As “Grammy” to Jake, Harrison, and their baby cousin, Juniper “June” Graham, I am in my element. And when my husband Jan, or I are reading Jewish-themed PJ Library books with them, it’s pure gold!
In Atlanta, free PJ Library books are mailed monthly to more than 5,000 children. Our grandkids get excited when new books, tailored to their ages, arrive in the mail. When we read together, Jake will ask about Jewish things I did when I was a young girl, or when his mom was little. I love how Harrison will snuggle in as I read to him about Shabbat and how his eyes shine when we bless the challah.
We tell stories. We ask questions. When Hanukkah comes and we light the menorah that Jake made, it all comes full circle. The books are a springboard for deeper conversations.
Throughout the pandemic many of my friends were not been able to see their grandchildren. They used FaceTime and Zoom not just to chat, but to read PJ Library books with them! The books are fun and colorful, and you learn along with your grandkids. In families where one parent or grandparent is new to our faith, PJ Library books are a safe and comfortable way to learn and grow in observance.
I’m firmly of the belief that if you want to have a grandchild who loves Jewish traditions, and who understands Jewish values, you must put in the effort. Grandparents have a unique opportunity to show that Jewish identity matters. When we model Jewish values and traditions, they endure beyond our generation, beyond our kids’ generation, down to the grandkids. That is incredibly powerful!
Through PJ Library books we also have an opportunity to model Jewish generosity. It costs $40 a year for each child to have a PJ Library subscription. While the books are mailed for free, the program is not self-sustaining. I’d love to see grandparents with grandkids in Atlanta (or even out of town), become champions for PJ Library by supporting it with their donations so that more families can share the treasure of our heritage.
Do you need Shabbat dinner inspiration? For their final project our Amplifying Israel teen fellows for February, Lulu Rosenberg and Shaked Nitka, created a joint cookbook of Shabbat dinner recipes:
“We were able to show how even thousands of miles away, we all share the connection of our Judaism and especially through our Shabbat dinners and meals! We hope you enjoy seeing our recipes and that you might even try them out!” Shaked & Lulu
Shaked’s Recipes from Israel!
Oven-baked rice with chestnuts and cashews
Ingredients:
★ 2 cups of rice
★ 2 packs of chestnuts cut into cubes
★ Cashew
★ Chopped medium onion
★ 2 of tablespoons of soy sauce
★ 2 of tablespoons of date honey
★ 1/4 cup of oil
★ 4 cups of water
Instruction:
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees
Put the cashew and chestnut onion rice in a baking pan and mix
Add the soy sauce and date honey and mix
Add the oil and mix.
Add the hot water and mix
Put in the oven for 1 hour
After baking, use a fork and gently open the rice
And the rice is ready😋
Pita with za’atar
Ingredients:
★ 1 kg flour
★ 700 m”l of cold water
★ 1 teaspoon of dried yeast
★ 15 grams of salt
★ A little flour to flour the surface
★ Olive oil to grease the bowl
★ Za’atar and olive oil mixed together
Instruction:
Put water, salt, and yeast in the mixer bowl and stir. Turn on the mixer and add the flour gradually
Grease a bowl with a little olive oil and transfer the dough to it. Cover and soak overnight in the fridge.
Remove the bowl from the fridge and bring it to room temperature
Divide the dough into eight equal balls and place in a mold And let the dough apple for 2 hours.
Prepare a work surface and sprinkle flour generously on it.
Flatten the dough ball with your hands
Spread as a tablespoon of the za’atar and oil mixture on each pita
Bake in the tabun at a temperature of about 500 degrees for 2 minutes
Bon appetit😋
Sfinj
Ingredients:
★ 1 kg white flour
★ Fifty grams of fresh yeast
★ 1/2 cup white sugar
★ 1/2 teaspoon of salt
★ 800 m”l water
★ oil for frying
Instruction:
In a large bowl mix together flour and yeast
Add sugar and salt and mix
Add half the amount of water and put the dough for a minute
Gradually add the remaining water and continue kneading for another minute
Cover the bowl and wait until the dough is twice as large
Mix the dough with your hands to remove the air Cover and wait again
Make a little ball out of the dough and make a hole in the middle of it
Fry the ball in the oil until it gets a golden color and dip in sugar
Continue throughout the rest of the dough
Bon appetit!
