The Berkshires Blog

Most Random Ramah Mention I've Ever Seen

2006-08-09T13:46:00.000-04:00

Was on Gawker today...

Spielbergs Make Pratt Institute Their Very Own Camp Ramah

Of course, it has nothing to do with Camp Ramah...it's a riff on "hey, Spielberg's Jewish!" But whatever...it's Gawker! Wild stuff...

Free High Holiday Tickets for Conservative 20s and 30s

2005-09-27T14:28:00.000-04:00

No need to worry about the high cost of High Holiday tickets if you're an alumnus of a Conservative Movement program...just contact Project Reconnect...

Wishing you all a shanah tovah!

USCJ’S PROJECT RECONNECT PARTNERS WITH SYNAGOGUES TO OFFER FREE
HIGH HOLIDAY TICKETS TO CONSERVATIVE MOVEMENT ALUMNI

NEW YORK – The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism’s Project Reconnect has teamed up with Conservative synagogues throughout North America and Israel to offer free High Holiday tickets to 20- and 30-somethings who have been involved with programs run by the Conservative movement.

United Synagogue, working with NAASE, the North American Association of Synagogue Executives, launched Project Reconnect in an effort to reconnect alumni of USY, Atid, Koach, Nativ, the Conservative Yeshiva, Camp Ramah, the Solomon Schechter schools, and other Conservative movement youth programs.
Now, alumni are urged to go to the Project Reconnect website, www.projectreconnect.org, as soon as possible for information on the free High Holiday tickets offered as part of Project Reconnect’s “Come Home for the Holidays” initiative. The website contains an extensive list of contact information for Conservative congregations throughout the country.

“Project Reconnect’s mission is to reinvolve, reinvigorate, and reconnect the very many Jewish adults who were touched by the Conservative movement’s programs for teenagers, college students and young adults. This year, as part of Project Reconnect’s effort to get those who grew up in the Conservative movement to come home for the holidays, regardless of their affiliation today, we are offering free High Holiday tickets,” said Project Reconnect’s chair, Jackie Saltz. “The perceived high cost of High Holiday tickets could be a turn-off to young adults. As a result, we are seizing the opportunity to let them reconnect with their Conservative roots for free as we usher in the New Year. The concept of reconnecting is especially timely at this time of year since we focus on teshuva, a return to our roots and to God, during the High Holiday season,” she added.

The Conservative Jewish movement in Israel, Masorti, also is part of the initiative. “Come Home for the Holidays” matches alumni with Israeli families for home hospitality on holidays or Shabbat.

Situation: Comedy Press Release and Mark Treitel Bio...

2005-08-28T23:58:00.000-04:00

FYI, everyone...

Link to press release

Mark Treitel's Bio

Mark gives new meaning to the word “multi-tasking” and can switch gears flawlessly. Besides being a comedy writer, he has among other things, prosecuted misdemeanors as a city attorney in the Los Angeles area, parlayed his Biology degree to become a member of the US Patent bar, as well as fastidiously collecting adverbs in his spare time.

Mark hails from a small town in Long Island; Port Jefferson, New York, where he merged his love of television and comedy by writing his first play in elementary school, “The Eighth Grade Sails The Love Boat.” At Tufts University, he was one of the original writers of Tuft’s comedy newspaper, The Zamboni, founded by Entertainment Weekly’s Josh Wolk. After unsuccessfully winning Homecoming King, Mark declared martial law and proclaimed himself Spring Fling King.

Next, he used his legal and comedy background at New York City’s Cardozo School of Law, co-writing the school’s Law Revue show with Jeff Marx, acclaimed co-creator of Broadway’s “Avenue Q.” He was also the co-editor-in-chief of the school’s newspaper, where he won one of the ABA’s awards for Best Law School newspaper. Since graduating, he’s used the powers of law to wipe out injustice and the occasional parking ticket.

Mark concluded to be a successful comedy writer, he had to relocate to Los Angeles. He knew it was only a matter of time until people recognized him for his talents. After being selected for the prestigious Warner Bros. Comedy Writers Workshop, and having one of his scripts performed at the HBO Comedy Workspace, he was rewarded with seeing numerous colleagues achieve great success. Nine years of broken dreams later – while never losing hope –he’s finally gotten his chance for success as a finalist on Bravo’s Situation: Comedy.

Mark lives with his beautiful, funny and one-of-a-kind wife, Mindy, who is also a transplant New Yorker. She and Mark’s family are ecstatic that Mark has been given this opportunity to finally fulfill all of his dreams, but she constantly reminds him he still has to do the laundry.

