This evening’s closing banquet was a love fest with Camp Ramah.  It included delicious food, song, dance, Birkat Hamazon, No Smoking, and more.  It concluded with a rousing rendition of Tov Li baMachaneh Ramah (lyrics below), accompanied by Visiting Shira Specialists Cantor Jeremy Stein and Micah Pickus (photo, above).  Each edah was dressed in their own colored T-shirt, and there was singing and dancing on the tables (and floor).  It was impossible to not be swept up into the ruach and fervor.

Lyrics:

שיר רמה

בבוקר קם פרפר ועף מעבר לגדר

סימן שבא השמש, צהריים.

אתמול ירדו גשמים ולא הפסיקו לדקה,

הכל רטוב, הכל כבר השתנה…

(Oh Baby)

טוב לראות את השמש

טוב לי לחייך

טוב לי לשיר את השירה

טוב כשהשמיים כחול וקצת לבן

טוב לי במחנה רמה.

Ba-boker kam parpar ve-af me’ever legader,

Siman she-ba ha-shemesh, zohorayim.

Etmol yardu geshamim ve-lo hifsiku le-daka,

Hakol ratov, ha-kol kvar hishtana.

(Oh baby,)

Tov lir’ot hashemesh, tov li lechayech,

Tov li lashir et ha-shira…

Tov ke’she’hashamayim kachol u-ketzat lavan,

Tov li be-Machaneh Ramah.

_________________________________________________

At dawn, the butterfly awoke and began to fly away –

A sign the sun has finally risen and it is noontime.

Yesterday the rain did not cease even for a moment –

Everything is wet, but all has changed.

It is good to see the sun,

It is wonderful to smile,

I love being part of the rejoicing and the song,

It is good when the heavens are blue and white too,

I love it here at Machaneh Ramah.