Nivonim Leadership Training Program

2013 ohbucb NIVONIM LEADERSHIP TRAINING PROGRAM

In so many respects, the Nivonim experience is the culmination of one’s journey as a camper through the edot (divisions) here at Machaneh Ramah. But it is also the beginning of a new journey: that of one day coming back to camp as a member of our summer tzevet (staff). To that end, a key element of the Nivonim experience is the summer-long Nivonim Leadership Training Program.

All of our Nivonimers will participate in the Leadership Training Program and will be considered Madrichim B’Nivonim (counselors that are Nivonimers) -- or MiNis for short. MiNis will be placed in one of the many Netivei Manhigut (Leadership Tracks) which will be led by our amazing tzevet (staff). We will dedicate several hours, each week, for training with our nativ (track) leaders, as well as time that each nativ will spend training “in the field.”

We are very pleased to offer our Nivonimers eight different Netivei Manhigut (Leadership Tracks). Nivonimers will be able to sign up for one of the following tracks: Rikud (dance), Sports, Tech, Teva (nature/outdoors), Shira (song-leading/music), Camp Programming, Bunk Counseling, and Amitzim Bunk Counseling. Each track will be spearheaded by one member of our Nivonim staff (or another senior staff member from around camp), and each track offers exciting opportunities for the development of high-level skills and leadership experience in that particular area of specialization. Each track will offer opportunities for participants to spend time working with campers in younger edot over the course of the summer. Each track will help start our Nivonimers on the journey of transition from being a receiver of the Ramah experience to being a transmitter of that experience.

We will be launching this Leadership Training Program with an intensive two-day workshop on June 27-28. We have invited a number of extraordinarily talented specialists to join us at camp for those two days to work with the participants in each of our leadership tracks. This workshop represents an exciting opportunity for our Nivonimers to get to know and learn from a variety of professionals working in their fields.

In the pages that follow, you will find a description of each of our leadership tracks, including information on the structure of the program, what opportunities await the Nivonimers who select each track, bios of the visiting specialists, and more. We have also included bios and photos of our 2013 tzevet Nivonim (our staff of Nivonim counselors)!

On the last page of the brochure, you will find a sign-up form. We ask that every Nivonimer mail or fax this form back to the Ramah winter office before June 3rd. We’ll see you soon, at camp!!

Winter Office: 2 Commerce Way Norwood, MA 02062 ph: (781) 702-5290 fax: (781) 702-5239 Summer Office: 39 Bennett St. Palmer, MA 01069 ph: (413) 283-9771 fax: (413) 283-6661 www.campramahne.org www.ramahblog.org I. NATIV RIKUD (DANCE) II. NATIV SPORT

Nativ Rikud is all about helping the ruach (spirit) Nativ Sport is perfect for anyone who plays sports, in camp thrive! Rikud is an important part of what loves sports, or just wants to try and learn how to be a makes Ramah so special, and participants in nativ coach and team leader! This summer, the nativ sport rikud will have the incredible opportunity to continue track will focus on running sport peulot (activities) for that tradition! Participants in this track will learn how Tzad Aleph edot, learning what it means to be a coach to teach and lead dances at camp, as well as experi- and how to lead a group of players, and playing sports ment with choreography. They will work alongside together and with other chanichim (campers). our tzevet rikud (dance staff), working with hanichim Particpants in this track will go through intensive (campers) in other edot, assist in coaching JV Berk- training in how to teach sports and how to coach a shires, and create other opportunities throughout the team. We’ll also have the opportunity to work as kayitz (summer) to fill camp withrikud and ruach, assistant coaches for JV Berkshires and help younger such as in the chadar ochel, during “mandatory fun Tzad Bet campers learn the skills of the game. time,” and during bechirot! Potential other projects include helping with the zimkudiyah, working with Visiting Specialist: Dorie Ain Ravick! other edot to learn the dances for their shabbatot, and working on the dance-related aspects of our Dorie Ain Ravick machazemer (play). Participants will have the is a proud Camp opportunity to leave their mark on camp by Ramah in New developing and teaching a brand-new Nivonim 2013 England alum, dance that will become a part of the camp tradition. having spent most of her summers Visiting Specialist: Rachel Arcus-Goldberg! from 1997-2005 in Palmer. After Rachel Arcus-Goldberg is the Associate Dean of Stu- many years as a dents at Gann Academy. Rachel camper, Dorie returned as a staff member for her is a long-time Ramahnik. She Junior Counselor summer but quickly found her was a member of Nivonim 1996, passion as a member of the Sports Staff. In the and she was on tzevet (staff) summer of 2005, Dorie was thrilled to serve as in 1998, 1999, and 2002-2004. Rosh Sport (and still proudly brags that this was the Rachel graduated from Brandeis summer that Palmer swept Berkshires!). While on University with a degree in sports staff, Dorie coached Girls JV and Varsity psychology, and she earned a Softball and enjoyed teaching campers of all ages the dual masters from Columbia/ fundamentals of sports and sportsmanship. The last JTS in social work and Jewish time Dorie was at camp was in 2009 for her Nivonim studies. She recently obtained 10 year reunion. Dorie currently lives in Gaithersburg, her LCSW (Licensed Certified MD and is the Assistant Director of College Guidance Social Worker) for the state of Massachusetts. Rachel at The Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School. She has has been teaching Israeli dancing for 20 years, work- worked for Hillel at The University of North Carolina ing with pre-school kids through adults. She was on at Chapel Hill and at The University of Maryland. tzevet rikud (dance staff) at Camp Ramah for two Dorie also has a background in higher education and summers, she teaches dance at Gann, and she has worked at The George Washington University Office danced with semi-professional dance troupes in of Undergraduate admissions for 4 ½ years. In her Boston, New York, and Jerusalem. She is thrilled to be free time, Dorie spends time with her husband, Jacob, back at Ramah for this program with edat ha-Nivonim! and their son Judah as well as their dog Gibbs. III. NATIV TECH IV. NATIV TEVA

