Dear Camp Ramah Family,
 
We hope that you are doing well.
 
Thank you to all who participated in our town halls. Information conveyed in those meetings is found in this email and in the 2020 Summer Resources Page on our website (more information about this below). 
 
As we move to the next stage of our response to the reality of the absence of camp this summer, we want to share information about next steps in the following areas.
 
  1. Providing information on the refund process for paid camp tuition.
  2. Planning ahead to ensure the future viability of camp through the generosity of camper families.
  3. Planning meaningful opportunities of connection for our chanichim and the wider camp community this summer.
 
Next Steps: Refunds and Donations
 
Because of the cancellation of our programming due to the orders of the Province of Ontario,  we will be refunding all camper tuition paid .  
 
These refunds will be mailed to you, by cheque, as quickly as we are able. There are several complex financial factors that need to be coordinated in order to enable us to refund all of our camper families. We appreciate your patience as we work to make this happen as soon as possible.
 
As we have shared, having camp cancelled puts us in a very difficult financial position as our year-round operations depend heavily upon camper fees paid. We have cut our expenses down as much as possible, while still being able to provide services this summer and to be on a strong footing to begin moving towards Summer 2021. Nevertheless, even with these cuts, we need our community’s help to weather this storm.
 
We are asking all parents to consider donating all, or a portion of, their refunded tuition dollars to the COVID-19 Emergency Fund at this time. The Harold Grinspoon Foundation will generously provide a 1:1 match for any gift made of refunded tuition dollars.  There is no better way for current camper families to support Camp Ramah than to convert tuition dollars   in this way. All tuition converted, from $1 to $1,800 to $25,000, will qualify for the match. All Canadian and US gifts will receive a tax receipt.

Within the next week or so, every camp family will receive a phone call from a member of our staff or Board, to touch base and to ask you to consider redirecting part or all of your 2020 refunded tuition payments into a donation.  
 
Thank you in advance for your commitment and your support, which will help ensure the long-term institutional health of Camp Ramah in Canada. With your help, we will be able to have a vibrant Camp Ramah in Canada for years to come.
 
Staying Connected & Program Structure
 
While nothing replaces the experience of being at Camp, the Ramah Canada team is working on ways to provide opportunities for camper engagement and connection over the summer. We are exploring various forms of online-based programming.
 
As of now, we are looking at running a three-week program, beginning around the first week of July, with the possibility to extend if the program is successful. Our programming will be done in coordination with other Ramah camps and will also feature programs with other Ontario Jewish summer camps. 
 
There will be no cost to participate.  We hope that these summer programs will be fun, uplifting and engaging ways of keeping our campers connected to one another while offering parents some structure for their children. 
 
The programming will offer approximately 10-20 hours of weekly programming and will focus on connecting our chanichim to one another through edah and small group programming. We will also offer chuggim (specialty programming) and different sports options. Additionally, we are exploring offering specialty family programs for Ramah Canada families.
 
Details are still coming together and we will communicate a schedule of programming in the coming weeks.
 
Please help us determine what programming you are most interested in by filling out our survey here .
 
Going Forward Together
 
The loss of camp this summer is a significant loss for our campers, our families and our staff. There are no two ways about it. In addition to providing some content, structure and means of connection this summer, we want to help support our families in supporting their children through this loss.
 
On our 2020 Summer Resource Page , you will find resources with helpful tips for discussing camp’s closing with your children. Please consider sharing the new video posted featuring our 2020 Hanhallah talking about the loss of camp for them and how they are coping.
 
You will also find an FAQ section, aiming to address many of the questions we expect you are asking. Please read through the information carefully and be in touch if you have additional questions. 
 
We want to assure you of one thing: there will be future summers. This is not the end of Camp Ramah in Canada. With your support, with your love, and with your commitment, we will be back for Kayitz 2021 and beyond. 
 
And, of course, as you have hopefully experienced these last couple of months, camp never really goes away. Camp is more than the summer, and always has been. Camp is about how we live and what we value — together, we will keep camp vibrant into the future.
 
As we prepare for Shavuot this week, we recall how the Israelite people stood collectively at Sinai and how they collectively journeyed through the wilderness. We have always been in this together and we are still in this together. Together, we will walk through this confusing  midbar  and prepare as best as we can to receive the Torah of this year — please God, may it be for life, for health and for joy.

 
Bivracha , with blessings,
 
Jordan, Aviva and Josh
 
Rabbi Jordan Bendat-Appell , Camp Director
Aviva Millstone , Associate Director
Dr. Joshua Charlat , Board Chair