Lulu’s Recipes from Atlanta!
Shabbat Chicken
Pound chicken flat and dip it in Jason’s seasoned bread crumbs until both sides are covered and then saute in olive oil until brown, flip, and cook until brown again (chicken will not be fully cooked at this point). Put the chicken into a baking dish, (we use a 9×13). Pour chicken soup stock to cover chicken (typically 1-2 cups is enough to cover- we use the parve Better than Bouillon Chicken Flavor). Then, add 2 cups of mushrooms on top (drained), cover and cook at 350 for at least 40 minutes. The longer you cook it, the more tender the chicken becomes!
This is a Shabbat staple in my house. This chicken always reminds me of warm meals in my house with my family and friends!
Lemon Garlic Chicken and Pasta
4 chicken breasts
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 lemons- 1 thinly sliced and 1 juiced
3-4 cloves of garlic minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Ground black pepper to taste
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Coat a large baking dish or skillet with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Arrange lemon slices at the bottom of the dish or skillet. In a large bowl, combine the remaining oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper and toss to coat. Place the chicken in the same bowl with the olive oil mixture and coat thoroughly and then place in the dish or skillet. Pour any remaining olive oil mixture over the chicken. You can also add a lemon slice on top each piece if you like. Roast covered for skinless or uncovered with skin for 50 minutes.
While chicken is cooking, cook a packet of whole wheat spaghetti per the instructions on the box. Save 1 cup of the pasta water before draining. Add the water back to drained pasta, drizzle olive oil on it and also add a few pinches of pasta spices- (we like dried oregano, dried basil, dried thyme and garlic).
Put pasta on a plate and top with chicken and a lemon spice!
Rugelach
½ cup + 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 package of active dry yeast
½ cup of warm water
¼ cup of margarine
1 teaspoon of salt
2 eggs, beaten
4 cups of all purpose flour
In a large bowl, stir 2 teaspoons of sugar with ¼ cup of warm water until dissolved. Sprinkle in yeast; let stand until frothy (about 10 minutes). While you are waiting, heat remaining water in a small saucepan, add the rest of the sugar, margarine and salt until the margarine is melted. Let cool until lukewarm and stir into yeast mixture. Add the beaten eggs. Then stir in 3 and ¼ cups of the flour, about 1 cup at a time. Knead until smooth on a lightly floured surface- about 10 minutes or so. Add extra flour if the dough is too sticky. Transfer to a large bowl greased with oil and turn dough to grease all over. Cover with plastic wrap; let rinse in a warm draft-free place until doubled in bulk- about 1- 1 and ½ hours.
Roll out the dough, cover lightly with oil, sprinkle cinnamon-sugar or sweetened cocoa. Cut into triangles and roll from large end into peak of triangle. You can brush with beaten egg mixed with water. Let rise again for 45 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees F for 10-15 minutes until the rugelach are medium brown.
This is my great grandmother and Bubbie’s recipe- it is my favorite!
Jewish overnight camp was always the place where I could be my best self. It’s no exaggeration to say that Camp Barney Medintz made me the man, the father, the husband, and the leader I am today. So, nothing makes me happier than to tell you that our southeast Jewish overnight camps are planning to open for summer 2021, registration is robust, and Federation fundraising for camp scholarships is breaking records!
With a goal to send nearly 1,000 kids to camp, we have raised a record-breaking $41,000+ through the annual Start a Campfire campaign, and over $725,000 in total for camp scholarships this year. Camp directors are using all they’ve learned in the last year along with CDC and American Camp Association guidance to keep kids and counselors safe for the coming summer.
