Mental Health Support for Counselors and Campers

The NRC deepened its commitment to mental health and camper care this year through robust off-season initiatives. Specialized training, seminars, monthly collaborative meetings, and Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) certification equipped young adult staff with the tools needed to support both campers and their peers effectively. Throughout the camp season, NRC invested in diverse staff wellness initiatives across camps, providing structured activities like yoga, candle-making, and social events to foster community, relaxation, and resilience. Enhanced mental health resources, dedicated relaxation spaces, and thoughtful staff appreciation programs contributed to a camp environment where staff felt valued, supported, and energized.  

To further support camper well-being, NRC partnered with experts to deliver targeted mental health education and training for staff, alongside expanded mental health personnel at each camp. New resources, such as telehealth services, sensory gardens, and wellness cabins, were introduced to help address the unique needs of campers, fostering a safe, nurturing environment for emotional growth and stability.

Additionally, Israeli mental health professionals were hired to support Israeli campers and staff. These professionals offered a deep understanding of Israeli culture, essential in helping campers and staff adjust to camp life, navigate homesickness, and manage emotional challenges.

Disabilities and Inclusion Programs

This year, funds raised for the Tikvah programs at Ramah camps supported key initiatives that enriched the camp experience for participants with disabilities. Several camps expanded their vocational training programs, sensory support tools, and enhanced staff training aimed at fostering inclusivity.

In the second summer of its Tikvah program, Ramah Berkshires held a full session for boys and piloted a new program for girls. At Camp Ramah Darom, vocational training participants opened Cafe Darom, a coffee shop for staff members. Additional inclusion counselors and job coaches were employed to provide dedicated support for campers and staff members with disabilities, ensuring that everyone could fully engage in camp life. Funds were also allocated for sensory-friendly initiatives, including the creation of sensory spaces, visual schedules, and personalized supports to help campers with unique needs thrive in a supportive and accommodating environment.

In September 2024, twelve participants, alumni from Ramah's Tikvah disabilities inclusion programs, embarked on an eight-day service trip to Israel as part of the first-ever Birthright Israel Onward volunteer mission for adults with disabilities. The group comprised adults ages 21 to 41. Participants engaged in meaningful volunteer work, from packing food for those in need to preparing tzitzit for Israeli soldiers while also visiting important cultural and historical sites.

Despite the challenges presented by the ongoing conflict, the participants demonstrated resilience and adaptability, forming deep connections with Israel and its people. The trip highlighted the value of providing inclusive opportunities for individuals with disabilities to engage in Jewish life and contribute to their communities.

Ramah Expansion and New Initiatives

Los Angeles

This year, Ramah Day Camp LA opened for three weeks with 47 campers from 1st to 4th grade and 32 staff members.

DC Expansion -  BIG IDEA @ Ramah Day Camp Greater DC (BI-RDC)

Ramah Day Camp Greater DC expanded in summer 2024 with the introduction of a specialized camp in partnership with the Israeli-based technology camp BIG IDEA, which enrolled 46 campers.

Affordability and Staff Retention

NRC is deeply committed to supporting families who face financial challenges, ensuring that a transformative Ramah experience is accessible to all children, regardless of economic background. Your support provided vital camper scholarships to families in need, enabling their children to participate fully in the vibrant, immersive world of Jewish life that Ramah camps and Israel programs offer.

In addition to our broader scholarship initiatives, we were grateful to receive a special grant designated to assist Jewish professionals in sending their children to Ramah camps. This support ensured that children from these families could benefit from our unique environment of Jewish living and learning, deepening their love for Israel, the Hebrew language, and the broader Jewish community.

NRC is also focused on staff retention. This year, camps saw higher retention rates, aided by a grant incentivizing camp to recruit more college-aged staff members. It was especially important to have staff at camp after the difficult year many had faced on college campuses. Being surrounded by their Ramah family offered them a much-needed environment of support and healing and gave them renewed energy and a sense of purpose.