Shavua Hachana and Tzevet Achad
Shavua Hachana (Staff Week) is off to a wonderful start! On Tuesday, we welcomed our fantastic and talented mishlachat (Israeli staff delegation). Even though they were tired from a long day of international travel, we enjoyed a ruach (spirit)-filled medurah (camp fire) run by tzevet Nivonim. We sang Israeli songs together and began to learn about both the educational and programmatic goals for the kayitz (summer)! Then, on Wednesday morning, we welcomed the rest of our madrichim (counselors) to camp! We began by learning a new tzevet rikud (dance), followed by various opening training sessions in our edot. At the end of the night, our staff competed as an edah in an Avengers-themed opening peulat erev (evening activity)! Our tzevet ran around camp completing sports challenges, designing artistic creations, and testing their trivia knowledge. Some highlights of shavua hachana so far have included our annual sports coaches clinic, creating super fun opening day activities, and many more great surprises!
Throughout this week, our lifeguards and ropes instructors have been working hard to get their certifications. Combined, they swam countless laps in the agam (lake), prepared all of our water toys and boats, climbed both the Tzad Aleph Rock Wall and Alpine Tower in multiple directions, and done the famous night swing! They can’t wait to help our chanichim develop their strokes and reach new heights this kayitz!
This summer, we are putting a special emphasis on creating a sense of tzevet echad (one staff) and machaneh echad (one camp). At Camp Ramah, the value of kehillah (community) is very important to us. We strive to make sure that everyone in camp, whether they are from the United States or Ukraine, whether this is their first kayitz or their thirtieth, feels welcomed and a part of our community. I look forward to welcoming in the Shabbos kodesh (holy Sabbath) together as a tzevet echad in our amazing chorsha (grove) tonight.
As a group, we are excitedly counting down the days until we become a machaneh echad once we open our gates on Tuesday. We can’t wait to welcome our mahzor rishon (first session) chanichim next week. Shabbat Shalom v’l’hitraot b’Palmer!