There’s a deeper urgency behind Federation’s push to get more kids to camp. After a year of cooped up COVID living, and a year of virtual learning for many, our kids are hungry for each other and the joy of living with peers at camp. They’ve missed so much over this past year.
It’s not just kids who need camp, and not just stressed-out parents who need their children to go off to camp for fun and independence. As Jodi Rudoren, editor of The Forward writes, “the Jewish world needs camp. The way it creates a feeling of home is rarely replicated in synagogue or school. That sense of calm that washes over everyone as they emerge each Friday evening in their whites. That intensity, that closeness, that warmth, and pure fun — all essentially, intrinsically, tied up in Jewish identity and sealed with a singalong.”
A darker truth is that many kids are feeling anxious and depressed. Children handle stress differently depending on their age, and they generally have a high susceptibility to the longer-term consequences of anxiety on their mental health. We anticipate that those who are stuck in negativity may require professional help.
Our camps will be ready! To keep camps an emotionally safe space, directors are prioritizing having trained mental health providers on their campuses this summer to support the emotional needs of campers. “We are experiencing a world-wide shared trauma experience,” Jill Goldstein Smith, Senior Program Manager at Foundation for Jewish Camp reminds us. “Camp provides a bubble of sorts, but it is also a safe space to be vulnerable, which is where the growth happens.”
For sure, some aspects of camp will be different this summer. Rethink the bunk as a “pod.” Generally, campers will spend more time outdoors than in the past. They will do most things with their pod — eating, playing, and living together, while physically distancing from other groups. Camp directors can provide more details about these safety protocols — just ask them!
I rejoice that our Atlanta community understands the long-term power of overnight camp to build Jewish identity and lifelong engagement. I’m excited that scholarship funds are still available! Give your kids a summer without screens at our amazing Jewish overnight camps. They can’t wait to welcome you and Melissa Scholten-Gutierrez, who manages Federation’s Overnight Camp initiative, can’t wait to answer your questions and even help you pick the right camp.
Be sure to send me a photo of your child when he or she returns home happier, wiser, stronger, and more independent than you ever imagined!
Rebecca Birch, Assistant Tikvah Support Director at Camp Ramah Darom, has been selected as this year’s Robyn Berger Emerging Leader. The presentation of this award brings to a close Jewish Abilities Alliance’s month-long celebration of the Power of Inclusion, honoring 21 individuals who made an impact on inclusion in 2020. Ramah Darom’s Tikvah program supports campers with neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder, Down syndrome, intellectual disabilities, communication disorders, ADHD, anxiety disorders, and other disabilities. Audra Kaplan, who directs the program says, “Our approach is that every counselor is an inclusion counselor, and Becky has made sure that each counselor felt equipped to support each of their campers. At camp, she designed and ran age-appropriate activities for each age group around topics of inclusion and acceptance.”
Becky’s decision to work professionally in this field is the direct result of her years at camp. At Ramah Darom she guided the expansion of support for campers in typical bunks and those who require a higher level of support. In summer 2019, Becky led the staff inclusion training and then in summer 2020, led the full staff training in preparation for Kayits Babayit (Summer at Home), a virtual program. “Becky has been an integral part of not only developing our model of inclusion support, but also in helping to transform our community,” Audra Kaplan adds. “Camp Ramah Darom is proud to recognize her as a true example of the power of inclusion!”
Jared Jay is a nonverbal young man with autism, but his message is loud and clear when he uses his letter board. We asked Jared to share his thoughts for our Atlanta community during Jewish Disability, Awareness, Acceptance & Inclusion month (JDAIM).
I am autistic. I am non-speaking but not non-thinking. I communicate by spelling on a letterboard. I am silent, but I am also not.
Belief is my family cornerstone. We are Jewish and I like Judaism because it gives me hope I can survive my challenges. A Jew is a survivor and we fight in the face of fear. Facing fear is what we do. Can I tell you why? In our past others have tried to silence us but they never prevail. History has tried to erase us but we are chosen to show the world how truth in the face of darkness always shines as a light. For me, my darkness is my silence and the way society acts about my disability. But my truth, my light, are my words. Sit in my silence and hear me speak.
