Ramah Darom`s 2014 Annual Report

RAMAH DAROM AT 18
RAMAH DAROM 2014 ANNUAL REPORT
1
RAMAH DAROM ANNUAL REPORT 2014
THEN AND NOW!
Ramah Darom at Chai – Celebrating 18 Years
of Jewish Living and Learning
This year, Ramah Darom celebrates our 18th birthday as an inclusive, experiential center for Jewish living and
learning in the Southeast. As we commemorate our chai anniversary, we find ourselves reflecting on our past and
considering how we can continue to meet the changing needs of our community throughout the next 18 years
and beyond.
The two of us have had the unique privilege of being a part of Ramah Darom’s journey for the majority of its 18
years. It seems like just yesterday we were driving our daughters to Camp Ramah Darom for their first summer.
As we caravanned down the dirt road leading to camp, we wondered what was ahead for our children, and hoped
the summer would be a profound experience for them that would offer an opportunity for personal growth and
a lifetime of friendships and memories. We both look back at those days in awe of how deeply Ramah Darom
has touched not just our children’s lives, but those of our entire family. We know that so many of you have had
the same experience, and like you, feel so fortunate to continue to have the chance to be a part of something so
special.
Our educational village where our founders imagined people of all ages could come together has become a
mainstay of the Southern Jewish landscape. From family summer and winter camps to our annual Passover
celebration, and from educational seminars and women’s retreats to weddings and Bar and Bat Mitzvahs, Ramah
Darom is a place thousands of families, friends, donors, supporters, clergy and staff call home. Thanks to you,
we’ve come a long way. But we must continue to grow and evolve so we can support our ever-changing Jewish
community.
This summer, we are very excited to launch a new Tikvah program that will expand upon our efforts to be
an inclusive community. We are investing in a strong Jewish future through enhanced campus programs and
facilities through the creation of the VISION 2020 Capital Campaign. This is the first phase of a multi-step plan
as we look to a strong future.
Thank you for being such a special part of the past 18 years, and for your continued support as we enter this
exciting new chapter in our history.
Frederick R. Levick
Chief Executive Officer
Sanford H. Herman, MD
President
RAMAH DAROM THROUGH THE YEARS
National Ramah Commission
approves addition of Camp
Ramah Darom
1995
•
1996
•
Amphitheater, new dining
center and first retreat
building completed
First phase construction completed
First summer of campers
Land purchased,
Ramah Darom dedicated
1997
•
1998
•
Three mountainside cabins &
maintenance center completed
RAMAH DAROM ANNUAL REPORT 2014
1999
•
1
Ramah Darom – the Early Years
Nearly 60 years ago, officers of the Southeast Region of United Synagogue first proposed the idea of a
Ramah camp in the Southeast.
Forty years passed before the National Ramah Commission approved the addition of a new Ramah camp.
The parcel of land that is now Ramah Darom was purchased in April of 1996. After a 40-year wait, our
founders were motivated by a real sense of urgency to make Ramah Darom a reality they could enjoy
watching grow during their lifetime. They held a dedication ceremony a month after the land was purchased
and, by November, the transformation was underway.
In the summer of 1997 – just seven months after construction began – Ramah Darom welcomed its first
group of campers. Although our founders had a clear vision for what they wanted to achieve, Ramah Darom
has blossomed into more than they imagined. With the start of that summer, Ramah Darom’s original
“Daromnicks” became the fisrst generation to benefit from this magical experience.
Max Horovitz
Ramah Darom camper
It’s hard to single out what I liked most about Camp Ramah
Darom as a kid. I found Shabbat there to be particularly
meaningful. I believe the experience as a whole had a strong
influence on my life, and I find it’s always a great experience
when I run into someone I met at camp.
Child psychologist
I’ve always had an interest in psychology. Working at
Camp Yofi showed me the tremendous need in the area and
solidified my interest in helping children with developmental
disabilities. Today, I am a licensed clinical child psychologist
who specializes in working with children with developmental
disabilities, including Autism Spectrum Disorder.
RAMAH DAROM THROUGH THE YEARS
Lakeside campus
completed
2000
•
Second retreat center
and arts & craft center
completed
2
2001
•
Gesher Leadership
Program established
2002
•
Initial Passover retreat
2003
•
RAMAH DAROM ANNUAL REPORT 2014
2004
•
Ramah Darom – Today
Throughout the past 18 years, children, adults and families have come to Ramah Darom. They have discovered
community. They have learned things about themselves. And they have developed a greater appreciation for
being Jewish.
Thousands of children, some from communities with few Jewish people, have grown up on our campus and are
now becoming leaders in the Jewish and secular world. Staff members have met and exchanged vows. Children
have celebrated their Bar and Bat Mitzvahs. Families have made life-long friends.
