Greetings from Camp Ramah in California. In a short while, amitzim counselor, Estie Martin, inclusion counselor, David Cohen, former Tikvah long-time staff member, Shira Arcus, and I will join our colleagues from Ramah special needs programs from across North America to share our various... Read more...
Thank you to so many of our mishlochot friends who came from all over Israel to visit with our Tikvah Ramah Israel Program participants during our recent Israel trip. Thank you for hosting us in your homes in Beit Shemesh and Modiin. Thanks for taking us swimming and making us a beautiful... Read more...
A couple of years ago, I became aware of the sad fact that many Tikvah campers had not celebrated their becoming bar/bat mitzvah. It seemed natural that all children—regardless of ability or disability--celebrated b’nai mitzvah. I therefore added the following questions on our Tikvah... Read more...
Read about the recent Ramah Galil Bike Ride, posted onine at the CT Jewish Ledger website.http://www.jewishledger.com not too late to sign up for the Tour De Shuls, this Sunday in West Hartford. Come ride 20, 35 or 50 miles, or walk/run//bike 5 or 10 km. ... Read more...
Hit the road for a good causePosted by JLedger on June 7, 2011 in CT News | 0 Comment i2 Votes// PDRTJS_settings_3335671_post_5348={"id":3335671,"unique_id":"wp-post-5348","title":"Hit the road for a good... Read more...
Tour De Shuls, a series of bike rides organized by the Federation of Jewish Mens Clubs, supports the Tikvah Program at Camp Ramah in New England. It is not too late to sign up for this years rides: (http://www.tourdeshuls.org --June 5th Tour De Shuls bike ride in Boston and the June 19th Tour De... Read more...
Last Motzaei Shabbat, at the C Hacienda Forestview Hotel in Maalot, Israel, 40 plus Ramah Galil bikeriders celebrated Lag B'Omer with a bonfire and performance by the Shuk, featuring former Amitzim rosh edah and voc ed advisor, Ami Yares. This allowed me to spend ever more time with my mentors... Read more...
Read Tikvah Director Howard Blas' thoughts on how bringing the Ramah specical needs program directors together on a regular basis (via video conferencing and google groups) has lead to more collaboration on many levels between the Ramah camps in the US and Canada. Most recently, a group of "star"... Read more...
This Sunday, Rosh Edah, Rami Schwartzer, and I will join 40 riders, representing Ramah camps across the US and Canada, in the first ever Ramah Galil Bike Ride (http://www.ramahbikeride.org). Each rider has a unique story of why he or she is riding in support of special needs camping programs at... Read more...
People often ask me, "What happens to Tikvah campers when they graduate or leave Tikvah? " Read one of many amazing success stories: http://www.jewishledger.com with heartEytan Nisinzweig is a 25-year Greenwich artist and musician... Read more...
Last night may have been my best night yet online! No, I did not watch a cool YouTube video or reconnect on Facebook with a friend from 2nd grade--i learned Torah with members of Camp Ramah in New England's Vocational Training Program. This group of young adults with a range of special needs... Read more...
Tikvah Director, Howard Blas, was asked to guest post on the Matan blog:http://blog.matankids.org“Why can’t camp be twelve months instead of just two months?” asks Marcia Yellin, mother of Jacob Yellin, a long time camper and member of the vocational training program at Camp Ramah in... Read more...
“Shabbos Is Calling” – Keeping Campers Engaged Year RoundTikvah Director, Howard Blas, was invited to be a guest blogger on the matankids blog:http://blog.matankids.org 4th, 2011 “Why can’t camp be twelve months instead of just two months?” asks Marcia Yellin, mother of... Read more...
Read Tikvah Director, Howard Blas', blogpost on Davar Acher, the blog of the Jim Joseph Foundation Fellows. He writes about the many ABILITIES of people with special needs. Featured are former Tikvah campers Aaron Rudolph and Eytan Nizinzweig. Others noted who are making a difference in the... Read more...
Thank you to Marcia Yellin, mother of long time Amitzimer and Voc Eder, Jacob Yellin, to Rhonda Parker and to all of the attendees at this summer's amazing "Tikvah at 40" celebration. As part of the festivities, we painted squares which were made in to a beautiful quilt, likely to be around... Read more...
Shabbat Shalom and Happy Chanukah. Often on Shabbat Chanukah, Chanukah gets a disproportionate share of attention, and Shabbat is in the background. I wouldn’t want this Shabbat’s parsha of Miketz, which has so much to do with DREAMs, to be overlooked. Forty one years ago, Herb and Barbara... Read more...
Voc Ed and Post Voc Ed enjoyed a fantastic Shabbat Chanukah in West Hartford. The Emanuel Synagogue and Beth El Synagogue were amazing hosts. We enjoyed great food, friendship, Shlock Rock and special Camp Ramah Voc Ed/Post Voc Ed Reunion sweatpants! Can't wait for Kayitz, 2011 at Camp... Read more...