In today’s world, people are afraid to silence their minds and because of that, fear overpowers them when they have an encounter with a silent person. As a silent Jew, I am here to illuminate a new way of being, seeing and living.
Respect. That’s my innermost wish for the world. I am feeling that with respect the world would care more about minorities. I hope that life will become more inclusive for others like me and not like me. I grieve for those who will stay silent without ever having the opportunity to express themselves. I am hopeful for the families who saw for the first time that the doctors who said we are not connected were dangerously wrong.
Root One, the major new $20 million national initiative announced by The Marcus Foundation in Atlanta to pump new life into teen trips to Israel, is off to a strong start.
Despite all the uncertainties connected with international travel during the pandemic, the program, announced in September, is running at full capacity and is being built out for future growth.
As the program approaches the midpoint of its first year almost all of the 5,000 individual grants for teen travel in 2021 have been snapped up.
They each provide a $3,000 voucher to defray the cost of the trip for 10th, 11th and 12th graders, leaving families to come up with $1,500 additional that’s needed for the multi- week program.
According to The Marcus Foundation there’s been a 58 percent increase in participation this year, over the number of teen travelers in 2019. But the numbers only tell part of the story. For Rabbi Yoni Kaiser-Blueth, who developed Root One at The Marcus Foundation, there a qualitative goal as well.Rabbi Yoni Kaiser-Blueth, who developed the Root grant, has been a Hillel leader at George Washington University.
“We really want to build out a pipeline of teens that is connected to the next stage of Jewish life. The hope is that by getting kids to experience Israel at a deeper level, that when they get to college, they’ll have the ability to advocate for and to be part of the pro-Israel community on college campuses.”
To build participation, the program partnered last fall with five of the major organizations that are involved with programming for Jewish adolescents: United Synagogue Youth, Ramah Israel, Union of Reform Judaism/NFTY, Orthodox NCSY and B’nai B’rith Youth Organization, which represent a broad cross section of Jewish life. That has since been expanded to over 20 organizations nationally. They have all been brought together to help prepare young people for a rich experience in Israel, according to Rabbi Kaiser-Blueth.
“We want to create a marketplace of content providers so that each organization can select a menu of modules or topics that they want for their teams. We want them all to be engaged with their participants in the months leading up to their trip.”
Among those who are coming up with new educational initiatives is Atlanta’s JumpSpark Atlanta organization, which is itself a new way to more fully engage teens in Jewish communal life. In January the group hosted “Teaching Israel in 2021” to help give 84 Jewish educators in Atlanta who participated the confidence and tools to move forward.
Kelly Cohen, JumpSpark’s executive director, said, “A lot of educators get very nervous around teaching Israel, talking about Israel. And we really want to help give them the skills and the resources to feel confident in teaching about Israel, talking about Israel and promoting teen Israel travel.”
JumpSpark is about to launch a new Root One teen program. It’s called the Amplifying Israel Team Fellowship in which four teams of young people who are involved in the Israel trips are partnering with teens in a sister city in Israel, It’s a way JumpSpark’s Cohen hopes to boost the number of young people going to Israel next year by 90 percent. She sees Root One as not just to build partnerships in Israel but to help create a more dynamic future.
“These Israel programs are really building a whole army of folks on the ground who will be speaking from their own experience. Having gone on these Israel trips, they will help to recruit others to go on Israel trips. Peer-to-peer engagement has been a very successful model for us in moving the needle of engagement among teens here.”
According to the executive director of the national Root One program, Simon Amiel, who spent 13 years developing campus programs for Hillel, Root One is about a wide range of options for teens.
Marcus Foundation’s Renay Blumenthal has a long history in Atlanta philanthropy.
“There’s tremendous opportunity for us to further deepen their growth in Jewish life, and so we look at that as the arc of the Israel experience. So that’s where our investment primary lies, in the entire arc of the Israel experience.”
