Page 17 - Jewish News_Sept2021

FEDERATION NEWS September 2021 17A

There’s no place like camp in the summer

By Snait Ben-Herut, Parent and Jewish Camp Educator
completed, we will now begin to create hanks to the generous support lenges posed by the pandemic. song, and using Hebrew words and those at Camp Ramah Darom! L’Shana
our social media presence, website and of The Jewish Federation of Ramah Darom offers a meaningful, expressions to communicate (among Haba’a!
marketing campaigns. TSarasota-Manatee, I was for- fun and inclusive Jewish experience themselves and with Israeli Shlichim, For more information about summer
There’s so much we plan to do and, tunate to spend this summer with my for campers and counselors, as well emissaries of the Jewish Agency), fills overnight camp grants, contact Jessi
yes, all of this is right here on our Larry husband and two daughters at Camp as the adults who work for the camp my heart with pride and joy, time and Sheslow, Teen and Family Programs
& Mary Greenspon Family Campus for Ramah Darom, working as the Head of during the summer season. The camp time again. Manager, at jsheslow@jfedsq.org or
Jewish Life! With the summer of 2021 the Hebrew Program. has an impressive set of amenities, In many ways, life at Camp Ramah 941.343.2109.
now behind us, we are continuing to Camp Ramah Darom is a Jewish including many sports facilities, per- is the manifestation of a fully engaged Jewish Overnight
look ahead to the future. We know that Conservative overnight camp located formance stages, an open pool, a large and vibrant Jewish community. Chil-
brick by brick, and dollar by dollar, our in north Georgia, near Clayton, and lake (with kayaks, canoes and more), dren who participate in a summer camp Camp Grants
community will continue to build the carry with them indelible memories for Federation was thrilled to award
foundation for our children’s future! the rest of their lives. More than that, $70,359 in Summer Jewish Overnight
For more information on Camp they share an experience of love for Ju- Camp Grants this year, ensuring 47
Marci Lynn, contact me at retzkin@ daism, learn what it means to be a Jew- campers could attend camp. Of these
jfedsrq.org or 941.552.6308. If you ish leader in your own community and 47 campers, 45 ended up attending
would like to make a donation to sup- among family and friends, and what it 15 different Jewish overnight camps
port Camp Marci Lynn, please con- means to carry our traditions onto fu- around the country (two chose not to
tact Ilene Fox at ifox@jfedsrq.org or ture generations. attend after all).
941.343.2111. All this goodness could not have While some of our families require
happened without the support of the large scholarships in order to make at-
Jewish overnight camp grants provid- tending camp possible, the Federation
ed by The Jewish Federation of Sara- also offers Incentive Grants of $500 to
sota-Manatee. campers who may not require financial
It gives me a huge sense of confi- aid for camp. Of these, we would like
dence and optimism to know that any to recognize the Collier, Rosenthal,
person who is interested in extend- Rosenberg, Rosin and Sakellarios fam-
ing their Jewish life to the next gen- ilies, who donated a portion of their
eration or to other friends and family grants back to the Federation so the
members has a place to go for support. funds could be reallocated to families
Snait Ben-Herut with campers at Camp Ramah Darom What a boon it is to have the Federa- with greater need. Thank you for your
caters to Southeast American Jewry. a spacious dining area, modern bunks tion’s support for experiences such as generosity!
Ramah camps are famed for their of- and cottages.
ferings of adventurous summer camps What makes Ramah Darom so spe- NOW IN SECTION B OF THE JEWISH NEWS:
for Jewish children and teenagers. cial for me and others is the emphasis COMMUNITY FOCUS
This year, the camp celebrated its 25 on Jewish communal life and values.
th
anniversary (“RAMAHrkable!”) with The sight of hundreds of kids ex- FOCUS ON YOUTH
hundreds of happy children and staff, periencing Shabbat, celebrating mod- JEWISH HAPPENINGS
a wonderful feat considering the chal- ern Israeli culture through dance and