Important Information About Tzevet Physical and Mental Health

Shalom tzevet Ramah!  

We are so happy that you have chosen to be a part of our tzevet (staff) for this kayitz (summer)! Together, we are going to create an extraordinary experience for all of our hanichim (campers).  

Before you arrive for work, we want to send you this message about a topic of critical importance to all of us: your health.  

Although this kayitz will be an amazing experience for you, it’s important to remember that you are coming to camp to do a job. This will be an incredibly challenging job, with long hours and potentially stressful situations. At the same time, it will also be a profoundly rewarding and joyous experience!  

To do this job, you will have to be able to take care of yourself, physically and emotionally. 

We encourage you to make a plan now for how you will take proper care of yourself while at camp. This will be critical to your summer’s success. You can plan to wake up an hour early to jog; to find time in your day to read, or to write in a journal, or meditate. If necessary, this plan should include external check-in times, perhaps on your day off, with people outside of our community.  

We want you to have the resources you will need to be happy and healthy in camp. If you have a condition requiring accommodation at camp, we are happy to make reasonable adjustments. For example, if you need a prescription picked up, we can make that happen. For those who need a quiet hour each week to speak with an offsite therapist, we can make sure you have this time in your schedule.  

If you have a medical condition, physical or mental, that you would like to share with us or any member of our senior staff before camp, we invite you to do so. Please contact Michelle Sugarman, Co-Director. If you need us to make reasonable accommodations, you must let us know ahead of time. If you are not sure whether an accommodation is reasonable, please ask.  

Every member of our tzevet needs to be ready to endure the challenging summer schedule, and the enormous responsibility of ensuring the care and safety of the campers entrusted to us.  

After reading this letter, if you believe camp is going to present too many physical or emotional challenges for you to be successful, please let us know.  

We look forward to welcoming you to Palmer, before you know it. Please be in touch with any member of our senior staff if you have any questions or would like to discuss anything further.  

L’hitraot b’Palmer! 

Rabbi Ed Gelb CEO, Camp Ramah New England  

Michelle Sugarman, Co-Director 

Joshua M. Edelglass, Co-Director  

Pamela Kekst, Assistant Director 

Emily Odesser, Director of Camper Care