peers who attend supplementary Jewish educational programs.  The financial investment these families make is substantial, often exceeding $60,000 to $80,000 or more annually for a family of three children.  Such families should not be penalized for making this investment; rather, they should be equally if not more supported and incentivized.

Celebrate brand diversity within the field of Jewish overnight camp.  Every camping movement is different and every Jewish camp is different.  We have different goals and intended outcomes.  We meet different needs.  In a Jewish world committed to pluralism, we need to celebrate difference rather than attempt to homogenize it away.  Every camp is not going to be right for every child or family and every camp does not seek to accomplish the same things.   I hope celebration of brand diversity becomes a core value for the entire field of Jewish camping, from our individual camps and movements to individual funders and foundations to our central voice in the Jewish community.  

invest in those camps that serve as the research and development (R & D) camps for the entire field. Certain camps throughout North America unofficially serve as  R & D laboratories for the rest of the field.  Camp directors share generously programs and approaches developed at our camps and benefit from those developed at other camps.  Financial support from beyond individual camp boards is as required for the research and development function in camp as it is for the adoption and replication of such programs at other camps.  We need increased support for this crucial aspect of our work, research and development, to insure long-term vibrancy not only for Jewish camping but for other Jewish educational settings as well.

Thank you to the FJC for a great Leaders Assembly 2012, for helping put Jewish overnight camp on the agenda of the entire Jewish world, for helping make it possible for all of us to “Reach Beyond the Bunk” and touch an ever increasing number of Jewish souls, and to the CEO of the Foundation for Jewish Camp, Jeremy Fingerman, who was the counselor-in-training for my cabin during my first summer as a camper at Camp Ramah in Wisconsin in 1977 for being among those who helped me make it through that first summer, and for his leadership today.

Shabbat Shalom.