Mark Treitel and Shoe Schuster bio

Mark Treitel and Shoe Schuster ironically met at a UCLA sitcom pilot writing class. Their friendship developed into a solid writing team with a full folio of sitcom and feature projects. After grueling years of hard work, rewrites and the occasional pats-on-the-back, Mark and Shoe were ecstatic to be selected out of ten thousand submissions on Bravo’s “Situation: Comedy.” They were one of the finalists chosen by Sean Hayes (“Will & Grace”) and his producing partner, Todd Milliner. Mark & Shoe’s sitcom pilot, “The Sperm Donor” was hand picked by NBC’s Network Entertainment President, Kevin Reilly, to be one of the two pilot presentations to go into production in front of America’s eyes.

Mark and Shoe wrote “The Sperm Donor” as harkening back to the more family oriented sitcoms of their youths. They see the show as a quintessential “Odd Couple” with a male and female lead, and a strong family center. The duo worked hard to make sure that there were sustainable flesh and blood characters that could catapult their original premise into reality.

During the rushed six week production schedule, Mark and Shoe worked long hours to get their sitcom pilot off the ground. Under the tutelage of TV legends Mort Nathan (“Golden Girls”), Stan Zimmerman (“Gilmore Girls”) & Maxine Lapidus (“Roseanne”), they endured the arduous never-ending process of rewriting, casting, and production run-thrus and editing, nurturing their idea into a living, breathing sitcom pilot, shot before a live studio audience on the “Will & Grace” soundstage. Not only did they have a shortened shooting schedule as compared to most pilots, but Mark and Shoe faced the additional onus of constantly being filmed for the reality show. They worked through all the problems and finessed the script into a television show that fits right along NBC’s other quality programming. They know if the show would be given a chance to air on network television it would become a family favorite.

Mark and Shoe have recently optioned a script with Mike Epps (“The Honeymooners”, “All About The Benjamins”) attached and are currently developing a comedy feature with Zucker/Netter Productions (the home of such comedy classics as “Airplane” and “The Naked Gun”.) For more info visit http://www.marktreitel.com/ and http://www.shoeschuster.com/.

Situation: Comedy--Your Vote Counts...

2005-08-28T23:52:00.000-04:00

A note from Mark Treitel
AKA "SHTICKMAN"

I'm currently on a reality show on Bravo Television, called "Situation: Comedy", produced by Sean Hayes ("WILL & GRACE"), airing Fridays at 7 - 8 PM.

I was chosen out of 10,000 scripts to make a pilot for NBC.

Currently, America can vote for my sitcom "The Sperm Donor" on http://aol.com/situationcomedy

People can vote once a day, until Friday, Sept. 2, 2005 at midnight.

Every vote counts.

My writing partner and I can win $50,000.00, a Hollywood Agent, and it will really help propel my ten year quest to be a succesful sitcom writer.

Our show stars MAGGIE WHEELER ("JANICE" from "FRIENDS") and DAVID DELUISE ("THIRD ROCK FROM THE SUN" and DOM DELUISE'S SON).

To watch the pilot presentation, go to the aol.com/situationcomedy site.

For more info:

www.marktreitel.com
www.Bravotv.com/situation_comedy

Please forward this information to as many people as possible as time is running out!

Thanks in advance for your support at this exciting time in my life...

Thoughts of Av

2005-08-15T10:08:00.000-04:00

Anyone who went to Camp Ramah came away with a Tish'ah B'Av experience: from Eikhah on the basketball courts to the fasting on what was inevitably the hottest and most uncomfortable day of the summer, from afternoon activities focusing on Holocaust movies and Israeli history to the final tekes (ceremony) ending the holiday. I even remember a post-fast blintz-eating contest in which I was only a casual (and somewhat grossed-out) observer.

But do any of us remember observing (or even hearing about) Tu B'Av? Were Camp's educational authorities scared to present us with a holiday that might be construed as a religious day of hooking up?

Have any of you ever heard of this holiday? What do you know about it? Have you ever gone to a Tu B'Av party like this one?

Your comments and reflections welcome here...

Man Leaves Wife at Gas Station

2005-08-08T11:09:00.000-04:00

ROME, Italy (Reuters) -- A Macedonian man left his wife at an Italian
service station and only realized he had driven off without her six hours later,
news agency Ansa said.
Complete article here.

For some reason, this made me think of a certain Machon edah that, once upon a time, accidentally left a member of Mishlachat at a rest stop in Canada. ("Tami, can you hear me?")

