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Newyorkadam/Blue
מחנה רמה בפוקונוס
Formation1950
TypeNonprofit
HeadquartersPhiladelphia, PA (off-season), Lakewood, PA (summer)
Official language
Hebrew
Director
Rabbi Joel Seltzer
Main organ
National Ramah Commission
Websiteramahpoconos.org

Camp Ramah in the Poconos is a summer camp in Lakewood, Pennsylvania. It is affiliated with the National Ramah Commission.

Ramah Poconos opened in 1950, the third Ramah camp after Wisconsin (1947) and Maine (1948). Campers range in age from campers entering 4th grade through campers entering 11th grade, as well as a division with inclusion campers. It is affiliated with the Conservative Movement of Judaism. The camp places a focus on education, with campers taking regular classes in Hebrew — the official language of the camp — and Jewish studies, as well as the history and culture of Israel.

History

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Property

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The village of Lake Como's history began in 1859. A person involved in the founding had fond memories Lake Como, Italy, and named the village and nearby lake after it.[1][2] That same year, Timothy Roark was born on his family's Fork Mountain property. On this property he operated a boarding house.[3] The property has a pond called Fork Mountain Pond. This pond is so named because it is in a forked mountain.[4] Around this pond, and the nearby Crooked Creek, lived a few Irish families in addition to the Roarks, including the McGarys, McKennas, Connelys, Flannigans, and Kennedys.[5] About these families:

As a rule, they came with little but their muscle ; but by patient industry and economy, they now possess good, comfortable homes, many being in affluent circumstances, and are good, law-abiding citizens,— constant in their attachment to their Church, and in their undying love for the Green Isle of Erin, yet ardent in their attachment to the country of their adoption. The chance sojourner among them will long remember their open-handed hospitality.

— Alfred Mathews, History of Wayne, Pike and Monroe Counties, Pennsylvania, 1886, p. 523

Camp Tabor

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In 1922, Dr. Reuben W. Warner and Charles C. Reubens purchased the Roark farm from Timothy Rourke. The purchase, which cost $35,000, included 236 acres of land and 90 acres of the pond.[6] These two men started Camp Tioga. In 1925, Rabbi Jacob Grossman and Pauline Grossman purchased 86 acres of land from Camp Tioga and started Camp Tabor.[7][8] The two camps neighbored each other and shared the pond.

Camp Tabor was a Jewish camp for girls whose slogan was "A Girl's Camp of Unsurpassed Standards". It had activities such as land and water sports, nature study, Jewish educational and cultural programs, dancing, dramatics, and study.[9]

In 1929, Camp Tabor had a typhoid outbreak.[10][11][12] It resulted in a number (some sources report four, others eight) of deaths and dozens of cases.[11][13] As a result of the outbreak, Tabor and Tioga both closed on August 16.[14][15]

Seminary rabbis, including Rabbi Mordecai Kaplan, visited Camp Tabor.[16]

Founding

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In 1947, the first Ramah camp opened in Wisconsin.[17][18] The success of this camp led to the opening of a second in Maine in 1948.

The camp's owner managed the business aspect the camp, while Ramah managed the educational aspect. This led to conflict between the camper's owner and Ramah. In addition, there were concerns about the layout of the camp, with campers regularly being driven to athletic fields due to a steep incline.[19] In an essay "The Most Important Venture Ever Undertaken by the Seminary: Ramah in its First Four Decades", Michael Brown wrote the camp had "less careful planning than had taken place the summer before in Wisconsin and without as strong a staff, without the backing of a reliablen local lay committee, and in unsuitable rented quarters", and closed after two summers.[20]

Following the issues with Ramah Maine, it became clear to Ramah that for the next camp, the land must be either purchased, or leased with a plan to purchase at some point. Many of Ramah Wisconsin's first campers were from the Philadelphia area, in large part due to Rabbi David Goldstein of Har Zion Temple's strong support of Ramah. The United Synagogue Philadelphia branch had been discussing opening a camp, and formed a committee chaired by David W. Nisenbaum.[21]

Rabbi David Goldstein was also involved on this committee. The process of starting the camp was moving slowly, and Goldstein contacted Abraham Birenbaum for help. Birenbaum asked for the assistance of two men, and Rabbi Bernard Mandelbaum and Rabbi Bernard Segal joined the team. The committee began the process of finding a proper location for the camp.[22] The committee learned that the Grossmans were planning to sell their camp.[21][22] The Seminary Field Director, and later Vice-Chancellor, Max Arzt, as well as Goldstein, and other people involved in the Seminary, sometimes summered at Camp Tabor.[23][24][25]


Speaking at the 25th anniversary of the founding of the camp, Birenbaum stated that the United Synagogue could not purchase Camp Tabor's land because of legal matters — the Grossmans had two corporations, one that ran the camp and one that owned the real estate. Birenbaum talked to the committee and told them to go through with it, but Rabbi Grossman said he wouldn't said the camp to a seminary. Because of this, Birenbaum personally bought the camp.[22] At the same event, Goldstein said that they needed money to buy the camp from the Grossmans, but that the Seminary wasn't interested.[24]

"So we talked to Abe Birenbaum, and if it hadn't been for Abe then, we would not have a Camp Ramah today.
I recall only that when he put his name on the paper, Mr. Hyman Bomze said to him, 'Abe, you're a fool, before you know it, it will be left in your hands.' And Abe said, 'Well, Hyman, then I'll own a camp.'"