We have grown into a world-class Jewish overnight camp and retreat center that offers exceptional experiences
in Jewish living and learning for youth, adults, families and communities year-round. Now, we are constantly
thinking about how we can continue to play a critical role in the community and keep our focus on the future.
Orly Klein
Ramah Darom camp staff
I was on staff at Ramah Darom as a bunk counselor and a Rosh
Eidah for more than six years. My experiences during these
summers taught me to be a better leader, team player, teacher,
and supervisor. During my summers at Ramah Darom, I learned
how to work with kids of all ages, which pointed me toward a
career in pediatrics.
Pediatric oncology fellowship training
My pediatric oncology fellowship training is a combined
program at The Johns Hopkins Hospital and the National
Cancer Institute and I am specializing in pediatric bone
marrow transplantation.
First Taste of Ramah
First Camp Yofi
2005
•
Welcome Center, Odyssey Course built
10 year anniversary celebration
2006
•
2007
Ramah Darom becomes
debt-free
•
2008
•
Tree House built
RAMAH DAROM ANNUAL REPORT 2014
2009
•
3
Ramah Darom – The Next 18 Years and Beyond
As we celebrate our chai anniversary we are planning for Ramah Darom’s future. How will the needs of our
community continue to grow and evolve? How do we continue to have an impact on future generations? What
kind of programs can we offer to help people grow? Who in our community needs a special hand, and how can
we help them? These are only some of the questions we are considering as we imagine the next 18 years and
beyond.
This summer we are proud to launch The Henry and Annette Gibson Tikvah Program. It will be one of the first
fully-inclusive summer camp programs in the Southeast for Jewish children.
The Tikvah Program is part of our Vision 2020 Capital Campaign. The goal of the campaign is to garner
financial support for expanded programming and facility enhancements that will enable us to accommodate
more people in our programs.
These efforts are just the beginning of a multi-phased plan to ensure that our unique and special community
continues to remain a vital force in sustaining the breadth and depth of Jewish life throughout the Southeast.
Bradley Laye
Ramah Darom camp staff
I never had the benefit of attending Ramah Darom as a camper,
but my time on staff there in the late 90’s and early 00’s was
very meaningful and had a great impact on my life. I can still
remember eating cholent as I learned on Shabbat, and now see
how those memories laid the foundation for incredibly deep
friendships. Those friendships are as alive today as they were
then and will continue to nurture me for the rest of my life.
President & CEO of the Jewish Federation
of Greater Dallas
Much of what I do in my personal and professional life is a
direct result of my experience at Ramah Darom.
RAMAH DAROM THROUGH THE YEARS
Inaugural two-week
Taste of Ramah
2010
•
4
2011
2012
Winter Break
Family Camp
begins
Launch of annual
Jewish Women’s
Getaway
•
•
2013
•
RAMAH DAROM ANNUAL REPORT 2014
2014
•
Lake House built
First PJ Library Shabbaton
Master Plan & VISION 2020
The development of our Master Plan and our vision for Ramah Darom’s future was
grounded in a thorough assessment of our values, our programs and the state of our
facility.
The Vision 2020 Capital Campaign will ensure we have an even stronger impact on
the future.
Expanded Programs:
n Excellence in Jewish programming – in summer and year-round – is at the core
of what we do. Our focus will be on developing new and expanded programs to
stay relevant and compelling to Jews of all ages.
n Our inclusive Tikvah program for teenagers with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) will be an engaging
experience in a fully supportive environment where campers can build social skills, develop friendships and
nurture their emerging Jewish identity.
Facility Enhancements:
n Our Tikvah House is being designed especially for the needs of
campers diagnosed
with ASD.
n Enhanced mountainside campus recreational facilities will include a basketball court
and programming pavilion.
n The Lake House will provide changing space, needed storage for lake equipment
and shelter from the elements.
n The new guest lodge will provide additional accommodations for senior camp
leadership, expansion of summer family camps and other special events, and
the ability to attract and accommodate more groups to programs all year.
As we look to the future, we remain grateful to our visionaries and supporters for making
Ramah Darom a world-class, year-round campus, where enriching, transformative experiences steeped
in tradition take place every year. We invite you to join us with your capital gift, which will enable us to
enhance our programs and facilities so they meet the needs of new generations of campers and families.
Every gift, no matter the size, makes a difference. Thank you for your continued support.