For The Marcus Foundation, the grant for the first year is just a down-payment on helping to build a long-term commitment by a large community of funders and nonprofits to take the program to its next level.
As foundation vice president Renay Blumenthal sees it, Root One has the potential to loom large in the future of Jewish life.
“For Bernie Marcus, who established The Marcus Foundation, philanthropy is not just about writing checks for things. He wants to transform things. He wants to create change. And I think that’s what he feels like he’s doing. The ultimate goal of this program is to change the trajectory of Jewish connection, Jewish identity and connection to Israel for our youth, and have kids be prepared before they step foot on college campuses.”
This article was originally published in the Atlanta Jewish Times. Read it here.
Judaism is a big part of my life and it is in my daily life almost everywhere, sometimes even without me noticing it. It could be reflected in the David shield necklace that I got for my Bat Mitzvah which I wear all the time or in the special feeling of a holiday whenever Friday comes. I think the fact that I’m Israeli has a strong connection to my Judaism because in Israel there are many holy places for Judaism that are relatively close to me and that allows me to connect with Judaism and the history of the Jewish people. Also, Israel is based on Judaism and its laws, and the people surrounding me are following those just like me. For example, on Yom Kippur, everything is closed and when I go out on the streets there are lots of people outside riding a bike or meeting each other to spend this time together which allows me to experience the holiday in a more powerful and special way.
I’m not in a religious Jewish school, but Judaism is still present, I learn The Bible and on school trips we go to places that are important to the history of the Jewish people. After school, I usually learn more and do my homework, with my friends or riding my roller skates to a field close to my house where I will read a book or knit. On Friday, which is my favorite day of the week, I help my parents cook for Shabbat dinner, and on that day, my brother also comes back from the Israeli army, and we all sit down and have Shabbat dinner together. Being Jewish and Israeli is a big and important part of my identity that matters and interests me greatly and I love opportunities like this one (Amplifying Israel teen fellow) that connect me to Judaism.
Whether I am lighting the Shabbat candles, eating chicken soup with matzah balls, participating in a global Jewish youth group like BBYO, or attending a Strong Jewish Women’s Fellowship meeting, there is no doubt that I am connected to my Judaism . Being Jewish is a huge part of my identity and it plays a major role in my daily life. When I wake up in the morning, it’s not like the first thing I think of is being Jewish. But when I come downstairs and see a plate of hamentashens from my neighbor on the counter, I don’t question it. When I get a bowl for my cereal before I go to school, I make sure to get a dairy one and not a meat one. Leaving my house for school, I pass the mezuzah on the door and walk to my car. I don’t even notice the sticker on my windshield for the Jewish Community Center anymore; it is the same one that practically every other Jew in Atlanta also has.
I used to go to a Jewish day school where all my friends and most of my teachers were Jewish. Now, I attend public school. My closest friends are still Jewish but I am no longer in a bubble where Judaism defines my every day. Everyone at school knows I am Jewish, but it doesn’t seem to phase anyone like I expected it to. I’m not even sure how I expected people to act, but for some reason I believed that my Judaism would really matter to others. I remember one day, my first year of high school, I brought matzah ball soup to school for lunch. I spent the entire lunch period trying to explain to my non-Jewish friends what a matzah ball even is. Wet bread? Mushy dumpling? I didn’t know how to explain it but my non-Jewish friends were interested and it made me laugh trying to explain a traditional food to someone who had never tried it. It was funny and I enjoyed telling my friends about Jewish traditions.
After school, I usually go home and I either have tutoring, a ceramics class or a BBYO call. On Fridays, I have Shabbat dinner with my family and sometimes we light the candles on FaceTime with my aunt and Bubbie who are all the way in Canada. Judaism plays out in my everyday life, but it is all I have ever known. And until I wrote this article, I didn’t even realize how much of a role being Jewish really has in my daily life, but I like having something that connects me to others who also share my religion and I also appreciate feeling unique when I am around others who aren’t Jewish. My great-grandparents were Holocaust survivors and, after everything she went through, my great-grandmother’s Jewish pride had a big impact on me. I honestly wouldn’t trade being Jewish for anything.
