This past Sunday we returned from our third family camp experience in the mountains of northern Georgia at Ramah Darom - Camp Yofi. Ramah Darom (Ramah of the south) is a non-profit organization offering year-round Jewish programming for adults and summer camp for children and families. Ramah is the camping arm of Conservative Judaism. Each year, more than 11,500 campers and university-aged staff members populate ten residential camps, five day camps, and Israel programs. An additional 300 young Israeli adults join the Ramah camp communities annually. Overnight camps: Berkshires (New York); California; Galim (Northern California); Canada; Darom (Georgia); New England (Massachusetts); Poconos (Pennsylvania); Rockies (Colorado), Ramah Sports Academy (Connecticut), and Wisconsin. Day camps: Chicago area (Wheeling, IL); Greater Washington, DC (Germantown, MD); Jerusalem; Nyack, NY; and the Philadelphia area (Elkins Park, PA). Additionally, Ramah runs summer and high school semester programs in Israel, and partners with summer camp programming in Ukraine, Argentina, and Israel.
Ramah Darom is located on 122 acres in Clayton, GA and is surrounded on three sides by the Chattahoochee National Forest. The lake is fed by mountain brooks and a 100-foot waterfall. Ramah Darom's facility is kosher and includes a variety of modern accommodations, team building equipment, sports fields and courts, a pool and lake, a gym, and a spiritual center. Camp Ramah Darom offers two four-week sessions, full eight-week summer, Taste of Ramah - a 12-day session for first time campers ages 8-10, and a Tikvah Support Program for campers with Neurodevelopmental Disorders such as Autism and ADHD ages 12-18. The Tikvah Support Program began in 2015. Tikvah Support Staff members are specially trained to work with the children in this program. Audra Kaplan, PHD, is the Director of the Tikvah Support Program as well as Camper Care.
I found out about Camp Yofi through Ellen Seidman who writes at Love That Max http://www.lovethatmax.com/. Her family attends camps in New England including a family camp that they have at one of the camps that is similar to Camp Yofi. When I was growing up I attended Camp Young Judaea Sprout Lake and Camp Tel Yehuda. Young Judaea is a Zionist youth movement with summer and year-round programs for children and young adults in the US and Israel. So, hearing about Camp Yofi at Ramah Darom I was interested because I attended Jewish summer camp and I wanted Joshua to have that same experience.
Camp Yofi is a nationally-recognized, one-of-a-kind program for Jewish families with children with Autism Spectrum Disorder between the ages of 6 and 13. Parents, grandparents, and siblings are invited to attend and all Jewish families, regardless of denomination or synagogue affiliation, are welcome. There is a quote on the Camp Yofi page on Ramah Darom's website https://www.ramahdarom.org/camp/summer-offerings/camp-yofi/ that I wrote. “I still can’t quite put into words what Camp Yofi meant to me but I will try. It’s a place where you feel like you truly belong. Those of us in the special needs world understand how rare that is. We were definitely a part of something bigger than ourselves.” –Yofi Campers Mom. I wrote that following our first camp experience.
The mornings at Camp Yofi offer something for everyone, with separate tracks for 1) children with autism spectrum disorder, 2) siblings, and 3) parents. During the afternoon, we offer a variety of programs the entire family can enjoy. In the evenings, the Camp Yofi community comes together for campfires, guitar sing-alongs, s’mores and other family programs. After the children go to sleep and are under the care of our specialty-trained staff, adults get together for engaging programs. Each Camp Yofi family receives a chaver (a special friend) who spends mornings and evenings with the same family throughout the week, providing a helpful, supportive and consistent presence. The 5-day, 4-night program begins on Wednesday afternoon and ends on Sunday morning. Participation in Camp Yofi is accepted on a first-come, first-served basis and is limited to 25 families. Thanks to generous sponsoring foundations and individual donors the goal has always been to make Camp Yofi affordable to any family who wishes to come. Tuition for the program covers 25% of the cost of the program. The rest of the cost is subsidized through donations and grants. For those families needing additional assistance to participate in the program, a limited number of scholarships are available.
So that is a summary of Ramah, Ramah Darom, and Camp Yofi. For those who have heard about it from me the past 3 summers, I thought you might want more information. I got most of this information from Ramah and Ramah Darom's websites. Growing up I was not religious at all. Both of my parents grew up Jewish but my father was atheist and my mother was mostly non-practicing. I was named in a synagogue but I didn't attend hebrew school. I don't remember how it came up (Jewish summer camp) but my mother attended Tel Yehuda when she was a teenager and we discovered Sprout Lake (it was not around when she was growing up). Sprout Lake is for children and Tel Yehuda is for teenagers. When we were looking at camp I was still young enough to attend Sprout Lake and did so for 2 years until I aged out. I had attended another sleep away camp the year before and hated it. I loved Sprout Lake. I learned about Zionism and Judaism and it was fun! It is a typical summer camp in many ways in that you do activities you normally do at summer camp but we had services everyday. Shabbat was very special with special services and meals. Sprout Lake was my real introduction to Judaism. I still remember the prayers and so many things from camp have stuck with me all these years. I also made a very special friend there who I continued to go to camp with and came all the way from New Jersey to attend my wedding in South Carolina.
