Amir Cohen & Alysa Gerstley Cohen

I came late to camp that year (it was my 4th year) because I had to take summer courses for grad school. My second day back at camp was Amir’s birthday, and he had been out celebrating with other mishlachat. We met at Bauer’s– he thought I was a loud American, I thought he was a rude Israeli. We joked around, and he later told his friends how very annoying he thought I was. But back at camp we talked more, and not long after, I sprained my ankle on my way out of camp one evening. He returned from his night out and came straight to my room in the marp. He helped me ice my leg all night, and we talked and got to know each other. After camp, we continued dating in NY, until he had to go back to Israel at the end of October. He came back a month later, and in January 2001 we were engaged. We married in August 2001. Whenever people ask how we met, they are surprised to hear “Ramah,” but then even more to hear “Wisconsin!” He’s from Israel; I am from NJ. But my good friend from college and his neighbor from Israel were long time Wisconsin-ers, and thanks to each of them, we ended up in the best camp around!

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