A New Post, Finally

2005-07-25T14:04:00.000-04:00

It's been a long time since I've posted to the Berkshires Blog, but a special TV event has coaxed the Berkshires Bloggerette out of retirement.

Longtime Ramahnik Mark Treitel will be appearing on Situation: Comedy, a Project Greenlight type reality show/sitcom writing search, which premieres Tuesday, July 26 (tomorrow) on Bravo--set your VCRs, DVDs, TiVos, beagles, alarm clocks, simonized watches or sundials, to make sure you don't miss it. At some point, audience voting will be involved, so stay tuned and support the comedy team of Mark & Shoe...

For more information, you can see Mark's blog, here. Or click here for my somewhat more convoluted take on the story.

And if you'd like us to post to the Berkshires Blog more frequently, write and let us know!

UPDATE: Situation: Comedy has moved to Friday, 7-8pm EST. Set your TiVos!

Berkshire Blog on Hiatus

2005-05-30T13:11:00.000-04:00

The Berkshire Blog is officially on hiatus. If you'd like to write for us or to let us know about your blog, click here.

To contact the Ramah in the Berkshires Alumni Association, click here.

AND WE THOUGHT WE HAD IT BAD AS COUNSELORS...

2005-01-22T17:59:00.000-05:00

When I was a counselor, some of our kids were extremely hyperactive, to the point of being unmanageable. After some consultation with camp leadership and talking to parents on Visiting Day, we were made aware that some of the kids were on heavy doses of Ritalin and other meds for AD/HD during the school year. But in the summer, the parents gave the kids a break from the medication, and the rest, as they say, was our history.

But that was nothing! This snippet comes courtesy of a TV-themed e-newsletter that sometimes appears in the mailbox of the Ramah Bloggerette:

ABC continues in its current vein of "reality with reason" with a new reality program finishing up production on six eps called Brat Camp, per Variety. Based on the UK series from producer Twenty Twenty, the show brings together nine trouble adolescents at a wilderness camp in Utah where they are challenged to reach outside their comfort zones, develop new character strengths and eventually turn their lives around. To get a feel for this new series, check out four eps of the UK version Brat Camp on ABC Family, Monday nights.—Cynopsis.com

Counseloring is hard. But reality shows are harder.

LET'S GET INVOLVED...

2004-12-02T14:05:00.000-05:00

The Ramah Berkshires Alumni Association is at its best when it has your input. Now is the time to get involved--your talents, from writing to programming, from scholarship fundraising to education, will be of immeasurable assistance as we program for the coming year.

How can you help? Here are just a few ideas:

Raise scholarship money to send needy kids to camp
Create an active, updated alumni presence on the Ramah Berkshires website
Write for our newsletter
Reminisce and reconnect through The Berkshires Blog
Help with programming for next year's Labor Day Weekend
Find out if there's a reunion scheduled for your Edah
Mentor to Ramah counselors looking for internship/professional experience
Be a liaison between your Edah and the Alumni Association
Plan events that maintain the Camp connection during the winter months
Find out about RBA (Ramah Basketball Association)
Find out about RBA (Ramah Babies Association)
Help to promote our events and activities
Create a Ramah presence at the Salute to Israel Parade

To get involved on any level with the Ramah Berkshires Alumni Association, email us. We welcome your involvement!

RAMAH BABIES ROCK NYC

2004-11-18T01:30:00.000-05:00

From this week's issue of The New York Jewish Week:

When Sarah Sokolic of Manhattan found herself an exhausted and isolated new mother after the birth of her son Isaiah in September 2003, she yearned for the company of old friends. She didn’t have far to look. As a board member of the alumni association of Camp Ramah in the Berkshires, Sokolic detected a baby boom occurring among former Ramah campers in their 20s and 30s. So in January, she invited about eight mothers and their babies to her Upper West Side apartment and formed the Ramah Babies Association.

To read the whole article, click here.

ARE YOU A RAMAH BLOGGER?

2004-11-04T16:50:00.000-05:00

If you're here, you probably have a good idea what a blog is. (If you don't, check out the first post on this blog, check out the sidebar for a mission statement, or ask, and we'll reveal all...)

We're putting together a list of Ramahniks who have joined the blogosphere with their own unique blogs--online journalst that provide their unique commentaries on life, love and whatnot.

To join the unofficial Ramah webring, email your name, URL, and a one-sentence description of your blog to the Ramah Bloggerette.

