Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Our 2007 Ramah Darom Project
The Camp Ramah Darom Havdalah Kit.
Last Monday, Hank Needle and I had an extremely pleasant errand to conduct at the in-town offices of Camp Ramah Darom: handing Sharon Rosenfeld a check that represented the contributions of Anshei Darom members from across the region in support of this year's Project.
It's become a tradition for the attendees at each year's Anshei Darom Retreat to fund a special project to benefit Camp Ramah...and we all know how important a role tradition plays in our lives. Over the past several years, we've funded the purchase of the camp's MARP-mobile; the beautiful Aron Kodesh that graces the lakeside pavilion (and which was featured on the cover of last year's USCJ calendar); a hand-inscribed parchment Megillat Eichah with its cylindrical case. But this year's project may be the best one yet...
...because it will help Ramah Darom campers share some very special traditions with their families.
Spending a summer at Ramah is more than just sports, teamwork, and recreation. It means forging a connection with Jewish life and with Jewish observance. It means observing Shabbat and understanding the distinction between Shabbat Kodesh and sheishet y'mei ha-ma'aseh - between the six days that G-d created the world and the holy Day of Rest that followed. And because Shabbat is a unique day among the days of the week, Camp Ramah has evolved its own beautiful Havdalah traditions, when campers bid farewell to sacred time and resume the week's normal activities.
Our 2007 project is all about helping Ramah Darom campers share this special Havdalah tradition with their families by providing each camp attendee with a Havdalah video - featuring our own campers! - and a Havdalah candle...and, we hope, helping to enhance their own family traditions.
Sharon Rosenfeld , Director of Development at Camp Ramah Darom, and Steve Krodman, acting president of the FJMC Anshei Darom region, show off the results of our 2007 Project.
To all the Retreat attendees who contributed to this year's Project, please accept the heartfelt thanks of Camp Ramah Darom and of the FJMC, for helping Jewish families lead Jewish lives...and for helping continue our Anshei Darom tradition of Tikkun Olam.
Labels: Past Retreats, Projects
