Camp Ramah Yachad Ukraine’s 32nd Year offers Innovation and Tradition

Despite the ravages of war, Camp Ramah Yachad Ukraine was held this year from July 24^th to August 7^th. A record number, 165 campers, aged 10-17 enjoyed a quiet and peaceful 14-day stay away from the travails of the war.

Set at the beautiful Sun Valley Resort close to Chernivtsi in Western Ukraine, the camp provided a sanctuary of normalcy and joy, filled with Jewish and cultural enrichment programming presenting a bulwark against the region’s ongoing war.

2024 was the 32^nd year for Camp Ramah Yachad Ukraine. Prior to camp opening, Midreshet Schechter held the Teitel Staff Seminar, a four-day preparation, orientation seminar for the counselors and senior staff. 

Teitel Staff Seminar pre-camp staff orientation

Camp welcomed participants from various cities and regions including Chernivtsi, Kyiv, Kharkiv, Odesa, Belaya Tzirkov, Berdichev, Uzhgorod, and Dnepro. This diverse mix of children from various areas in Ukraine enriched the overall camp experience, fostering friendships and understanding across different communities while showing all were equal and the importance of their Jewish identities.

Happy to be back at camp in 2024

This year’s educational activity focus was “Well of Strength.” The theme incorporated sessions on working to understand ‘Being Jewish in the Shadow of Two Wars: ‘Israel and Ukraine.’” Activities highlighted the unique challenges faced by Jewish communities in both Israel and Ukraine, emphasizing resilience, cultural identity, and solidarity. Activities provided campers with the tools to explore their heritage and current realities, fostering a sense of connection and strength despite the adversities.

“Our campers arrived from all over Ukraine after having faced, and continuing to face, adversity in their short lives. This ongoing war makes it impossible for any of us to be truly joyful. Building our educational pedagogy upon Jewish texts enabled all of us to craft and draw out inner strengths for dealing with life in Ukraine. Drawing on this strength from the Well of the Jewish Tradition provides opportunities for our campers to find additional strengths in everyday life,” notes Rabbi Irina Gritsevskaya, Director of Midreshet Schechter had head of Camp Ramah Yachad Ukraine.

Campers whose childhoods had been robbed by war spent quality time playing, studying and celebrating Jewish traditions together. Days started with a “boker tov” (“good morning” in Hebrew) along with singing and dancing, followed by morning prayers. They then gathered for learning and recreational activities such as arts, sports, cooking and dance. As was the case last year, the staff included a psychologist who provided emotional support for the children whose struggle with fear and stress in an ongoing process.

One highlight was a visit by a former counselor now serving in Ukraine’s armed forces. A recording of his visit and his messages to the campers somehow appeared on social media and became a national news item within Ukraine.

Former madrich now in Ukrainian Armed Forces visits Camp Ramah Yachad Ukraine

Another deeply significant camp highlight was the launch of the world’s first ever Hebrew-Ukrainian Siddur for children. This prayer book played a crucial role in the daily lives of the campers, fostering a sense of unity and identity among them and facilitating a deeper connection to their Jewish heritage and spiritual practices. The impact of the Siddur was profound.

Rabbi Gritsevskaya and youth using new Ukrainian siddur

“It was an unforgettable experience to see the campers who, for the first time, were able to pray in their own language in an age-appropriate siddur,” reports Rabbi Gritsevskaya who spearheaded the translation alongside Lev Kleyman, head of the Chernivtsi community and a Schechter Rabbinical Seminary rabbinical student.

One of Camp Ramah Yachad’s aims is to show Ukrainian Jewish children and youth that they are part of a larger, global Jewish community. The pedagogic objective was to foster a connection and identification with Israel, including classes on Hebrew language, Israeli society and culture, some taught by Israeli staff.

Another very exciting element this year which helped focus efforts showing campers that they are part of the larger world-wide Jewish community was the camp’s first ever volunteer from the United States, Ariel Oberfeld, a 17 year old from Chicago. Ariel joined camp as a counselor and due to learning Russian from his parents, both immigrants from Ukraine, was an instant hit with the campers.

“Connecting with the campers and staff at Camp Ramah Yachad campers opened my eyes to the complexities and difficulties of Jewish youth in Ukraine. I improved my Russian – but more so experienced Ukrainian – and had an absolute blast. I learned as much from them as they probably learned from me and will treasure this summer experience,” says Oberfeld.

This summer also brought a first-time partnership with Maccabi, adding a new dimension of physical activity and sportsmanship to camp. Support from both Maccabi USA and Maccabi Ukraine enabled an additional 20 children from Ukraine to join camp, adding to the Camp’s diverse and enriching environment. Furthermore, this collaboration created an opportunity to organize more sports events and activities, providing the children with much-needed physical exercise and opportunities for teamwork and camaraderie. For the first time, camp held a ‘Maccabia’ sports day, emphasizing the importance of physical health and its role in overall well-being.

Maccabia balloon race

As Camp Ramah Yachad Ukraine grows and evolves, Midreshet Schechter’s 32 year old initiative is already a tradition and stands as a testament to the power of community, culture, and compassion.