The Training for Ramah Galil Ride 2011 continues--and what a great cause--Ramah special needs camping programs.Thanks to Ramah friends who have sponsored me so far. I am more than 10% of the way there. I am trying to reach my goal of $5,000.Please consider sponsoring me if you haven't. ... Read more...
Yasher Koach to Tikvah campers, staff and family members. After lots of work preparing our video cameras, headsets and computers, Amitzim campers and staff members "met" at 7 pm for a video conference on MegaMeeting. A total of 12 people sang Shabbat songs, and shmoozed about such things as... Read more...
I just signed up to spend five days riding 50-65 miles per day through the Galil and mountainous Golan Heights of Israel. Why?The ride combines three of my loves: Jewish special needs camping, Israel and bike riding. I have spent more than 1/3 of my life working with our Tikvah Program; I... Read more...
Members of Tochnit Avodah, the Vocational Training Program, work in camp for three hours each day.They work in the gan, the mercaz, the dining room, the education department, on the ropes course and in the guest house.Wednesdays is everyone’s day off. We take trips which are sometimes... Read more...
Yehuda Gubani of Beit Shemesh,Israel was just honored for 25 years of service to CampRamah in New England. Yehuda is a gifted teacher who brings his love of Israel, Hebrew language and Yemenite culture to Ramah campers and staff. Bryce Lavalla is a 20 year old man with Down Syndrome who wears... Read more...
We were pleased to host Stan Goldman, Program Director (Disabilities, and Education, Children, Youth, and Families) and Trustee Barry Schloss of the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation. Highlights included a special tour of the Tikvah Village, Voc Ed Building and Tikvah Greenberg Guest House. ... Read more...
Members of the Tikvah Program can't stop smiling! We are so excited to welcome Tikvah alumni, staff and friends to our "Tikvah at 40" Celebration and Reunion in Palmer this Sunday from 2:30 to 7:30. At 2:30, we will be welcomed by our director, Rabbi Ed Gelb. Then, enjoy an art project... Read more...
I biked 50 miles last Sunday, but that is not big news. The truly wonderful story is that shul members, riders, some congregational rabbis and cantors, and members of the Tikvah Voc Ed Program came out to support the Tour de Shuls bike rides in both Boston, MA and West Hartford, CT. The... Read more...
Tour de Shuls...Connecticut styleConnecticut Jewish LedgerPublished: Wednesday, June 9, 2010 2:00 PM EDTHelping to give special needs kids a fun summerBy Cindy MindellFor several years, the New England Region of the Federation of Jewish Men's Clubs has raised money to support the Tikvah Program at... Read more...
As you can imagine, the days leading up to camp are exciting and action packed. For the Tikvah Director, who doesn’t work out of the camp office, there is no period of “packing up the office and moving to Palmer.” So, when the office is in transition, my computer is still on and with me.... Read more...
I have been working at camp for sixteen years and directing the Tikvah Program for ten years. As we are in the final stretch in preparing for Kayitz, 2010, I admit to feeling a bit nervous. Will camp be as great as last year? Will the staff work well together? Will the campers and staff... Read more...
As both a camp parent and as the director of the Tikvah Program, I have attended many bar and bat mitzvahs of Ramah New England campers. And I have seen first hand just how a bar or bat mitzvah is enhanced when camp friends--from close by and from far away—are able to attend.A highlight of my... Read more...
In past blogposts, I have shared news of the Jim Joseph Foundation Fellows Program. The fourteen fellows, from across the country and from various fields of formal and informal Jewish education, are learning to develop online communities of practice. I look forward to sharing more about our... Read more...
As the "State of The Union" Address draws to a close, I feel compelled to answer this burning question: Did Eric Levine meet Barack Obama? Odds makers in DC and on the entire east coast were betting that, if anyone from the Tikvah delegation would meet the President, it would be Eric! In fact, even... Read more...
I just arrived in Jerusalem where I will spend Shabbat with the 13 other Fellows and three teachers of the Jim Joseph Foundation Fellowship Program of the Lookstein Center. We have been learning together and traveling together since our arrival in Israel this past Monday. The truth is, more than... Read more...
Like it or not, this is the season of giving and receiving gifts.We are thinking about gifts we will give to our children, their teachers, our co-workers, family members, even our letter carriers. We may even think about gifts for ourselves! There is always the hope that we will receive as well... Read more...
Many years ago, Marcy Yellin, mother long time Amitzim camper and Voc Eder, Jacob Yellin, raised an interesting observation. I suspect her comment is no different from ones we hear from Ramah parents in all Ramah camps. The Yellin Family has LOVED Ramah and Tikvah. "Our only regret is that Tikvah... Read more...