Participants in Nativ Tech will learn the fundamentals Participants in Nativ Teva will get to work with of how to set up a computer network and how to use younger campers, planning & running teva peulot basic security features for any home wireless network. (programs), helping to teach outdoors skills, and In addition, participants will get a chance to learn helping to run the Tzad Aleph overnights. In this how to set up sound and lighting systems. Since we track, we will be using nature and the camp’s teva all know that the best part is being able to see one’s (nature/outdoors) program to explore the different work actually pay off, participants in this track will meanings of leadership. We will learn how to get to utilize these skills while working with our tzevet create fun, meaningful programs with clear goals. tech (tech staff) running and operating this equipment We will work with the teva chug and develop skills during camp-wide events such as our plays, zimkudi- in teaching others about nature, the outdoors, and the yah, etc. Everyone in this track will have a chance to environment, through fun outdoor activities. learn skills in other areas as well, such as audio editing Participants should get excited for some great times (learning how to cut and edit existing songs, etc.). All outdoors working on a variety of exciting projects the skills learned in this track will be very useful for around camp! any intro tech position, whether in a future summer at Camp Ramah or in any other job position. Visiting Specialist: Visiting Specialist: Av Harris! Noah Slovin!

Av Harris is a veteran of Camp Ramah in New England, having started out as a bunk counselor in Bogrim, Magshimim, Nivonim, and as S’gan Rosh Magshimim from 1994-1997. Av went on to have a 10-year career in broadcast journalism as a radio reporter, producer, news anchor, and talk show host at several National Public Radio member stations in New England. Av also provided live on-air political analysis for radio and television stations such as FOX news, MSNBC, SKY news in Britain, and Reuters News. Av worked on assignment in Jerusalem and the West Bank to produce a nationally distributed radio documentary about the Palestinian-Israeli conflict in 2001. Av also regularly filed radio reports and provided political analysis in Hebrew for the international desk of Kol Yisrael in Jerusalem from 1999-2005. Av now works as Director of Communications and chief spokesman for Connecticut Secretary of the State Denise Merrill. His technical skills include recording, editing and mixing sound, writing for broadcast/announcing, tech setup for live events, photography and videography. After a 14 year hiatus, Av Harris returned to Ramah Palmer during the summer of 2011 to work on Tech staff.

