Sha’ar – Hebrew Immersion Program

Sha’ar: Your Gateway to Hebrew

Full-day Hebrew immersion at Ramah Boston

Sha’ar means “gate,” and the program is a gateway to Hebrew. Sha’ar (S’fat Ivrit b’Ramah) is our Hebrew immersion program, where campers build confidence and fluency in spoken Hebrew while enjoying everything that makes a summer at Ramah Boston great.

What Is Sha’ar?

Sha’ar campers spend their whole day surrounded by Hebrew. They swim, play sports, make art, sing, and laugh, all in Hebrew! Speaking and understanding the language becomes a natural part of their day, and they pick it up through real conversations and experiences, not textbooks.

Sha’ar began at our sister camp, Ramah Nyack, and today it brings Hebrew to life for cam

pers across the Ramah day camp network.

A smiling woman sits between two young children on a couch, each holding colorful paper cards with Hebrew writing. They appear happy and are indoors with large windows showing greenery outside.

How Sha’ar Works

Sha’ar campers are full members of their edah (age group) and follow the same daily schedule, with a few key differences:

  • Hebrew-Speaking Madrichim
    The madrichim (counselors) who work with Sha’ar campers speak only Hebrew throughout the camp day. Most of our Sha’ar staff come from Israel, and others are American-born Hebrew speakers.
  • Special Hebrew Activities
    During their edah’s Yahadut (Jewish learning) period, Sha’ar campers take part in a special Hebrew activity. These sessions are hands-on and experiential, and they’re designed to connect the Hebrew campers hear and speak all day to real-life context.
  • Activities With Their Sha’ar Bunk
    Sha’ar campers choose one chug (elective) alongside their edah peers. They do many other activities with their Sha’ar bunk, led by Sha’ar madrichim.

Who Is Sha’ar For?

Sha’ar is open to campers entering pre-K through grade 7. It’s a great fit whether your camper is continuing their Hebrew learning or just getting started. Our madrichim create a warm, supportive environment where every camper can grow, try new words, and gain confidence.

Enrollment Expectations

Learning a language takes time and consistency. Campers who are together from the start of the summer build skills side by side. Because of that, we ask Sha’ar families to commit to the following:

Pre-K through Grade 2: Full-summer participation
Grades 3–7: Weeks 1–4

Exceptions

  • Campers who start at the beginning of the summer may end their Sha’ar time whenever they choose. Keep in mind that the more time campers spend in Sha’ar, the more Hebrew they’ll learn!
  • Campers who speak Hebrew at home may join Sha’ar at any point in the summer.

Program Details

Who: Campers entering pre-K through grade 7
Cost: An additional $100 per week, on top of regular tuition. This fee helps cover the added staff and programming costs that make Sha’ar possible.

See our dates and rates

 

Logo with Kayitz kef at top in blue and orange, and Summers of Fun, A lifetime of Hebrew in white text on a green background.The Sha’ar program at Ramah Day Camp is operated in collaboration with Kayitz Kef / Hebrew At Camp.