By popular demand… Jacobs Camp adding a new cabin

Though Henry S. Jacobs Camp in Utica has a territory that has the smallest number of potential campers among Reform movement camps, Camp Director Anna Herman says that demand has been so strong in recent years that the camp is adding a new cabin this year.

But that doesn’t mean that the camp will lose its focus, as she said they always want the camp to be a small, close-knit family, and aren’t looking “to expand exponentially.”

The camp draws from a wide range of smaller Jewish communities throughout the South, providing an immersive Jewish experience for campers who often are one of a handful of Jews at their schools, or the only one.

Herman said their goal is for Jacobs to be “an easy place for kids to make new friends.”

She is especially happy that the short-term programs for younger campers continue to expand. The Kochavim program gives current Kindergarteners a taste of camp life, with a day at camp and an overnight on June 24 and 25.

For current first and second graders, Olim offers a two-week experience, but for those who aren’t ready to be away from home for two weeks, a one-week option is available, “to get a taste of the magic and an easier introduction.”

There are numerous regional and local incentives for campers to attend Jacobs Camp. “Affordability is really important to Jacobs Camp, and we have really generous donors who want to ensure that money is never a reason not to go to camp,” she said.

Before the traditional lineup of cars along Morrison Road to drop off the first session campers, the gate at Jacobs will open to other groups.

The camp is hosting a NFTY-Southern regional event the weekend of March 31, for grades 8 to 12.

Herman is also looking forward to the return of Dream Street, a NFTY initiative that provides a five-day summer camp experience for children with physical disabilities. This year’s camp will start May 29. The camp was planning to return last year, but Covid cases among staff caused its cancellation, as Dream Street is held just before the regular Jacobs sessions.

“They have worked so hard to keep that community connected, but nothing can compare to being in person,” Herman said.

The same can be said of the camp’s regular sessions. “It is truly our campers who make camp so special,” she said.

MSJE looking for photos of couples who were camp sweethearts

Jewish summer camping is intertwined with the history of New Orleans’ Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience, and one of the more popular sections has been the “Summer Camp Sweethearts” exhibit. The exhibit is currently being expanded, and the museum is looking for couples who met at summer camp and later married. Those couples should send two photos — one of them together as campers, and one at their wedding.

Ramah Darom adds a musical theater specialty camp

By Lee J. Green

Camp Ramah Darom is setting the stage for growth with a new musical theater program in the North Georgia mountains.

“We’ll be bringing in seasoned professionals to work with rising eighth through 10th graders who are interested in musical theater,” said Camp Ramah Darom Director and Head of Education Anna Serviansky. “Ramah Bamah, our new two-week specialty camp during second session, will allow us to expand our theater arts program and attract new campers from within and beyond our region.”

Every summer at camp, there are two Hebrew plays each session, one put on by seventh-grade campers, and the other offers an opportunity for campers and staff to join in the fun.

Serviansky said in 2022 they served about 750 children and started a new, five-day program for rising second-grade campers. The program was so successful that this summer, there will be two opportunities for young campers to get a taste of Ramah Darom.

Their oldest campers traveled to Washington and Philadelphia, and rising 10th graders traveled to Alabama for a Civil Rights learning trip. Last summer, Ramah Darom, the Conservative Jewish camp for the Southeast region, also launched a program to bring in rising 10th-grade campers from Israel, added a new water “blob,” trampoline and a horseback riding elective.

“Every summer we bring in staff from Israel,” said Serviansky “because having an immersive Israel learning experience at Ramah is very important.” This summer Ramah Darom will bring in 40 post-Army-service Israeli counselors to “share their life experience, camping and scouting in Israel with our campers.”

Soon Ramah will break ground on a new program center that will include a new gym, music and dance room, staff lounge, indoor programming space and more. It is expected to be completed in early 2024.

For Summer 2023, Serviansky said the first session of camp is almost full and they are actively filling the second session. As part of the recruiting effort, they visited cities across the Southeast, including New Orleans, back in mid-January.

“We’re heading into our 27th summer, and it is really remarkable to see the children of some of the original campers coming to Ramah Darom,” she said. “It’s truly a multi-generational experience.”

Year-round retreats coming up at Ramah Darom

While Ramah Darom has been offering Jewish retreats for years, their newest retreat, which will take place over President’s Day Weekend, February 17 to 20, will be unlike anything offered before.

B’teavon will be their debut into the world of Jewish food exploration and education, featuring an array of prominent chefs who will be hosting panels, demonstrations and classes.

“There is so much diversity in the Jewish story in general, and food reflects that diversity,” said Eliana Leader, director of the Kaplan Mitchell Retreat Center at Ramah Darom.

Although B’teavon is sold out, there are still a few spots open for the second half of Ramah Darom’s popular annual Passover Retreat, April 9 to 14. And after the summer, experiential retreats continue with something for all ages and stages, including a new adults-only camp alumni retreat.

“If we are doing a good job, our retreat portfolio is varied enough to where not every retreat is for everyone, but everyone has a couple of retreats each year that speak deeply to their needs and interests,” said Leader.