Camp Ramah in Wisconsin is a Jewish summer camp based in Conover, Wisconsin, on Upper Lake Buckatabon. The Wisconsin camp was the first of the Ramah camps, established in 1947 by Rabbi Ralph Simon, under the direction of Conservative educator Henry Goldberg, with nearly 100 campers. It was sponsored by the Chicago Council of Conservative Synagogues and the Midwest Branch of the United Synagogue.

It draws campers from across the Midwest, primarily Chicago and the Twin Cities. Campers stay at the camp for either four or eight weeks, depending on their age division, or "eidah". Following Nivonim, the eidah for those entering 11th grade, campers are encouraged to participate in Ramah Israel Seminar. The summer following Seminar, they may apply to join the camp staff. The Camp Ramah Executive Director is Jacob Cytryn. The Director Emeritus of Ramah Wisconsin is Rabbi David Soloff.

History The first Ramah camp was built on a site purchased by the Jewish Theological Seminary on Larsen's Bay. The property was a fishing village on the shores of Upper Lake Buckatabon owned by the Larsen family, dotted with small cabins and wild flowers. Multi-purpose buildings were quickly erected, and the first campers arrived by train on the Flambau Express line. According to Shom Sefor Klaff's interview for the 50th reunion (Klaff was a camper in 1947), a seaplane brought the weekly movie to the camp. Klaff added that campers had a dress code to follow, especially for shabbat.

Irving Robbin, a former prisoner of war of the Nazis, was President of the camp for 19 years. In 1962, 260 boys and girls were campers during the summer.

In July 2008, busloads of campers from the camp took part in a rally in support of immigrant workers at the nation's largest kosher meat plant.

Divisions ()

Ruach Ramah (Spirit of Ramah) (entering 3rd grade; 1-2 weeks long) Garinim (Seeds) (entering 4th & 5th grade; 4-8 weeks long) Halutzim (Pioneers) (entering 6th grade; 4-8 weeks long) Solelim (Trailblazers) (entering 7th grade; 8 weeks long) Shoafim (Aspirers) (entering 8th grade; 8 weeks long) Bogrim (Mature Ones) (entering 9th grade; 8 weeks long) Machon (Institution) (entering 10th grade; 8 weeks long) Nivonim (Wise Ones) (entering 11th grade; 8 weeks long)

Amitzim program

Tikvah The Tikvah program was established at Ramah Wisconsin in 1973, intended to offer the Ramah experience to teens with special needs. The Tikvah program was designed for campers with learning and social difficulties, including Asperger syndrome. It was discontinued after 2019, giving campers with disabilities inclusion in their respective eidot. Tikvah Program , Ramah Wisconsin The program at Ramah Wisconsin included a special "Mo'adon", or lounge building, with a kitchen and dedicated resources for the program.

Amitzim (Vocational program) "Amitzim", meaning independent ones, is the name for the Tikvah vocational program. This is an eight-week program established shortly after 2002 focused on former Tikvah campers who are post-high school age. Participants work in the nearby town of Eagle River five mornings a week. Job locations include coffee shops, plant and garden supply stores, supermarkets and hotels. Participants return in the afternoon for a Judaica class and activities. Participants have their own lounge and kitchen, and live in dedicated staff housing. Participants have one day off a week, and do not work on Shabbat.

Jewish values

Tefilot Campers lead their own services three times a day, with each age division assigned its own Makom Tefilah (place of prayer). Camper responsibility for the services increases as campers age, with the oldest not only leading, but reading Torah and haftara, and even providing divrei Torah (short speeches about the content and meaning of the parasha). Campers who do not have these liturgical skills sometimes spend their free time at camp learning how to lead services. Friday nights feature an all-camp service on the waterfront.

Shabbat Ramah in Wisconsin is a Shabbat-observant camp. Many campers and staff members are not Sabbath observant at home, meaning Ramah in Wisconsin may be their first exposure to following the Jewish Sabbath. Campers and staff are not prohibited from using personal electronic devices in the cabin, but all are asked not to use such devices in public during Shabbat. Raw food is not cooked in the kitchen on Shabbat, but pre-cooked food is warmed in a manner that is permitted by Jewish law.

Shabbat is brought in all-camp Friday night services, which features campers dressing up for the evening, taking pictures in groups, and having time to sit and talk with friends and siblings. The service often features the melodies of Orthodox Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach. A special Shabbat dinner follows. Campers get to wake up later on Saturday mornings than they do on weekdays. After Shacharit and Musaf services which start the day, they have free time, which is often spent on the sports fields. After lunch, campers participate in Shabbat discussions, which are usually efforts to connect the weekly parsha with modern Jewish life. Shabbat concludes with Seudah Shlishit, evening activities and Havdalah.

Kashrut Ramah in Wisconsin is a Kashrut-observant camp. Many campers and staff members are not Kashrut observant at home, so Ramah in Wisconsin may be their first exposure to keeping kosher. Camper orientation involves learning about the meat and dairy sides of the kitchen. Meals are served as either dairy or meat meals (even when the meal is parve, and full-time mashgichim (kashrut supervisors) are present in the kitchen throughout the day.

