FAQs for Junior Counselor Applicants

Thank you for your interest in applying to be a Junior Counselor at Camp Ramah!

We are so excited for the experience that lies ahead of you.  Actually getting to create the Ramah experience for younger chanichim (campers) can be an incredibly fulfilling and rewarding experience.  

Here is an overview of the JC Application process:

  1. Complete an online staff application –   This is a short online form that will 10-15 minutes to complete. 
  2.  First Round Interviews – After you submit an application, you’ll receive an email with a link to schedule a 45-minute Zoom interview with Josh Edelglass.
  3.  References –  Before we can schedule your second-round interview, we need to receive your three required references.
  4. Second Round Interview – These generally occur between mid-November and mid-January and will take place over zoom.
  5.  Job Offers – We generally make job offers within one week of your second round interview. We will hire on a rolling basis until positions are filled.

Frequently asked questions:

  • Who is eligible to apply?  We invite ALL Nivonim and Machon alumni to apply. If you or any friends didn’t receive an email invitation, it is because we don’t have your correct email address, so please contact Michelle Sugarman to sort that out. Not everyone is guaranteed to be hired, but we do encourage everyone to apply.
  • When should I apply?  Now! The application will not take you very long to fill out. It is best to submit it as early in the year as possible, before you get too busy with college applications.
  • Can I work for one session only? We are looking for full summer employees. We do not hire JCs to work for the first session only. Sometimes we can hire a JC for the second session only.  If you have an unavoidable conflict (for example: you are an Israeli and you are getting drafted into the IDF in August), please let us know right away so we can work with you to determine how best to proceed. 
  • What if I need to come late to camp, or leave early? We understand that sometimes JCs have conflicts at the start of the summer due to final exams or graduation. We also know that universities sometimes begin classes or orientations prior to the end of the camp, and that you might want a few days at home between camp and going to school. We will do our best to work with you to accommodate these issues as long as these arrangements are made prior to the start of the summer. As soon as you are aware of any potential conflicts with the dates of camp, please contact Michelle Sugarman immediately. Remember, you must get ALL travel approved by us before you book anything. We reserve the right to make individual decisions based on the needs of camp.  Our general policy is to allow counselors to depart camp up to 4 days before their college move-in date, as long as they can be in camp through August 8. For approved absences, we will pro-rate your salary accordingly.
  • What happens if Ramah offers me a job?  Generally, we expect an answer within 48 hours of our making a job offer. If you need additional time to make your decision for a legitimate reason, we are happy to arrange for that. Once you say yes to our job offer, we will email you a digital packet of your staff forms within the week. Your signed contract is due within a month of receipt, and the rest of your forms are due by May 1st. You receive a $100 bonus for turning in all of your forms on time! 
  • What am I committing to if I say YES to a job offer from Ramah?  If you say yes to our job offer, we are counting on you to work at camp. Honoring your commitment to work for the time you agreed to is very important. Your madrichim committed themselves to give you an incredible experience when you were chanichim (campers). We hope you will be as committed as they were. It is very hard to replace madrichim in the late spring, and even harder mid-summer. Once you have agreed to work at camp, we expect that you will work for your contracted dates. 
  • What should I know about the job of being a madrich/a? Being on tzevet (staff) is different from being a chanich (camper). It is an incredibly rewarding job, with lots of opportunities for leadership and growth. You will work very hard, with ups and downs throughout the summer. However, you must be prepared that this can be a hard transition. You are now being paid to work here. Each year, we tweak and change some things about the job of being a madrich, and the policies of working at camp. Although things are generally very similar from year to year, don’t just assume that everything will be like you thought it would be. Having a flexible mindset is key to adjusting and enjoying your job.
  • How do anaf placements work? All madrichim will work in an anaf (specialty area) for a few hours a day. There are many areas that people work in, including agam, ropes, outdoor cooking, archery, sports, arts, etc. Some of these positions will require certification, which we pay for, prior to the start of Shauva Hachana (Staff Week).  We will talk with you, during your interviews, about where you’d like to work.  We place staff-members in anafim that they’ll be happy working in! 
  • Can I apply to work at one of the Ramah day camps? Instead of returning to Palmer, some of you might be interested in working at one of our two day camps – Greater DC or our new day camp in Boston!  If you’re interested in applying to work at our DC day camp, please contact Rabbi Jill Levy, Director.  If you’re interested in applying to work at our Boston day camp, please contact Rabbi Rachel Silverman, Director.  Please note that the dates of employment at these camps overlap, so it’s not generally possible to split your time between camps; you’ll have to choose which camp you’d like to apply.

We encourage you to communicate with us directly about all work matters. We know your parents will be supporting and advising you, and that is fine. However, we will not discuss matters of employment with your parents unless there are extenuating circumstances. You are responsible for discussing any other issues with us. Josh Edelglass and Michelle Sugarman will be your best resources for any questions that come up during the application process.  We are here to help you, so please don’t be shy about asking us any questions!

 

We look forward to creating an incredible kayitz along with you!

 

Kol tuv,

Rabbi Ed Gelb, CEO (he/him)

Josh Edelglass, Co-Director (he/him)

Michelle Sugarman, Co-Director (she/her)