Camp Ramah in California

The camp was founded in 1956 by Rabbi Jacob Pressman.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0LQRAQAAIAAJ&q=%22camp+ramah%22+ojai |title=The Ramah experience: community and commitment |publisher=Jewish Theological Seminary of America |year=1989 |access-date=September 19, 2010 |isbn=9780873340519 |archive-date=March 20, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220320152425/https://books.google.com/books?id=0LQRAQAAIAAJ&q=%22camp+ramah%22+ojai |url-status=live }}Larry B. Stammer, [https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1999-oct-23-me-25309-story.html A Witness to Hate and Hope], The Los Angeles Times, October 23, 1999 In 2007, the camp installed the largest private non-profit solar power generator system in the state of California, a 270 kW system.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AYTSH4AQnksC&q=%22camp+ramah%22+ojai&pg=PA198 |title=Architectural Forensics |publisher=McGraw-Hill Professional |year=2007 |access-date=September 19, 2010 |isbn=9780071596121 |archive-date=March 20, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220320152425/https://books.google.com/books?id=AYTSH4AQnksC&q=%22camp+ramah%22+ojai&pg=PA198 |url-status=live }} Population-wise, it is the largest of the Ramah summer camps, and it caters to the communities of the west coasts of the United States, Canada, Mexico, as well as the non-contiguous states of Hawaii and Alaska.{{cite web |url=http://www.jweekly.com/article/full/35227/shorts-family-life/ |title=Shorts: Family life |publisher=Jweekly |date=June 20, 2008 |access-date=September 14, 2010 |archive-date=September 27, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120927192034/http://www.jweekly.com/article/full/35227/shorts-family-life/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web|last=Daniel |first=Rabbi |url=http://www.jewishjournal.com/articles/item/green_endowments_mean_big_returns_for_nonprofit_20080404/ |title=Green endowments mean big returns for nonprofit | Green Living |publisher=Jewish Journal|date=April 3, 2008 |access-date=September 14, 2010}} It has also hosted campers from the United Kingdom. It is one of the only Ramah camps that operates a winter camp and holds winter weekends owing to the favorable winter climate. The summer season is split up into two four-week sessions attended by over 1,350 campers.{{cite book|last=Silverman|first=Rabbi Hillel E.|title=The Time of My Life: Sixty Fulfilling Years as a Congregational Rabbi|publisher=Ktav|location=Jersey City, NJ|year=2009|page=34|isbn=978-1-60280-119-6}} Prayers are held in a synagogue in the round.{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/jewishstoriesfro0000unse |url-access=registration |page=[https://archive.org/details/jewishstoriesfro0000unse/page/99 99] |quote=camp ramah ojai. |title=Jewish Stories from Heaven and Earth: Inspiring Tales to Nourish the Heart and Soul|publisher=Jewish Lights Publishing|year=2008 |access-date=September 19, 2010|isbn=9781580233637}}{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sq8RAQAAIAAJ&q=%22camp+ramah%22+ojai |title=Tradition renewed: a history of the Jewish Theological Seminary, Volume 1 |publisher=Jewish Theological Seminary of America |year=1997 |access-date=September 19, 2010 |isbn=9780873340755 |archive-date=March 20, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220320152426/https://books.google.com/books?id=sq8RAQAAIAAJ&q=%22camp+ramah%22+ojai |url-status=live }}

The current executive director is Rabbi Joe Menashe.{{cite web|url=http://www.ramah.org/st_yearround.shtml|title=Year Round Staff|publisher=Camp Ramah in California|access-date=March 12, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719195309/http://www.ramah.org/st_yearround.shtml|archive-date=July 19, 2011|url-status=dead}} He follows Rabbi Daniel Greyber, Brian Greene and Rabbi Edward Feinstein.