What if your high school studentdidn’t go to college right after high school?Taking a year-long break, or “gap year”in Israel between high school and college is growing inpopularity for pre-college Jewish teens.And what if your student even got a scholarship to go?!
Now JumpSpark, in partnership with The Zalik Foundation, has received funding to award 30 lucky students with a $10,000 – $15,000 scholarship that supports anin-person gap year in Israel. At a time when for many, the college experience is a virtual one, The Atlanta Israel Gap Year Scholarship guaranteesactual experiences!
When students take a gap year in Israel they live andinteract withtheir peers. It’s an international communal living and growth experience that instills independence, maturity, and opportunities to travel andserve, while building life-longconnections to lsrael.There are many exciting gap year options to choose from, so read on to learn about the Israel program that’s right for your student!
JumpSpark’s new Atlanta Israel Gap Year Scholarship provides generous support for ten pre-approved and diverse gap year programs. Explore the desert, volunteer on a kibbutz, visit high-tech startups, engage in meaningful social action, and connect with thousands of years of Jewish life in Israel.
Join us for a series of information sessions on each of the gap year programs eligible for the Atlanta Israel Gap Year Scholarship. The diverse participating gap year programs span a range of focus areas, cities, and religious affiliations. There’s an Israel gap year experience for everyone andwe can help you identify the one that’s right for you.
To help in this process, JumpSpark will have a day dedicated to learning about each program, meeting the staff, and hearing from current and past teen and parent participants. See the dates below and learn more about which program might be a good fit.Find scholarship applications here.
Upcoming Atlanta Israel Gap Year Information Sessions:
FEB. 17, 2021 | Bina Gap Year ›
FEB. 21, 2021 | Aardvark ›
FEB. 23, 2021 | Masa Israel Journey: Why Choose a Gap Year ›
November 7-13, 2021 | Israel This November, take an unforgettable Jewish Journey to Israel!
On this trip you will take a deep dive into local Israeli life, politics, food, and culture, and go beyondthe typical tourist path.
Perfect for both first-time and veteran travelers. Learn more and sign up.
Some trip highlights* include:
Meet some of Israel’sleading entrepreneurs.
Rappel down the old city walls of Jerusalem for a unique view
Visit the Kerem Shalom Crossing, the goods crossing at the southern end of the Gaza Strip, where the borders of Gaza and Israel meet
Dinner at Blue Sky restaurant with Chef Meir Adoni, one of Israel’s leading chefs
More highlights to come…
*itinerary subject to change
We continue to monitor COVID-19 and will only proceed with the trip if it is safe for all participants.
For now, we have high hopes we will all be able to be together in Israel this upcoming November.
Men’s JourneyChairs: David Fisher, Joel Marks, Brian Seitz, Stuart Shapiro, Mark Silberman
Make your deposit today to reserve your spot on the bus. Deposits are refundable until August 21, 2021.
Suggested donation: $1,800+ | Price: $4,140 double occupancy or +$1,290 single occupancy
Below are some examples of NSCY Summer Programs to Israel:
Euro— Travel around Europe for two weeks before journeying to Israel to visit Safed, Eilat, Tiberias and many more cities and sites on this co-ed trip.
Euro GO (Girls Only) – Travel with great girls from across the country around Europe for two weeks before journeying to Israel to visit Safed, Eilat, Tiberias and many more cities and sites on this co-ed trip
GIVE — Girls Israel Volunteer Experience (GIVE) is for exceptional high school girls who want to experience Judaism firsthand through the art of giving back in Israel.
Israel ID – Israel ID is a co-ed program that travels through the land of Israel.
JOLT Israel– Our leadership program will show you Israel in a whole new way while you create and run a 10-day camp for Israeli kids in need.
JSU GO Atlanta – Travel and see Israel in this once in a lifetime adventure for Atlanta public school teens.
Kollel — Spend an unforgettable summer in Israel filled with intense learning, world-class sports, and great trips.
