|
I recently found a letter written home to my parents from my camper days at Ramah California. Alongside the classic camp updates and reports, I wrote about the impact and joy of the time I got to spend with my Tikvah buddy, about how lucky I felt to be in a community with a program for campers with disabilities so engrained in the culture! Participating in the buddy program was one of the most transformative experiences of my young adulthood, so as JDAIM (Jewish Disability Awareness & Inclusion Month) has come to an end, I want to take this opportunity to reflect on the growth of Tikvah programs at Ramah Poconos and Ramah Day Camp.
Since its inception 8 years ago, our residential Tikvah programs have become fully entrenched in the camp landscape. We have a fully enrolled Yedidim program, including a Taste of Yedidim, and our Tochnit Avodah (vocational education) program is already in its fourth summer, providing a continuation of the Ramah experience for participants as they grow into adulthood. At our Day Camp we now have a full-time summer staff member dedicated to supporting our Tikvah community.
Beyond the summer months, our dedicated staff have made it a priority to provide opportunities for participants to connect through online gatherings and local community shabbat services. Most recently, this past month brought us a beautiful shehechiyanu moment as we sent two of our long time Yedidim campers to experience the first-ever National Ramah Tikvah Birthright trip! I encourage you to take a moment to read through the incredible stories we have posted during JDAIM here.
My belief in the crucial role that a Tikvah program has in creating a sacred camp community was evident in my letter home all those years ago as a camper, and I am eager to continue the work of building on the successes of these tracks.
Miryam Seid, Executive Director
| 