V. NATIV SHIRA VI. NATIV MADRICH (SONG-LEADING/MUSIC) (BUNK COUNSELING)

Do you love to sing? Do you have a good voice? Do Participants in Nativ Madrich will have the you have a horrendous voice? Do you realize that the opportunity to discover what it’s like to be a answer to questions two and three don’t matter? We madrich(a) (counselor) at camp! In nativ madrich, encourage everyone who loves to sing and to learn participants will have an opportunity to learn and songs and who wants become a leader during shira in spend time in select Tzad Aleph tzrifim (bunks). camp to join Nativ Shira. Participants in this track They will work with the Tzad Aleph counselors to will work on leading shira with the younger edot, learn skills and techniques for working with younger learning and planning for camp-wide Friday night children, managing group dynamics, and planning shira in the chadar ochel (dining hall) as well as age-appropriate peulot (activities). They will receive Saturday evening shira. Throughout the summer, we training in the scenarios and situations that madrichim will strive to better the overall shira experience at (counselors) face every day. Participants in this track Camp Ramah. will periodically join Tzad Aleph tzrifim for wake-up, t’fillot, nikayon, aruchot, harga’ot, and other peulot In-Camp Specialists: Cantor Gastón Bogomolni & throughout the camp day. This track will prepare the Sally Heckelman! participants for spending a whole day with the Tzad Aleph campers, and it will enhance one’s leadership Cantor Gastón Bogomolni is one of the most excit- skills. This will be an intensive experience in which ing voices and teachers in Jewish music today, with Nivonimers will have a chance to learn the basics of an electrifying personality and infectious smile that being a counselor at camp and prepare themselves for radiates when he is around people! Gastón is a long- one day returning themselves as madrichim on our time song-leader at many summer camps around the tzevet (staff)! world (Argentina, Dominican Republic, Europe and the US), and has taught and performed at several Jew- Visiting Specialist: Rabbi Rachel Silverman! ish Music Festivals (Boston, Toronto, Berlin, Buenos Aires, Barcelona, etc), Cantors Assembly international Rabbi Rachel Silverman is very excited to be return- conventions, Hava Nashira, Limmud - Boston, USY ing to Camp Ramah convention, World for Progressive Judaism in New England this Convention, and countless Jewish summercamps summer, even if it is and congregations. Gastón is a board member of the just for a few days. National Ramah Commission, Cantors Assembly and Rachel spent many president of the New England Board of cantors. years as a Rosh Edah (Division Head) in This will be Sally Heckelman’s fourth summer as Palmer, first in Ilanot songleader at Camp Ramah. Sally is well known in (2005-2008) and then the Washington DC area as an early childhood music in Magshimim (2009). specialist, children’s music composer and recording In 2012, Rachel artist (Sally and the Daffodils CDs). In addition, she was given the leads high holiday, festival and shabbat services, PresenTense organizes community song sessions and mentors Fellowship for her teachers. Sally has an undergraduate degree from work creating SUNY BInghamton and her MSW is from Yeshiva Homegrown Judaica, University Wurzweiler School of Social Work. an online marketplace for Jewish art. Rachel is currently the Director of Congregational Learning at Congregation Kehillath Israel in Brookline, MA. VII. NATIV AMITZIM VIII. NATIV PEULAH (AMITZIM BUNK COUNSELING) (CAMP PROGRAMMING)

Participants in Nativ Amitzim will have the privilege Participants in Nativ Peulah will have the opportunity of exploring and learning about many aspects of the to create, organize, and run various types of camp Tikvah Program at Camp Ramah in New England. peulot (programs). We’ll look into the methods behind They will work with Tikvah tzevet (staff) to learn skills creating fun and educational programs and have the and techniques for working with children with special chance to put our ideas into practice for the younger needs. This Nativ will include various training edot. We’ll plan peulot erev (night-time activities), sessions that will explore sensitivity, role-playing, re-imagine how to make t’fillot exciting for younger managing group dynamics, and planning campers, and even plan programs for all of camp, such developmentally-appropriate peulot (activities). as the end-of-session banquet or perhaps a new and Participants in this track will regularly join, run, and original program developed entirely by this nativ! participate in Amitzim peulot throughout the day. These peulot will range from wake-up and t’fillot Visiting Specialist: Rabbi Fred Elias! (prayers) to harga’ot (bed-time activities) and other daily peulot. This will be an extraordinary experience Rabbi Fred Elias was a staff-member at Camp in which participants will have the opportunity to Ramah in New England from 1996-2001 (and a Rosh explore our exceptional Tikvah program and the Edah from 1998-2000), and he was a member of the fundamentals of being a madrich(a) (counselor) in year-round staff at Camp Ramah Ramah in the edat ha-Amitzim! Berkshires from 2004-2011 (serving as their Director of Year-Round Programming and Rosh Tzad Aleph). Visiting Specialists: David & Emily Kieval! Rabbi Elias met his wife Michelle at Camp Ramah in New England, and they have two children. Rabbi Emily Kieval, MA is a psychometrician at the Elias graduated from Brandeis University with a B.A. Children’s Hospital Colorado and the Denver chapter in Near Eastern and Judaic Studies and he completed coordinator of Yachad, the National Jewish Council an M.A. in Jewish Educa- for Disabilities. She has taught and worked with indi- tion at the Boston Hebrew viduals with special needs and disabilities in hospitals, College. Rabbi Elias served summer camps, schools, and on trips to Israel. Emily for six years as the Youth completed her graduate training in Applied Linguis- and Education Director at tics at Teachers College Columbia University, where Congregation Tifereth she studied language acquisition in both children and Israel in Andover, adults. David Kieval, Psy.D., BCBA is a behavioral Massachusetts, and he consultant and postdoctoral psychology fellow at Uni- is currently the school versity of Colorado Denver, specializing in children Rabbi for the Solomon with autism and other neurodevelopmental disabilities. Schechter Day School of He has developed and implemented behavioral and Bergen County, NJ. He is other therapeutic interventions for children and ado- very excited to be returning lescents in diverse settings, including schools, camps to Camp Ramah in New and psychiatric hospitalization. David’s research has England! focused on inclusion of children with special needs in the summer camp setting. David completed his training in behavior analysis and clinical psychology at Rutgers University. In addition to being Ramah New England alumni, Emily and David each count many summers of work in the Tikvah Program as formative professional experiences. They are excited to have the opportunity to return to camp and share their experiences with a new generation of the Tikvah family.