Chaim Potok, author of The Chosen, The Promise, and My Name is Asher Lev, was director of the camp in 1957-59 before embarking on his career as a writer.{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/07/25/classified/paid-notice-deaths-potok-rabbi-chaim.html |title=Deaths – Potok, Rabbi Chaim |work=The New York Times |date=July 25, 2002 |access-date=September 14, 2010 |archive-date=December 6, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141206001021/http://www.nytimes.com/2002/07/25/classified/paid-notice-deaths-potok-rabbi-chaim.html |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/week547/potok.html |title=Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly. Chaim Potok |publisher=PBS |date=July 26, 2002 |access-date=September 14, 2010 |archive-date=November 8, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101108220118/http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/week547/potok.html |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |url=https://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/week547/potok.html |title=Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly .. Chaim Potok |publisher=PBS |date=July 26, 2002 |access-date=September 14, 2010 |archive-date=November 8, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101108220118/http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/week547/potok.html |url-status=dead }} Brian Greene and Rabbi Daniel Greyber have been executive directors of the camp.{{cite web|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-79270599.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104182934/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-79270599.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=November 4, 2012 |title=Off to Camp? This Summer, Send Cash, Pencils |publisher=Forward |date=February 2, 2001 |access-date=September 14, 2010}}{{cite web |last=Eshman |first=Rob |url=http://www.jewishjournal.com/opinion/article/who_is_a_jew_20060811/thememo/ |title=Who Is A Jew? | Opinion |publisher=Jewish Journal |date=August 10, 2006 |access-date=September 14, 2010 |archive-date=October 14, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121014045221/http://www.jewishjournal.com/opinion/article/who_is_a_jew_20060811/thememo/ |url-status=live }}

Following Chaim Potok, the camp was led by Tzvili Yardeni, Dr. Walter Ackerman, Rabbi Zvi Dershowitz, Rabbi Ronald Levine, Rabbi Stuart Kelman and then Asher Meltzer.

Rabbi Zvi Dershowitz directed the winter camp program and was the administrative director during the summer program from 1963 until 1973 (during which Dr. Walter Ackerman was the director of the summer camping program). Rabbi Dershowitz helped to start the winter weekends and helped to create what is now the current campus on 385 Fairview Road.{{Cite web |url=http://ramah.org/pdf/annualreport.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=September 14, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150206102552/http://ramah.org/pdf/annualreport.pdf |archive-date=February 6, 2015 |url-status=dead }}{{Cite web |url=http://www.jewishjournal.com/education/article/class_notes_camp_ramah_celebrates_golden_anniversary_20061201 |title=Class Notes: Camp Ramah celebrates Golden Anniversary | Education | Jewish Journal |access-date=January 20, 2014 |archive-date=October 18, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141018120007/http://www.jewishjournal.com/education/article/class_notes_camp_ramah_celebrates_golden_anniversary_20061201 |url-status=dead }}

The campers are split up into age groups, called Edot (Plural) or "Edah" (Singular):

• Gesher ("bridge") is a special 2-week program for younger campers entering 3rd to 5th grade who want to be acclimated to camp-life in shorter sessions.
• Nitzanim ("sprouts"), entering 4th and 5th grade
• Giborei Yisrael ("heroes of Israel"), entering 6th grade
• Adat Shalom ("the tribe of peace"), entering 7th grade
• Sollelim ("trail blazers"), entering 8th grade
• Tzophim ("scouts"), entering 9th grade
• Kochavim ("stars") entering 10th grade
• Machon ("foundation") entering 11th grade
• Amitzim ("the strong ones") is an edah for special needs children of camp-age.
• Abirim ("knights") entering 5th grade when Nitzanim is too large to be one edah

Machon is the oldest age group for campers. The following summer, former campers (or "Ramahniks") are eligible for a six-week tour of Israel called the Ramah Seminar. Mador is a program for first-time counselors and Madrega is a program for first-time specialists, those entering 12th grade.

For special-needs adults, there is a program known as "Ezra" ("help"), for them to be on staff in preparation for careers.

