Campers With Disabilities

The Tikvah Program at Camp Ramah New England was one of the first summer programs for Jewish children with disabilities. Over 50 years old, the Tikvah Program continues to grow and evolve as it strives to serve campers with a wide range of disabilities, including developmental and intellectual disabilities, autism spectrum disorders, ADHD, learning differences, and neurological impairments.

The Tikvah Program affords campers with incredible opportunities for growth in the areas of Jewish identity, socialization, independence, and much more. The Tikvah Program is an integral part of the Camp Ramah in New England community and consists of two main tracks: Amitzim (our camp program that provides a higher level of support), and Tochnit Avodah (our vocational training program). We also offer summer employment with supports to a select group of graduates of our Tikvah program.

We also offer a two-week mini-Amitzim program for children ages 10-12 with learning, social, and developmental differences, and Voc Ed Ma’avar, which is a transition program that bridges our Amitzim and Tochnit Avodah (Voc Ed) programs, providing young adults with learning, social, and developmental differences an opportunity to participate in a vocational internship within the Tochnit Avodah (Voc Ed) program, as well as recreational activities with Amitzim and other edot (divisions.)

For other campers who would benefit from support to succeed at camp, we work with our families to develop an individualized support plan.  Click here for more information on our camper care program at camp.

• Click here to learn more about Amitzim, mini-Amitzim, and Voc Ed Ma’avar
• Click here to learn more about Tochnit Avodah.

Click here to read our Tikvah Blog that is updated regularly with news about our program and happenings in the field of Jewish Special Education!

To Apply to the Tikvah Program

If you are interested in exploring the possibility of the Tikvah Program for your child, please click here and complete our brief on-line application. Once we receive your on-line form, we will be in touch with you to set up a preliminary phone call and to answer any questions you might have about our program! If you have any questions about the application process, please contact our main office at 781-702-5290. For more information about our Tikvah Program, please contact:

Bonnie Schwartz, Psy.D.
Tikvah Program Director
(781) 400-0204
bonnies@campramahne.org

Articles About Our Tikvah Program:

Click here to read about our Ramah Tikvah Israel trip!

Our Tikvah Program was highlighted in Neurology Now Magazine.  Click here to read the article.

Our inclusion program was highlighted in this blog from the Ruderman Family Foundation.

Click here to read an article from the New York Jewish Week, titled Success: Supported Employment at Camp Ramah, featuring an interview with a member of our supported employment program

Click here to read a blog from the Philadelphia Jewish Exponent, focusing on our Vocational Education Program.