IMPORTANT UPDATE: Revised Camp Dates and More

An important message from our Executive Director, Rabbi Joe

Shalom Ramah Enrolled and Waitlisted Families,

We are writing to share important updates for this kayitz (summer). Below you will find details on:

Revised dates for camp
Tuition update
Transportation update
Medical/COVID update
Cancelation policy update

While so much has changed in our world this past year, much of our work for camp remains the same: We are planning an exciting summer filled with traditional camp activities and, like all summers, our first priority is safety. To start the summer safely, we will create a buffer between the end of the in-person school year and our staff and campers' arrival. To do this, we will start our staff week and first session later than initially planned. This change has a ripple effect of reducing the full session from 28 to 22 days. Due to this change, Amitzim and Ezra will now start and end on the same dates as the rest of camp. Gesher and two-week Nitzanim and Giborei Yisrael sessions remain 14 days with new dates. Note that all current waitlists remain as is and families will be notified immediately if enrollment becomes available. For background and details on these decisions, we recommend watching Rabbi Joe's video above and registering to join us for our Parent Town Hall on Thursday, April 8^th at 8:00 pm PT here.

We remain cautiously optimistic about our return to Ojai this kayitz. Last Thursday, the State of California gave residential camps approval to run this summer. While this is an exciting first step, we are still awaiting their guidelines on operating. Those guidelines will be based on the COVID tier for Ventura County (e.g., purple, red, or orange). There is a possibility that they will include policies that require us to make further changes to the information below - in either a more or less restrictive way. Thus, we ask for your understanding that even the information we are sharing today may change. Some might find this surprising and unsettling. For others, we hope it will bring relief to have another level of clarity regarding this kayitz.

We are looking forward to seeing you all at our Parent Town Hall and will be taking questions in advance. Should you have immediate concerns or questions regarding your family's needs, we invite you to set up a call with someone from our team here.

Rabbi Joe Menashe, Executive Director

Ariella Moss Peterseil, Camp Director

Randy Michaels, Chief Operating and Financial Officer

We are grateful to be able to run camp this year, yet to do this, there are many additional costs that Camp Ramah must absorb. As a result, we are not able to offer a refund for the reduced number of days in the session.

In preparation for this summer, we will spend over $1,000,000 to create a safer environment with COVID mitigations, including outdoor dining tents, additional bathrooms, expansion of our marp (infirmary) facilities, COVID testing, PPE, improved ventilation, hand sanitizing stations, hosting of staff for days off in camp, etc. Ramah is not assessing a COVID surcharge for camp this summer. Additionally, last August, we chose not to increase our fees and held tuition at the 2020 rates.

After consultation with medical experts and industry partners, we are seeking to limit bus and air travel to camp in favor of private car rides. We plan to continue to monitor the need for these guidelines for pick-up at the end of each session. However, currently, they apply to both arrival and departure.

Families for whom these changes create insurmountable challenges, financial or otherwise, should reach out to us to help partner and problem-solve.

Greater Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego, San Francisco Bay Area, and Las Vegas

Travel to and from camp will be by car with members of your household only; no carpools are permitted.

All Other Cities and States

Travel to and from camp is permitted by plane on our designated flights, or you may drive privately. Flights will be met at the airport by camp staff, and campers will be brought to camp by shuttle with COVID protocols in place. Details and flight information will be provided by Thursday, March 25^th. Please do not purchase tickets before receiving our designated flight schedule.

While we are still planning for the use of non-pharmaceutical interventions (masks, pods, distancing, pre-camp protocols, etc.), we know that guidance is changing rapidly as we have begun to see positive trends. At this time, we are refraining from establishing firm policies around COVID protocols. Instead, we will wait for both governmental guidelines and to see how science and infection rates evolve before making our final recommendations.

Should you have specific questions regarding your child or family's needs, we invite you to set up a call with someone from our team here.