Now it’s time to meet our amazing NIVONIM tzevet (staff) for kayitz 2013!

David Offit -- Rosh Edah -- Shalom Nivonim 2013! My name is David Offit and I am SO excited to be sharing your Nivonim summer with you as your Rosh Edah. This is my third time in Nivonim – I was a chanich (camper) in 2007 and a madrich (counselor) in 2011. My favorite camp meal is grilled cheese, and my favorite camp rikud (dance) is Diva. I’m currently in the Joint Program with Columbia University and the Jewish Theological Seminary, majoring in American Studies and Bible, and will be graduating in December. At school, I was majorly involved in the Columbia/Barnard Hillel, as well as a performer in the Columbia Musical Theater Society. I’m counting down the days until your tzevet (staff) and I get the chance to welcome you into the beautiful K’far Nivonim, your home for the summer. L’hitraot B’Palmer!

Michael Fraade -- S’gan Rosh Edah -- My name is Michael Fraade and I’m originally from Weston, CT. I was a camper at Ramah for many years and have spent two summers on staff. I’m about to graduate from Yale University, where I am a history major and a member of the Yale Political Union, Hillel, and Magevet, Yale’s Jewish a cappella group. I’m spending next fall at Adamah, a Jewish farming program in Connecticut where I get to hang out with goats and learn how to make cheese. Other things I like include camping, cooking, reading, and dogs. I’m already looking forward to spending time with all of you this summer and sharing some of the best experiences of Nivonim -- leading Yom Sport, working as MiNis, training for Yom Berkshires, and much more. Knowing how wonderful my own time in Nivonim was makes me so excited to be a part of Niv ‘13, and I’m excited to begin an unforgettable summer experience!

Snir Cohen -- My name is Snir Cohen and I live in Netanya, Israel which is a small city right by the beach. I’m 21 years old, and I just finished my army service in the air force a few months ago. Right now I’m traveling a lot in Israel, and basically getting pumped for the summer! This is going to be my second summer at camp (last year I was a Magshimim counselor together with your awesome Rosh Edah and Super- Glickman). Last summer, I heard so many awesome things about your edah and got to see you guys in action. I can’t wait to be a part of the best year of camp with Nivonim 2013!

Hannah Glickman -- Hey Nivonim! I’m Hannah Glickman and I absolutely cannot wait to share my 11th summer at camp with all of you! Right now, I’m a sophomore at Brown University, still trying to figure out what I want to study and then do with the rest of my life. Things I like include baking, dancing, counting down the days until camp, eating Chipotle, and Shabbat! I am so excited to see what phenomenal things this summer has in store for us all! Aryeh Kalender -- From the depths of Fairfax Virginia and the University of Maryland, comes a madrich with only one thing on his mind: Camp Ramah. Aryeh has been training for this moment for many years. The 19 year old has dreamed of one day being a Nivonim counselor and encouraging his campers to become the greatest edah in history. They said it couldn’t be done, but that didn’t stop the third year counselor from spending his seventh summer at camp. Calling on his love of sports, music, singing, reading, and planning peulot, he pushed forward, working hard every day towards his goal: helping create the greatest edah in history. And this summer, teaming up with a staff straight out of the Camp Ramah hall of fame, Aryeh is excited to ensure that Nivnonim 2013 will have the greatest summer of their lives!