— Rabbi David A. Goldstein, Speech at the 25th Anniversary of Camp Rmah in the Poconos ?

In an essay "Camp Ramah: The Early Years, 1947-1952", Shuly Rubin Schwartz wrote that United Synagogue Philadelphia planned on purchasing the camp, but did not have sufficient funds.[26]

Abraham Birenbaum personally bought the camp, and leased it to United Synagogue Philadelphia.[26] Birenbaum was involved in the founding of a number of other institutions, including Solmon Schechter Day School (now Perelman Jewish Day School) and Akiba Hebrew Academy (now Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy).[27][28]

Poconos had strengths in multiple areas Maine did not, including the site, a local committee, and the financial support of Birenbaum.[23] Ramah Poconos opened for its first summer in 1950.[26]

Early years

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Ramah's first director was Dr. Shlomo Feffer.[26]

1960s – 1970s

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In 1965, Mogilner began a program that brought Israelis, known as mishlachat (Hebrew: משלחת, lit. 'delegation'), to Ramah Poconos every summer. Israeli staff have traditional jobs in camp, such as swim instructors, teachers, and sports staff, and also organize programming related to Israel. Brown writes that "[a]s accessible models, they were expected to improve the level of Hebrew in camp and to communicate the reality of Israel better than any classroom discussion could". The mishlachat program has been implemented other Ramah camps.[29]

In 1967? Ramah got a new dining hall, kitchen, and drama area. The combined structure was originally used at the 1964-1965 New York World's Fair as part of Wisconsin's structure. Part of the structure was where Wisconsin had the approximately 17 1/4 ton cheese. Ramah purchased the structure for $1?.[30][31] The Wisconsin Pavilion, another part of the structure, is in Neillsville, Wisconsin.[32]

Many Ramah camps had financial issues in the 1970s. Each individual camp was to pay an assessment to the National Ramah Commission. In 1976 Poconos stated that it would pay part, but not all, of its assessment, which was criticized for being irresponsible to the other Ramah camps as well as the Seminary. The National Ramah Commission considered removing the Poconos Commission from office.[33] Poconos gave in in 1977 when threatened by the National Ramah Commission threatened to revoke Poconos' right of camp ownership.[34]

1980s – 1990s

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2000s – 2010s

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Rabbi Joel Seltzer became director beginning in 2013. In 2016, a new division was added: Yedidim, or friends, for inclusion campers.

2020s

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The 2021 season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Staff

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Much of the staff of the camp is made up of former campers. After finishing their Gesher summers, some choose to come for a summer, in which they do jobs such as babysitters and assistants. The next summer, generally when entering their freshmen years of college, they can return as junior counselors. Following that, they can return as senior counselors, and after that, 'Vaatikim', second-year senior counselors. After this summer, counselors can traditionally become counselors of the oldest age group, Gesher, and after that, division heads (Rosh Edah). Alternatively, individuals have other options for jobs, including teachers, activity instructors,

Divisions

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Campers are divided into divisions based on age groups, known as edot, and bunks in each division based on gender. An individual age group is called the singular edah from עדה. After finishing the oldest age group, Gesher, campers often return as staff members.

English Hebrew Translation Age Range Other information
Notzetzim נוֹצְצִים Sparkles Entering 4th & 5th grade Formerly Nitzanim – ניצנים – buds
Tzi'irim צְעִירִים Young Ones Entering 6th grade
Chalutzim חַלוּצִים Pioneers Entering 7th grade
Bogrim בּוֹגְרִים Mature ones Entering 8th grade
Machon מַכוֹן Institution Entering 9th grade
Shoafim שׁוֹאָפִים Those who strive Entering 10th grade Formerly K'votzat Yonatan – קבצת ינתן – Yonatan's group
Gesher גֶשֵׁר Bridge Entering 11th grade Formerly Havurah
Yedidim ידידים Friends Ages 12 to 17 First summer in 2016

Programs

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Education

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Campers and staff members all receive regular education. Campers have classes in Hebrew, as well as Jewish studies. Campers have daily tefillot (prayer). As campers move up divisions, they learn about additional topics, including prayers, Jewish values, and the practices of wrapping tefillin and wearing talit. Campers around Bar and Bat Mitzvah age have classes to prepare.

Staff members have hadracha, classes in which they learn about Judaism and skills for working with campers.

Athetics

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The camp has a ropes course, softball field, basketball courts, volleyball court, gaga pits, indoor gymnaseum, pool, pond (known to campers as the lake), and fields for activities including soccer, ultimate frisbee, and archery. Campers select which sports they would like to participate in.