Michlelet — An extraordinary program for teenage girls looking to spend their summer in a productive way by learning Torah and touring Israel.
NFTY in Israel is a chance for teens to experience the true culture and history of Israel through a variety of social and educational opportunities. Focusing on all that Israel has to offer, this trip is for the teen who is ready to explore their progressive Jewish values from a whole new angle! Come discover yourself on the adventure of a lifetime and make lifelong friendships along the way.
Touch ancient ruins visited by your ancestors for thousands of years. Eat delicious pita fresh off the fire. Climb sand dunes. Hike mountains. Swim in the Mediterranean. Float in the Dead Sea. Wander with your friends and meet amazing new people. Explore your progressive Jewish values from new angles. Discover yourself on the adventure of a lifetime.
Choose from several specialty trips, including a deep Hebrew immersion, a trip through the lens of social justice, a sports trip for athletes, and a sci-tech Israel trip.
For over 60 years, USY has provided Jewish teens with transformative travel experiences, opening their eyes to new places, different ways of life, and some of the world’s most spectacular sights.
On a USY Summer Experience, you will gain independence and a better sense of self, form lifelong bonds of friendship with teens from across North America, be immersed in other cultures and see the world from a different perspective, develop a deeper understanding of global issues and conflict, repair the world in local communities through volunteer work and service, and discover the joy of Jewish living through fun, meaningful experiences that create a lasting impact.
Now, it’s YOUR turn to have the summer of a lifetime in the U.S., Canada, Israel, Europe, or the Dominican Republic. See where USY Summer Experience takes you, and register today.
Ramah Israel Seminar is a six-week travel program in Israel, designed for entering 12th graders who are graduates of the ten Ramah overnight camps in North America. For over 50 years, Ramah Seminar has been an outstanding way for teens to experience Israel. Seminar is an intensive experience of study and travel, combining hiking and trekking throughout Israel with text study, challenging discussions and hands-on learning. Seminar participants travel Israel from north to south, gaining an in-depth perspective of Israel’s history and future. Seminar is an opportunity to live the Ramah life in Israel, combining all that is central to camp – community, connection and growth.
Discover Israel’s many treasures on a transformative journey with a focus on historical exploration, exhilarating adventures in nature, and cultural connections.
Travel from the far north in the Galilee to the deep south at the Red Sea as we visit ancient Jerusalem, modern Tel Aviv, the lush Golan Heights, the vast Negev Desert, the unsinkable Dead Sea, and the stark mountaintop fortress of Masada. Along the way, you’ll take part in an authentic archaeological dig, sample the world’s very best falafel, spend a night sleeping under the desert stars, and experience the innovative energy of Tel Aviv first-hand.
More than a tour, this is an opportunity to understand Israel’s dynamic society first-hand while finding your own connection to this storied land. Explore what it means to be Jewish from an Israeli point of view, understand the complex politics of the Middle East with real-world insights, and practice Jewish values through hands-on volunteering and Shabbat experiences.
Some of our Israel Journey trips will have the opportunity to attend The Maccabiah Games. Often referred to as “the Jewish Olympics,” this is the world’s largest Jewish athletic competition that takes place every four years in Israel.
Travel from the Golan Heights to the shores of Eilat and everywhere in-between. Swim in the Kinneret, visit archeological digs, hike through the mountains and float in the Dead Sea and much more.
Explore your Jewish Heritage
Judaism will come alive as you pray at the Western Wall, hike up Masada and visit all the holy sites Israel has to offer. Connect to the past and discover your future.
Meet Other Jewish Teens
JSU GO is designed for public school teens looking to learn more about their Jewish heritage through hands-on, meaningful experiences.
by Lynn Sapertstein
Jared Jay is a nonverbal young man with autism, but his message is loud and clear when he uses his letter board. We asked Jared to share his thoughts for our Atlanta community during Jewish Disability, Awareness, Acceptance & Inclusion month (JDAIM).
November 7-13, 2021 | Israel