Sarah Kieval -- What up Nivonim 2013! I’m Sarah Kieval, and I could not be more excited to get this summer underway. This will be my 11th summer at camp and my third on staff. I am a sophomore at the University of Rochester and will be studying abroad in Copenhagen, Denmark in the fall. At school I study Psychology and English, and am co-president of Hillel and a handler on our women’s ultimate frisbee team. I enjoy watching an unhealthy amount of Parks and Recreation, following the Red Sox, eating super chunky peanut butter, and counting down the days until kayitz 2013. Let’s get this k’farty started.

Leah Siegel-Reamer -- Hey hey Niv ‘13! I’m Leah Siegel-Reamer, and I cannot wait to spend another summer with you guys! Bog ‘11 was so much fun, but I’m so excited to be with you guys in the new K’far! This is my twelfth summer at camp, and my fourth summer on staff. I am currently a sophomore at Clark University studying biology and art history, hoping to go to med school after I graduate. I know that you guys will be a phenomenal Nivonim and will help lead the camp to have an amazing, fun-filled, memorable kayitz 2013. I’m counting down the days until I see you all there!

The TECH track will be supervised by our 2013 Rosh Tech: Josh Czik!

Shalom, Niv ‘13! My name is Josh Czik. This is my second year working at Ramah and my first year asRosh Tech. I am from Sharon, Massachusetts and study Religion at Muhlenberg College. My father, a software engineer, got me interested in technology at an early age and even coached my high school’s robotics team. My main interests in tech include editing music, setting up AV equipment, managing the soundboard during events, and fixing general Mac computer problems. When I’m not working in tech, I enjoy listening to music, playing guitar, bass, and ukulele, and playing ultimate frisbee. I am looking forward to this summer and can’t wait to work with such a great Nivonim! The AMITZIM track will be supervised by veteran Amitzim staff-member: Ayelet Wachs Cashman!

Shalom, Niv ‘13! My name is Ayelet Wachs Cashman, and I’ll be running the Amitzim MiNi track. I am just about to graduate from Boston University from a BA in linguis- tics and religion. I am the president of Kalaniot, which is BU’s Israeli dance troupe. Speaking of Israeli dance, I was on rikud staff for three years before I became an Amitzim counselor in 2012. Before I was on rikud staff, I was a camper here for nine summers (plus seminar!) starting in 1999. Basically I’ve been at camp for most of my life! I look forward to working you, Niv 13, whether through the Amitzim track or by teaching you the Miriam Dance! Camp Ramah in New England WINTER OFFICE: 2 Commerce Way, Norwood, MA 02062 (781) 702-5290 FAX (781) 702-5239 SUMMER OFFICE: 39 Bennett Street, Palmer, MA 01069 (413) 283-9771 FAX (413) 283-6661 www.campramahne.org www.ramahblog.org Elevate your summer! SIGN-UP SHEET FOR NIVONIM LEADERSHIP TRAINING PROGRAM 2013!

Please print out this page -- and then complete and return this form to the Camp Ramah in New England winter office by June 3rd!

We suggest that you retain a photocopy of this form for your records.

Name: ______

Please number your preferences 1-5, with 1 being your top choice. Please be sure to give us your top five choices!

______Option I -- Nativ Rikud (Dance Leadership Track)

______Option II -- Nativ Sport (Sports Leadership Track)

______Option II -- Nativ Tech (Tech Leadership Track)

______Option IV -- Nativ Teva (Nature/Outdoors Leadership Track)

______Option V -- Nativ Shira (Song-Leading/Music Leadership Track)

______Option VI -- Nativ Madrich (Bunk Counseling Leadership Track)

______Option VII -- Nativ Amitzim (Amitzim Bunk Counseling Leadership Track)

______Option VIII -- Nativ Peulah (Camp Programming Leadership Track)

Please contact Marggi Shechanah, Registrar, at [email protected], OR Josh Edelglass, Assistant Director, at [email protected], with any questions.

Please return this form to the Camp Ramah winter office by June 3rd!