The thought that Joshua could have a similar experience at camp that I had was not something I had really considered. I believe that all children should attend camp, especially sleep away camp. Joshua got to do that without us for the first time this year! He attended Camp Burnt Gin, a summer camp in Wedgefield, South Carolina, for children who have physical disabilities and chronic illnesses. From early June until mid August, Camp Burnt Gin operates 4 six day sessions for 7 through 15 year old children, 2 six day session for teenagers, ages 16-20 and a four day session for young adults, ages 21-25. During the course of a session, campers have the chance to participate in a variety of programs such as instructional and recreational swimming, boating, fishing, arts and crafts, sports and games, fine arts, and nature study. Each cabin group has the opportunity to enjoy an overnight camping trip in which they sleep in the woods and cook their meals over a campfire. Staff members, in a ratio of one for every two campers, live with the children and assist those children who require help with their personal needs and participation in the activities. Camp Burnt Gin has two nurses in residence. Nurses are responsible for medication administration, first aid and overseeing medical treatments. Nutritous balanced meals are planned by a registered dietician and served to the children as part of the US Department of Agriculture's summer feeding program. Camp Burnt Gin provides a fun, safe summer camp experience to over 460 children who might not otherwise have the chance to attend camp because of their special health care needs. The Burnt Gin experience offers them an opportunity to meet new friends, develop recreational skills, become more independent and improve their self confidence.
So I loved the idea that Joshua could attend camp considering his special needs. Sprout Lake and Tel Yehuda was a way for me to learn about my heritage, make friends, and be away from home. Joshua was able to make friends at Camp Burnt Gin and I am grateful for the chance for him to go to camp alone as it is good for him as well as us. He was there with other children with various disabilities so while it is not inclusive not all children have the same disability so that allows him to be with children of all abilities. We were nervous about the idea of sending him and had lots of questions. We also included a "bible" we wrote as a sort of guide to him and his care needs. The counselors said this was very helpful. His counselor at Camp Yofi also read it and thought it was very helpful. At Camp Yofi we are with him for all meals and at night. The counselors have them during the mornings for 3 days and the afternoon that we arrive at camp. They do typical camp activities and rotate what they do but they always go swimming every day (one of Joshua's favorite things). In the mornings while he is with his group we are able to do different activities without him. The groups of children with autism consist of a counselor (called a chaver which is hebrew for friend) for each child and a head counselor who is a student at Nova Southeastern University in Florida. Yofi is run by Sue Kabot of Nova Southeastern and Susan Tecktiel who has been with Ramah Darom and has run Camp Yofi for all of the 14 years it's been in existence. Sue Kabot is the executive director of NSU’s Autism Institute, where she oversees multiple programs for children and young adults with autism. Her students are the head counselors for each of the groups for children with autism. There are typically 5 groups, Cochavim (hebrew for star) Aleph, Bet, Gimel, Dalet, and Hay. There are also 3 sibling groups, Perachim (hebrew for flower), Shemesh (hebrew for sun) Aleph, and Shemesh Bet. All the groups are based on age. The first year Joshua was in Cochavim Aleph and last year and this year he was Cochavim Bet. Next year he will probably be in Cochavim Gimel.
Each day (Thursday, Friday, and Saturday) at Camp Yofi starts out the same. Breakfast in the dining hall and then we drop the kids off with their groups for their morning activities. These activities rotate so that all kids (including siblings) get to have the camp experience. They go to the pool everyday and have snack everyday. They rotate through activities including singing, dancing, yoga, tower (which is a climbing tower but also includes a harness "swing" which Joshua did for the first time this year!), nature, art, cooking, and sports. The older sibling groups go to the lake and this year they added biking for them as well as for families during family time in the afternoons. The oldest sibling group (Shemesh Bet) also has their own evening programs and a camp out. They try to make it as similar to regular camp for the siblings as they can. We meet the kids groups at lunch and families spend the rest of the day together. The parents have their own programs in the morning. They get to do camp activities and have informational sessions about camp and about life in the special needs world as well as religious topics. The first session of the morning is a learning session and the second is more elective and parents can choose to do art, biking, tennis, cooking, lake, Krav Maga (Jamie & I did that this year) and they have a ropes course (we might try it next year). In the afternoons we are together as a family and they have lots of planned activities or you can do things like sports, pool, lake, art, or tower. Last year was the 13th year of Camp Yofi so we had a Yofi B'nai Mitzvah and this included a silent disco where you wear headphones so you can control the volume of the music but everyone listens to the same thing (it was very cool), magician, photo booth, and temporary tattoos. This year there was a Shabbat Fair where you could make challah, decorate candle sticks, make your own candles, and make challah covers. The planned family activities include cooking, pilates, yoga, Krav Maga, hikes to waterfalls (we did the shorter one this year), softball & soccer games. They also always do a tour of the Tikvah bunk. Tikvah is their inclusion program for children with special needs ages 12-18 to attend camp during the regular sessions. The Tikvah bunk is air conditioned and smaller. They are a part of an integrated group with same age peers. Everyone has dinner together and then there