WINGDALE REVISITED

2004-09-11T16:03:00.000-04:00

A week after the conclusion of Labor Day Weekend, here's what you missed if you weren't there:

Checking in at the Mo and finding out what bunk you were in...watching people arrive...changing for Shabbat...Shabbat services at the amphitheater, overlooking Lake Ellis while we said kabbalat shabbat and swatting mosquitoes as we watched children bury themselves in gravel...watching open-eyed children frolic on the camp grounds...a softball game featuring a six-year-old catcher...babies in the sand by the Agam...bonding bunkside with friends...repeated viewings of the Shidduchim Wall on the mirpeset of the Chadar Ochel...the Big Three of Be Carefuls: sunblock, bug spray, and water bottles...cheesecake and tofutti cuties for dessert...pineapple trees with fruit kabob branches...the first ever Kikarstock dinner festival and party to rock Beit Degel Bet as never before... karaoke delights for both adults and kids who were up too late...the traditional campfire...a special Monday jazz breakfast...promises that we'd all do it again next year...

You know the drill. Alumni Reunion, Labor Day Weekend. 2005's on its way.

Shanah tovah, to all.

RAMAH CAMPER AND HARRY POTTER

2004-09-09T16:55:00.000-04:00

Expecting a post about Labor Day Weekend? Don't worry. It's coming.

But in the meantime, the Ramah Bloggerette came across this Jewish Week article about Harry Potter as an educational tool. It also features comments by Yehudit Shuster, an SAR student and Ramah camper who won her school's Harry Potter club's essay contest comparing HP's vision of his parents in the Mirror of Erised to Moses' glimpse of the Land of Israel, that he would never experience in his lifetime:

“Both of them saw what they most desired and knew they were never going to experience it,” Yehudit said in a phone interview from Camp Ramah in the Berkshires.

Our campers sure are terrific--the Ramah Bloggerette approves of this melding of Judaism with popular culture. Yasher koach, Yehudit.

NAMING THE BUNKS

2004-09-01T15:09:00.000-04:00

Last year, I was at Camp for Labor Day, and was lucky enough to stay in what I believe is being called "new staff housing," right near the B-side softball field and the girls' kikar, down the road from Beit Gesher. As soon as I saw these four-star accommodations, private rooms with overhead fans and carpeting, I decreed that thenceforth, the bunk should be called "The Excelsior."

Which got me thinking...why not rename all the bunks in Camp according to a theme? Instead of "Oh, are you in B-14? I'm in B-25" wouldn't it be more exciting to say "Oh, are you in Cosmopolitan? I'm in Margarita"?

Maybe drink names is the wrong way to go. But you get the point. Maybe cities in Israel? Classic TV sitcoms? Tractates of the Talmud? Hotel names? Hebrew animals?

Weigh in with your thoughts, and I'll give it some thought over this Labor Day weekend. Discussion to continue on my return.

LABOR DAY PRICES REDUCED

2004-08-25T00:38:00.000-04:00

Now it's less expensive than ever to attend this year's Labor Day Weekend!

Here are the newly reduced prices. Hope you'll be able to join us!

"Extended" discount rates til 8/31
Adults $195 Full Rates $260
Children 4 and up $60
Children 1-3 $18
Cabin $195 $260
Private Room $295 $360
Class of 2004 $60
2002 - 2003 $110
2000 - 2001 $145

Send your checks and registration forms to Danielle Kagan care of Adam Wallach at the following address:
155 West 68th Street, #1606, NY NY 10023.

ONE OF THOSE DAYS

2004-08-16T14:12:00.000-04:00

You know the ones I mean.

When it's constantly raining, enough to take the humidity down a notch and put a slight chill into the summertime air.

When you know that there's no one at the Agam, and when it's time for swim, you suit up in sneakers and report to Beit Am Aleph to play Ga-Ga.

When you automatically proclaim it "Yom K'visah" (Laundry Day) and spend the day playing Ping Pong or watching movies in the Mo.

When, at night, you walk behind people on the dark dirt road, to see if they splash into puddles so you don't have to.

You know. Yom Geshem in Camp.

ARE WE SEEING YOU LABOR DAY?

2004-08-15T10:50:00.000-04:00

Announcing the 21st Annual Labor Day Alumni Weekend at Camp Ramah in the Berkshires!

Here are some of the important details.
When: Friday, Sept. 3 through Monday, Sept. 6
Please arrive between 3 and 5pm on Friday, Sept. 3
No one will be admitted after Shabbat begins.