On Saturday mornings, after Shabbat morning services, staff members traditionally play a game of "Shabbos Softball". A home run counter posted outside of the dining hall tracks which staff member has hit the most home runs each summer.

On Tuesday and Saturday nights, staff members play in a basketball league called Ligot (Leagues). Senior counselors serve as captains and draft teams.

Activities

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Campers can also participate in activities including arts and crafts, drama, singing, dancing, radio, nature, cooking, swimming, and boating.

Each division Chalutzim and older performs a play in Hebrew. Gesher performs an original play, which they produce each summer, incorporating jokes about camp and from events throughout the summer.

Campers can swim in the pool and lake, and participate in activities such as canoeing.

Ramah has a radio station known as. Campers can take "radio" as an activity, and play a role in running the station. The camp and nearby area can listen to the broadcast on .

Maccabiah

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Campers participate in a color war competition each summer. Junior counselors serve as captains. Each summer has a different theme; recent themes have included Pokémon, Harry Potter, and recycling.

References

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  1. ^ Mathews (1886), p. 716
  2. ^ Norcross, Frank W. (1901). A History of the New York Swamp. New York: The Chiswick Press. p. 72.
  3. ^ "The Roark Family History". roarkfoundation.org. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
  4. ^ Ham, Thomas J. (1995). Fluhr, George J. (ed.). The Nomenclature of Wayne: A History of Wayne County, PA. Wayne Country Historical Society. p. 27.
  5. ^ Mathews (1886), p. 522
  6. ^ "Wayne Farm Purchased For Boys' Summer Camp". The Scranton Republican. October 11, 1922. p. 14. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
  7. ^ "Real Estate Transfers Made In Wayne County". The Scranton Republican. August 15, 1925. p. 12. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
  8. ^ "Personal and Pertinent". The Scranton Times. April 18, 1925. p. 6. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
  9. ^ Jacob and Pauline Grossman (January 8, 1940). "Letter from Jacob and Pauline Grossman to Campers". Letter to campers.
  10. ^ "Typhoid Fever Epidemic Cause At Camp Tabor". The Evening News. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. August 19, 1929. p. 2. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
  11. ^ a b "Call Camp Owner As Another Dies". The Brooklyn Daily Times. September 4, 1929. p. 1. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
  12. ^ "Typhoid Outbreak Is Under Control". The New York Times. September 5, 1929. p. 19. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
  13. ^ "Fourth Death Is Traced to Wayne". The Scranton Republican. September 12, 1929. p. 5. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
  14. ^ "Camp Tabor Is Abandoned As Camp For Boys". Franklin Repository. August 16, 1929. p. 1. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
  15. ^ "Blood Tests Made Here Show Campers Ill From Intestinal Infection". The Scranton Times. August 16, 1929. pp. 2, 31. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
  16. ^ Kaplan, Mordecai Menahem (2020). Scult, Mel (ed.). Communings of the Spirit, Volume III: The Journals of Mordecai M. Kaplan, 1942-1951. Detroit: Wayne State University Press. pp. 193–194. ISBN 978-0-8143-4768-3.
  17. ^ Schwartz (1987), p. 34
  18. ^ Dorph (1999), p. 34: Essay by Michael Brown
  19. ^ Schwartz (1987), pp. 29–30
  20. ^ Dorph (1999), pp. 37–38: Essay by Michael Brown
  21. ^ a b Schwartz (1987), p. 30
  22. ^ a b c Birenbaum, Abraham. In Honor of the 25th Anniversary of Camp Ramah in the Poconos (Speech).
  23. ^ a b Dorph (1999), p. 38: Essay by Michael Brown
  24. ^ a b Goldstein, David. In Honor of the 25th Anniversary of Camp Ramah in the Poconos (Speech).
  25. ^ Kaplan, Mordecai Menahem (2016). Scult, Mel (ed.). Communings of the Spirit: The Journals of Mordecai M. Kaplan, Volume 2: 1934-1941. Detroit: Wayne State University Press. pp. 296–297. ISBN 978-0-8143-4162-9.
  26. ^ a b c d Schwartz (1987), p. 31
  27. ^ Stern, Marissa (May 17, 2017). "Perelman Jewish Day School Celebrates 60 Years". Philadelphia Jewish Exponent. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
  28. ^ "Barrack Academy Welcomes the Community to Its New 'Home'". Philadelphia Jewish Exponent. 2013-04-05. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
  29. ^ Dorph (1999), p. 58: Essay by Michael Brown
  30. ^ "1964 New York World's Fair 1965 - Artifacts - World's Fair Legacies". Retrieved July 15, 022. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  31. ^ "1964 New York World's Fair 1965 - Attractions - Wisconsin". Retrieved July 15, 2022.
  32. ^ Adams, Barry (September 14, 2014). "On Wisconsin: World's Fair remains alive in Neillsville". Retrieved July 15, 2022.
  33. ^ Dorph (1999), p. 64: Essay by Michael Brown
  34. ^ Dorph (1999), p. 70: Essay by Michael Brown

Bibliography

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