The "Tzevet" ("staff") is divided into "Madrichim" (counselors) and "Moomchim ("specialists"), while each Edah is led by a "Rosh Edah" ("head of the age group").{{cite web|last=Daniel |first=Rabbi |url=http://www.jewishjournal.com/articles/item/campfire_stories_from_israel_at_ramahi_felt_a_missile_go_just_over_my_head_/jews_and_wine |title=Campfire stories from Israel at Ramah: I felt a missile go just over my head' |publisher=Jewish Journal|date=July 5, 2007 |access-date=September 14, 2010}}

The camp holds a family Memorial Day weekend, as well as a week-long program in August for families with children with special needs.{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9781580233330_0 |url-access=registration |page=[https://archive.org/details/isbn_9781580233330_0/page/227 227] |quote=camp ramah ojai. |title=The Jewish Family Fun Book: Holiday Projects, Everyday Activities, and Travel Ideas with Jewish Themes|publisher=Jewish Lights Publishing |year=2008|access-date=September 19, 2010|isbn=9781580233330}}{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-quPdKBqZPcC&q=%22camp+ramah%22+ojai&pg=PA567|title=V'Khol Banayikh: Jewish Education for All – A Jewish Special Needs Resource Guide|publisher=Torah Aura Productions|isbn=978-1-934527-20-7|access-date=September 19, 2010|date=February 15, 2010|archive-date=March 20, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220320152427/https://books.google.com/books?id=-quPdKBqZPcC&q=%22camp+ramah%22+ojai&pg=PA567|url-status=live}}{{cite journal |url= http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S1056499307000569 |title= Article |journal= Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America |date= October 2007 |volume= 16 |issue= 4 |pages= 875–886 |doi= 10.1016/j.chc.2007.05.008 |pmid= 17823062 |access-date= September 19, 2010 |last1= Blas |first1= H. I. |archive-date= June 14, 2018 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180614060429/https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S1056499307000569 |url-status= live |url-access= subscription }}

In addition, Camp Ramah is rented out by Rotary clubs in order to host RYLA, a student leadership camp. The event lasts about four days and invites students from all over California.

• Ben Platt attended as a camper and counselor and starred in camp musicals.{{Citation|title=Ben Platt Has Been Prepping for Broadway His Entire Life|date=November 23, 2016|url=https://www.nbc.com/late-night-with-seth-meyers/video/ben-platt-has-been-prepping-for-broadway-his-entire-life/3430121|access-date=2017-09-06|archive-date=September 6, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170906180642/https://www.nbc.com/late-night-with-seth-meyers/video/ben-platt-has-been-prepping-for-broadway-his-entire-life/3430121|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/tony-award-winner-ben-platts-journey-from-camp-ramah-to-broadway/|title=Tony Award-winner Ben Platt's journey from Camp Ramah to Broadway|access-date=2017-09-06|language=en-US|archive-date=March 29, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180329195245/https://www.timesofisrael.com/tony-award-winner-ben-platts-journey-from-camp-ramah-to-broadway/|url-status=live}}
• Max Bemis of the band "Say Anything".{{Cite web|url=http://muzikum.eu/en/120-6515/say-anything/biography.html|title=Say Anything – Biography|website=Muzikum.eu|language=en-gb|access-date=2017-09-06|archive-date=March 5, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305011454/http://muzikum.eu/en/120-6515/say-anything/biography.html|url-status=live}}

• Camp Ramah
• American Jewish University
• Zvi Dershowitz
• Joel Grover
• David Lieber

• {{Official website|http://www.ramah.org/|Camp Ramah in California official website}}
• [http://www.campramah.org/ National Ramah Commission website]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20070413163405/http://campramah.org/news/keysar_kosmin_2004_research_findings.pdf "Research Findings on the Impact of Camp Ramah," 2004]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20090118131335/http://ajula.edu/ American Jewish University]

{{reflist}}

{{Summer camps in California}}

{{Ramah}}

{{Conservative Judaism}}

{{coord|34|27|42.80|N|119|15|58.04|W|type:landmark_scale:1000|display=title}}

California

Ramah

Category:Ojai, California

Category:Conservative Judaism in California

Category:Youth organizations based in California

Category:Buildings and structures in Ventura County, California