Accommodations
Singles in a cabin: $260
Singles in a private room: $295
Families: Adults $260
Children ages 4 and up $60
Children ages 1-3 $18
Also available: Special reduced rates for Classes of 2000-2004
Babysitting (limited number, reserve now)
Sunday option: $60 per person

NEED MORE INFORMATION?
Contact Danielle Kagan Stupak (212-721-0724) or Adam Wallach (212-496-6302)
See you Labor Day!

PS. If you pay via PayPal, please send a copy of the registration form below to Danielle or Adam via regular mail

Click here for a copy of the Registration Form
Click here to Buy Now

Hope to see you there!

CAMP MOVIES WE LOVE

2004-06-28T16:53:00.000-04:00

At least for the Ramah Bloggerette, there are certain movies whose themes, characters and situations evoke the themes, characters and situations that we experienced (or wish we had experienced) at Camp. Here are some favorites: make sure to weigh in with your opinions and additions to the list.

We'll see you in the Mo for this Ramovie Ramah-rathon:

Indian Summer (1993)
Bloggerette's favorite, which she thinks most closely resembles the activities and personalities of Camp. The story of a camp director (Alan Arkin) who invites some of his favorite campers back for a week of Camp-style relaxation. Elizabeth McGovern's sarcastic and spunky, Bill Paxton's irreverent and incorrigible, Diane Lane is luminous, as usual, and Kevin Pollak's hilarious. (The Ramah Bloggerette wishes she had gone to camp with Kevin Pollak. And that they were married. But that's another post.)

Camp (2003)
A touching and hilarious summer at a performing arts camp. This is what Camp would look like if every day were Yom Machazeh (the day when you rehearse the play ALL DAY until that evening's performance) and every peulah (activity) was drama. Starring a cast of extremely talented unknowns. Bloggerette's favorite scene (don't worry, this doesn't spoil it): the debate over ethnic casting.

Wet Hot American Summer (2001)
Counselors try not to work too hard as they provide minimal care for their charges and frolic in the heat of summer. Not that Ramah counselors would know about frolicking and shirking responsibility. Never. Celebrity counselors include Janeane Garofalo, David Hyde Pierce and Paul Rudd.

Little Darlings (1980)
Tatum O'Neal. Kristy MacNichol. Matt Dillon. Add the plot of "Losin' It" and you've got Little Darlings. Look for a blonde, extremely young Cynthia Nixon in a supporting role. And maybe someone can explain why all the campers in the same bunk seem to be different ages.

Meatballs (1979)
Bill Murray. That's all the information the Bloggerette has. Which is good, because that's all the information you need.

What are your favorites and why?

SAVE THE DATE: LABOR DAY WEEKEND

2004-06-24T11:43:00.000-04:00

MARK YOUR CALENDARS: SEPTEMBER 3-6, 2004

This Labor Day weekend, fun and (hopefully) sun on the shores of Lake Ellis can once again be yours; look for the Labor Day Alumni Weekend registration form, coming soon to a mailbox near you.

Whether you're single, just married, married with children or any combination of the above, there are programs at the Labor Day Weekend that will challenge you, feed you, rock you, and relax you.

If you don't receive a registration form, it could be you're not on our list. Why not get in touch with us? Email us or leave us a comment and someone will get back to you!

Want to help with programming for the weekend? Contact Danielle Kagan Stupak, and she'll let you know how you can help.

Looking forward to seeing you there!

EVENT OF INTEREST...

2004-06-24T11:38:00.000-04:00

[Not a Camp-sponsored event.]

If you're in the NY area, you may want to check out this Friday night dinner at Makor in July. It's called "Wet Hot American Shabbat Dinner," and here's the description:

It’s camp reunion night at Makor! Relive old camp memories with old friends, new friends, and Jenny Lebowitz of the Foundation for Jewish Camping.

Pre-registration required by the Wednesday before the dinner. Vegetarian dinners optional with phone reservation. Call 212.601.1000 for details.

Click here for a complete description of the event and to register.

HAYOM YOM BLOG

2004-06-15T03:25:00.000-04:00

As we all know, this is "Camp" for "Today is Yom Blog."

This is the first entry on a blog that the Alumni Hanhallah hopes will help to facilitate communication among Ramah alumni.

Whether you've lost touch with an old friend, have a story about how Camp has helped you get a job or find love, or just want to share a Camp memory, here's the place to do it.

Got a blog of your own? Let the Ramahniks know.

Roll with your Ramah homies here; kick it old school.

Send your memories to The Ramah Bloggerette and she'll hook you up.

Welcome to the future. Let's blog.