Visiting Camp

Camp Ramah in Wisconsin extends a warm invitation to camper families, alumni and professionals of our constituent congregations to visit camp during the summer. These visits provide an opportunity to visit with campers as well as to observe the camp program.

All visitors must have the prior approval of the camp director and must register at the business office upon arrival at camp. We regret that we will be unable to accommodate visitors who "drop in" unannounced either as day visitors or for an overnight stay.

We do regard it necessary to limit each person to one visit during the course of the summer, in one of the ways described below. The cooperation and understanding show by visitors over the years has enabled us to make visits to camp an enjoyable experience for everyone.

NOTE: Camp Ramah operates on Central Daylight Savings Time, as does the rest of the Midwest. All times indicated below are CDT.

Official Camp Visitors' Days
July 13-14, 2008
Most families visit during the official Visitors' Days, when the camp schedule is geared specifically for families to see the camp and visit with the campers. Detailed information on the Visitors' Days schedule along with a Sunday dinner reservation form will be sent out in June. The tentative schedule for these days is:

Sunday, July 13
2:00 p.m.     Camp opens to visitors
3:00 p.m.     Mincha service followed by musical and dance performance
5:30 p.m.     Picnic dinner
8:00 p.m.     Visitors depart

Monday, July 14
9:30 a.m.     Camp opens to visitors
12:00 p.m.   Snack time for campers and visitors
2:00 p.m.      Visitors depart

Please note: On July 13 and July 14, the camp will not be open to visitors at times other than those designated above. Visitors are not permitted to take campers out of camp at any time.

CAMP VISITS OTHER THAN JULY 13 & 14
RESERVATION FORMS
Below, you find information about how to reserve an overnight visit in the Ramah guesthouse or arrange for a day visit.  Space in the guesthouse is limited and reservations are made on a first-come, first-served basis. Please send completed forms by fax to 312-606-7136, or by mail to 65 E Wacker Place, Suite 1200, Chicago, IL 60601.

OVERNIGHT VISITS
A stay in the Ramah guesthouse gives you an opportunity to see the camp in action and participate in camp activities. Each guesthouse room is equipped with twin beds and a private bathroom, and can accomodate 2 adults plus 1 or 2 children. The guesthouse fee, which includes meals and accomodations, is $100 per night per adult and $40 per night per child ages 5-13.  Click here to print an overnight visit form

DAY VISITS
You may visit camp on a Sunday or Tuesday from 10:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. by making advance reservations using the day visitor form. If you will be in camp at lunch time (2:00 p.m.) you are welcome to make a reservation to eat in the guest dining hall. The cost is $10 per person.  Click here to print a day visit form

VISITING GARINIM AND HALUTZIM CAMPERS
There is always an educational question about including family visits for 4-week campers. For some of the campers attending overnight camp for the first time, there is a concern that a family visit will make it more difficult to be away from home. We recommend the following: for families whose campers have already visited camp to see older siblings, we do not recommend a visit to Garinim or Halutzim campers. For families for whom this is a first experience with Ramah, we are very eager for you to see the camp for yourself, meet the staff and have a sense of your own child as part of the Ramah community.

Note to Garinim families regarding the official camp Visitors' Days:
Garinim campers will be out of camp all day on Sunday, July 13, on a special field trip. Garinim campers will be in camp on Monday, July 14.

VISITING CAMP TO SEE A PLAY PERFORMANCE
One of the highlights of the Camp Ramah season is the performance by each full-season division of a Broadway musical in Hebrew. All campers participate in these productions through acting, singing, dancing, choreography, costumes or lighting design.

We have found that each summer there are a number of parents who request to attend a camp play. We welcome you to be a member of the audience! Each play begins at 8:00 p.m. CDT and ends at approximately 9:30 p.m. You may enter camp after dinner at 7:30 p.m. and go directly to the Bet Am. After the performance you will have time for a short visit with your camper. We ask that you plan to leave camp by 10:00 p.m.

The schedule of plays and performance dates will be posted on the camp website during the first week of camp.

For more information email Linda Hoffenberg, pre-season visitor coordinator, at LHoffenberg@ramahwisconsin.com