Ta’am Ramah: A Taste of Overnight Camp at Ramah New England!

 For our oldest Ramah Boston day campers—those entering 2nd grade and up—this past week brought an unforgettable adventure: Ta’am Ramah, an overnight experience at Camp Ramah New England in Palmer, MA! “Ta’am Ramah” means “a taste of Ramah,” and that’s exactly what it was: a joyful, energetic, and meaningful 24+ hours filled with the magic of overnight camp.

From the moment we arrived, the energy was high. We kicked things off with a scavenger hunt to get to know the important places around camp. Whether spotting the Chadar Ochel (dining hall), the agam (lake), or the omanut (art) building, we began to feel right at home.

Next, we visited the Ramah farm where we:

• Fed goats (they were very enthusiastic!),

• Petted soft and friendly chickens,

• And met the donkeys, a mini-horse, and even a mini-cow!

We dove into outdoor cooking, making banana boats (bananas stuffed with chocolate and marshmallows, wrapped in foil, and roasted over the fire) and kettle corn—a sweet and salty treat we couldn’t get enough of.

During chugim (elective activities), kids got to choose their own adventures:

• A group of 8 campers geared up with ropes and harnesses for an exhilarating session on the swing in the ropes course area!

• Others explored the garden, picking cucumelons (a highlight of the Ramah Boston farm too!) and tomatoes, and making packets of herbs for tea.

• Some campers headed to omanut (arts) for a watercolor painting project.

No trip to Palmer would be complete without time at the agam (lake). We played on the water toys, including:

• A water trampoline,

• A slide that launched us into the water,

• An iceberg to climb and slide down,

• A floating obstacle course,

• And a wild ride on the rocket!

As the sun began to set, we gathered for a cozy medurah (campfire). We sang camp songs, l

istened to hilarious counselor stories, and roasted marshmallows to make our own delicious s’mores. Under the stars, we settled into bed, full of laughter and camp spirit.

In the morning, we joined the Ilanot edah (rising 5th graders) from Palmer for a spirited tefillah (prayer) experience. Singing alongside older campers gave our kids a sense of belonging and excitement about future summers.

After breakfast, we had one last rotation of activities, including:

• Hula hoop challenges,

• A building challenge,

• Silly and splashy relay races like the pingpong ball on a spoon, and a sponge bucket water race

  

Back in omanut, we did watercolor painting and created snake paper chains, while in shira (music), we sang powerful and meaningful songs like “We Shall Not Be Moved” from the Civil Rights Movement and the Hebrew prayer-song “Elu Finu” from tefillah.

From the laughs on the water toys to the peaceful moments by the campfire, Ta’am Ramah gave our older campers a meaningful taste of the Ramah overnight camp experience—and we can’t wait to return next summer!