is an evening family activity. Wednesday is always ooey, gooey, sticky night. Thursday is the campfire (we had to do this inside this year due to rain). Friday night dinner is late due to services prior to dinner so there is no evening activity and Saturday we do a family game night, this year we had family olympics. The schedule stays pretty similar year to year so families (and kids) know what to expect. We also always have a talent show usually Friday afternoon after lunch. After the evening activity parents put the children to bed and counselors come to where the families are staying and are stationed outside the rooms so parents can go to the evening activities just for parents. Wednesday night was wine & design (there is always food at these events), Thursday was a scavenger hunt, Friday was a celebrity guessing game, and Saturday was a competition event "anything you can do I can do better". I have to mention the food at camp is amazing. The counselors who have been at camp all summer always tell us that food during Camp Yofi is much better than regular camp food. It is fantastic and plentiful as it is buffet style and you can have as much as you want! They do put it up in the kitchen after a certain amount of time but you can still get some even after they put it up. After meals (lunch & dinner) there are two smaller rooms on each side of the dining hall (they call them playrooms) where counselors go to play with the kids so the parents can socialize for a bit and enjoy dessert (after lunch & dinner there is always dessert!). I think this was one of Joshua's favorite times and maybe his favorite thing about camp. It was also his main motivator to get him to eat his meals. He knew he couldn't go to the playroom if he didn't eat his meal. They have books and he gets people to read to him. Anyone who knows Joshua knows how much he loves books and having people read to him. If you read to him you are his best friend for life and he will keep bringing you books (sometimes the same one) to read. When we arrive on Wednesday afternoon we have an opening session which includes singing and then the kids go off with their groups for a shortened rotation and the parents are together to learn about how camp works (for newbies) and introductions. Each family gets a welcome kit with a folder with the schedules, maps, and names of all the staff, and a bag with snacks which is decorated by campers during regular camp. There is a sign on our door and a door hanger that we use to say when we are in or out (mostly used at night when we are gone to evening activities and the kids are alone in the room (we never leave until Joshua is asleep). We have singing at the campfire (and smores!) and then at the closing session as well. At the closing session each kid gets a paper plate award. The kids make art that we get to take home with us and this year one was framed for us with our photo from when we arrived at camp. Each year they make something different. There is a photographer and videographer who walks around all day taking photos and videos that are then put into a video and slideshow that we see at the closing session.
So that is Camp Yofi in a nutshell (okay, a rather large nutshell). Every parent says how amazing it is and the kids usually love it too but you really have to experience it to get it. For me, it is the staff that makes it amazing. They are truly wonderful people who work very hard to make the experience as magical as it is. Disney World may be the happiest place on earth but for me Camp Yofi is the happiest, friendliest, and most wonderful place on the planet with the most wonderful human beings you could ask for caring for your children. These are the type of people who should be working with our kids especially those with special needs. They are warm, caring, kind, patient, sweet, friendly, and amazing in every way. At every family activity staff who isn't actively participating form the human fence also know as the wall of love. That's really what it is. These people are love personified. Forget the fact that the programs are great and camp is great. Without these wonderful people doing what they do, especially those that work with the children and even more so the ones who work with the children with autism, it wouldn't work and it wouldn't be amazing. Every one that I've ever met has been the friendliest, kindest, and warmest people you could ever want to meet. Joshua has had three different counselors (chavers). Each one has been amazing with him. They are only supposed to be with them during the morning and meet back up with us in the afternoon as they usually are scheduled to do other things during afternoon times such as work at different areas of camp or lead different activities. This year's counselor was with us as much as we wanted him to be and was fantastic with Joshua. We did a walk to a waterfall and he carried Joshua for more than half the walk up to the waterfall singing to him all the time (one of the songs he sang was from Barney, the I love you song, how sweet is that?!). He was patient in reading books to him over and over again. He learned early on how much Joshua loves books and would take a book from the playroom with him wherever they went so if Joshua got bored or tired of waiting for something he had a book for him to look at or he would read to him. He had Joshua on a float in the pool (I sent my husband to spy on them once) and he just pulled and pushed him around the pool (Joshua can't swim). The only thing they could do to improve it is to make it longer. They start working on it as soon as the regular camp session ends so it couldn't start any earlier and this year some of the kids went back to school the day after it ended and they do need time to travel as many of the families come from Florida and those who drive have a very long drive (10+ hours for many). We are lucky it is less than a 4 hour drive for us. So that's it it; we love it, and we love the people who make it possible. Watch the video and the slideshow you will get just a small taste of what it is and maybe some of the magic that is Camp Yofi. Here is a link to last year's video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Km8YKFuJijg&t=2s
Here is the slideshow from 2016 https://vimeo.com/178770985.
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