First Tikvah summer camp
program offered
•
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
20 year anniversary
RAMAH DAROM ANNUAL REPORT 2014
5
Financial Overview
In FY 2014, your generous contributions of more than $1,400,000 supported our Camp Yofi program,
camp scholarships, exceptional year-round programming and more:
n You contributed $856,036 to our Capital Campaign to help us enhance and maintain our property,
facilities and programs;
Local assistance scholarships = $354,482
$591,701 to support our Annual Fund, build our Endowment, and fund
Ramah Darom = $400,995
n You contributed a total of
Camp Yofi, our acclaimed family summer camp for children with autism.
n The $406,415 you contributed to the Annual Fund ensured exceptional programming for campers
and year-round program participants.
Ramah Darom Financial Aid vs. Local Assistance
Local Assistance
Ramah Darom Financial Aid/Incentive
500,000
400,000
300,000
200,000
100,000
0
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
Local Financial Assistance for Camp Scholarships = $354,482
Ramah Darom Financial Assistance for Camp Scholarships = $400,995
OPERATING REVENUES 10/1/13 – 9/30/14
Camp Tuition and Fees
$4,107,158
Kaplan Mitchell Center Income
$1,212,123
Contributions, Grants, Other Income Applied Toward Operating Expenses
$ 128,791
Less Financial Aid($ 554,237)
Total Revenue
$4,893,835
OPERATING EXPENSE
$5,024,514
INCREASE (DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS FROM OPERATIONS($130,679)
6
RAMAH DAROM ANNUAL REPORT 2014
vcr vsu,
Thank You to Our Donors!
Your Generosity Produces Success....
You contributed $406,415 to our Annual Fund, which ensured financial support
and innovative programming for our campers. You helped 802 campers have a summer
they will never forget.
Of these campers and staff members, 88 travelled to Washington, DC with our
Gesher Leadership program, where they lobbied on behalf of AIPAC, toured the
National Museum of American Jewish History, and learned about Jewish life at some of
the nation’s top universities.
Last summer, ALL of our campers pursued their passions, delivering self-awareness and
independence: 10 campers received their lifeguard certification; 39 participated in
Lucy B’s Double Dutch Jump Rope Clinic; 64 joined our Ultimate Frisbee Workshop;
105 helped create a Jewish comic book with guest master-illustrator Jordan Gorfinkel;
103 participated in inter-camp athletic games; 71 enjoyed watching the Charleston
River Dogs play minor league baseball; and 100% benefited from lake enhancements,
including a state-of-the-art rope swing and new stand-up paddleboards.
29 children with autism and their families were able to attend Camp Yofi, thanks to the
$64,434 you contributed to our Camp Yofi Fund.
Gesher campers who otherwise wouldn’t be able to join us for a meaningful final
summer as a camper now can, thanks to the $87,295 you have contributed to date
for our Andrew Silvershein Memorial Scholarship Fund.
75 women participated in the Jewish Women’s Getaway,
one of the many year-round programs that enables specific
communities of people to come together.
Thanks to the 59 people who joined our Mapal Legacy Society.
By including Ramah Darom in their estate plans, we are positioned for a strong fiscal future
and can focus on long-range plans, such as programming and scholarship assistance for
generations to come.
Every little bit of support goes a long way toward ensuring Ramah Darom’s future.
There are so many ways to contribute. Please join us:
n
Andrew Silvershein Memorial Scholarship Fund
n
Annual Fund
n
Camp Yofi Fund
n
Capital Opportunities: Vision 2020
n
Endowment
n
Honors and Memorials
n
Mapal Legacy Society
RAMAH DAROM ANNUAL REPORT 2014
7
Board of Directors
Officers
Board of Directors
Honorary Board Members
President
Sanford H. Herman
Mark Abramson
Martha Berlin
Barbara Goldberg
Bruce Horovitz
Barry Koffler
Michelle Kravtin Gary
James Krell
David Krueger
Bradley Laye
Elise Lipoff Mayer
Arlene Mitchell
Jason Ossey
Sidney Schlusselberg
Alan Sussman
Elissa Vessal
Karen Weil
Paul Wolpe
Julian Brook
Murray Friedman
Leonard Kaplan (z”l)
Lori Kirschner
J.B. Mazer
Abraham Mitchell
Mayer Mitchell (z”l)
Eugene Sacks
Eric Singer
Ephraim Spielman
Vice Presidents
Benjamin Meisler
Barry Ripps
Howard Zandman
Treasurer
Steven Silva
Secretary
Flora Oynick
Immediate Past President
Debra S. Michaud
8
RAMAH DAROM ANNUAL REPORT 2014
Chief Executive Officer
Frederick R. Levick
Director, Camp Ramah Darom
Geoffrey Menkowitz
Director of Development
Sharon Rosenfeld
THEN AND NOW!
6400 Powers Ferry Road, Suite 215
Atlanta, GA 30339
404.531.0801
www.ramahdarom.org