Investing in Our Future: National Ramah Spring Leadership Training Conference 2014

Bill Gates once said, “As we look ahead into the next century, leaders will be those who empower others.” These words could not ring more true for the nearly 100 young leaders in Jewish camping who attended last week’s 2014 National Ramah Spring Leadership Training Conference, hosted at Ramah Darom in sunny Clayton, Georgia. From the moment the buses rolled into camp, the energy and enthusiasm from the staff were incredible. As one staff member commented, “I can’t wait to be immersed in a community of people who care about camp as much as I do, who each have a passion for Jewish education, leadership, and fun.” (View our highlight video here.)

An amazing four days with colleagues in special needs camping

At last week’s National Ramah Spring Leadership Training Conference, staff members from special needs programs at Ramah camps, Union of Reform Judaism (URJ) camps, and other Jewish camps joined together to share best practices and learn from one another. Although this is the fourth year of Ramah’s training program for staff from throughout the Ramah network of Tikvah and other special needs programs, this was the first time that staff members from different movements who work with children with disabilities have had the opportunity to participate in professional development training together.

Ramah Poconos Planning New Special Needs Program

Fueled with a grant from two elderly philanthropic sisters, Ramah in the Poconos aims to integrate special needs campers into its regular sessions.

Tikvah/Special Needs, Ramah in the NewsNRC WebmasterMay 21, 2014Tikvah, Poconos

How My Son Finally Opened Up About His Little Brother With Special Needs

The first time I remember talking to Oscar about his younger brother Saul’s special needs, he couldn’t have been more than 5 years old. Definitely still in preschool. There was something–though I can’t remember exactly what–that Oscar thought Saul would like and he said, “Saul is going to do this!” and started flapping his hands and bouncing up and down. I lost it. I couldn’t believe my sweet little boy was making fun of his younger brother who has Fragile X, which is a genetic syndrome and the cause of intellectual disabilities that can include learning problems, autism, anxiety, sensory, and behavioral issues.

Tikvah/Special Needs, Blog/Reflections, Ramah in the NewsNRC WebmasterApril 30, 2014Tikvah, New England

Memories For Everyone

Children and youth in the U.S. have already internalized inclusion. They live it every day at school, on the playground, at youth groups. To them, inclusion is the norm. This is mainly because the national culture in the U.S. has surpassed the American Jewish community in its embrace of inclusion.

Tikvah/Special Needs, Blog/ReflectionsNRC WebmasterApril 6, 2014Tikvah, Ruderman Foundation

Tikvah Means Hope

Our family spent last weekend at Camp Ramah in New England’s first-ever Tikvah Family Shabbaton. Tikvah is Ramah’s special needs program. It is unique among Jewish camps. Within the Tikvah program at Ramah, children with all types of disabilities are welcomed and supported. The Tikvah program is the main reason we selected Ramah for S’s first camp experience this summer.

Tikvah/Special NeedsNRC WebmasterApril 2, 2014Tikvah, New England

What It’s All About – Lessons from the FJC Leaders Assembly

I was beaming with Ramah pride as I learned from and shared with camp professionals during the Foundation for Jewish Camp Leaders Assembly last week.

I was inspired by the many voices around the table, I was moved by the wide variety of camps that were represented, and I was encouraged by the number of people talking about inclusion.

Everyone wanted to think together about how to increase the opportunities for inclusion of children with disabilities at their camps.

Tikvah/Special Needs, Blog/ReflectionsNRC WebmasterMarch 31, 2014California, Tikvah

The Inclusion Solution

Teens welcome with open arms people with differences.

Tikvah/Special NeedsNRC WebmasterMarch 14, 2014Tikvah

Jewish Camps Welcoming More Children With Disabilities

In the late 1960s, when husband-and-wife team Barbara and Herb Greenberg first decided to create a Jewish overnight summer camp program for developmentally disabled children, it was hard to find a camp willing to host it.

Tikvah/Special Needs, Ramah in the NewsNRC WebmasterFebruary 19, 2014Tikvah