Only strictly kosher products are allowed in the camp, so food is not allowed in from outside. Campers are thus able to see that keeping kashrut can be part of a regular life.

Education The educational goals of the Ramah camps are to make Jewish learning a part of the everyday camp experience, using a combination of formal and informal educational tools. Campers are theoretically required to participate in six hours of Jewish studies a week during the school year. This requirement is often waived, as most Conservative synagogues do not offer the requisite number of hours. While not actually shown in the camp brochure, or talked about by campers in the promotional video, campers have a mandatory class every day (except Shabbat and Wednesdays), taught by a group of educators, rabbinical students, and camp staff . This formal education takes up one of the seven programming periods of the day.

Hebrew classes Hebrew classes are mandatory for campers, excluding Machon and Nivonim, who have electives, and for those who participate in the Beit Midrash Program. They are arranged by level within each age division. Campers are tested at the start of the year. Classes are taught exclusively by members of the Mishlachat, Israelis who participate in an emissaries program run by the Jewish Agency. The teachers are usually young women who have recently completed their army/national service. They are not usually members of the Masorti movement, Israel’s Conservative Jewish community.

Jewish studies classes Jewish study classes are mandatory for all campers excluding Machon and Nivonim, who have electives, and for those younger campers who do not participate in the Beit Midrash Program. These classes are not arranged by level, and often based on a theme or concept (Such as Shabbat or Tzedakah), rather than a text. They are often taught by rabbinical school students, or occasionally by Jewish day school teachers.

Beit Midrash The Beit Midrash program offers campers in Bogrim and Machon a double period of study in place of Hebrew and Text, and offers Shoafim campers one period of study instead of their regular Jewish studies class. It is taught by Orthodox and some Conservative educators whose background is in Talmud and other Rabbinic texts. The Beit Midrash also includes a program called "the Northwoods Kollel", which unlike the traditional Orthodox model, is co-educational, and composed of between four and six college-age students who have usually not participated in the Ramah camping movement. Participants spend the day immersed in Talmud study. Classes focus on skill-building by reading a specific Rabbinic text, usually a perek of the Babylonian Talmud.

Hebrew outside the classroom Ramah has been known as a Hebrew-speaking camp since its inception. Hebrew exams before camp were once required to gain enrollment. Near total immersion was once one of the effective techniques used by Ramah Wisconsin, with Hebrew usage being required to fulfill tasks such as getting food in the dining room or acquiring art supplies. After the 1970s, serious efforts in using Hebrew outside the classroom became limited. Hebrew is still publicly used in announcements in the dining room and camp-wide events, musicals, and the refereeing of softball games, though it is unclear if the campers understand the Hebrew they use. Some buildings are referred to by Hebrew names, but most camp activities and locations are referred to in a camp slang that is a mix of Hebrew and English, such as “Meltzing” for waiting tables (from the Hebrew מלצר for "waiter"). names are still in Hebrew.

Library The Blanche Lippitz Library at the camp was established by the Sisterhoods of Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, and Michigan as a tribute to the services rendered by Lippitz.

Activities

Tarbut (תרבות) Camp Ramah In Wisconsin offers a number of activities for the campers. The main "Tarbut" (Hebrew for "culture") activities include:

Omanut (אומנות) (includes pottery, copper enameling, batik, illustration, painting, and tie-dye) Nagarut (נגרות) (woodworking) Radio (רדיו) (FM radio) Music (מוסיקה) Rikud (ריקוד) (dance) Drama (דרמה) Cooking (מטבחון)

Sports (ספורט) Every day, excluding Wednesdays and Saturdays, has sports periods for campers. They can choose from basketball, volleyball, aerobics, softball, tennis, kayaking, and sailing. In recent years, lacrosse, ultimate frisbee, soccer and field hockey have also been offered. Martial arts or self-defense, such as Judo and Krav Maga are occasional activities. In addition, the camp has a beach volleyball area, and while gaga is not offered as an activity choice, it is played regularly. In 2023, the camp introduced new sports courts including a junior basketball court and adjustable hoops for our younger campers, a championship court with bleachers, tennis courts with pickleball lines, and a playscape. The camp also built a Ninja Warriror Course where campers can increase their agility and build teamwork skills as they traverse our fun, engaging and challenging custom-built Ninja Warrior Course. Sports programs are recreational and competitive in nature, and do not focus on kinesthetic skill development. The most popular two sports are basketball and softball, because of the inter-eidah (age division) games in these two sports.

Swimming Every age division has a perek (time period) devoted swim class once a day. At the beginning of the summer, campers are tested and placed into an American Red Cross swimming class based on their skill level. Campers in the Machon age division are offered a chance to enroll in a lifeguarding course that offers American Red Cross certification for those who successfully complete the course. In 2022, the camp introduced tubing for campers. Campers ride on water tubes that trail behind motorboats.

Facilities

Ohel Yitzchak