RCN Coordinators

Skilled leaders on their campuses, Ramah College Network Coordinators are passionate about Ramah and creating strong, engaged Jewish communities. Coordinators plan 6-8 events on their campuses throughout the academic year for Ramah alumni and extended friends of Ramah. Events range from Shabbat celebrations and limmud sessions to rikud study breaks and thoughtful Israel programming. Each event is imbued with Ramah ruach and values, creating both a unique space for continued engagement with Ramah and enhancing the existing Jewish community on campus.

Are you interested in bringing the Ramah College Network to your campus? Reach out to Adina Scheinberg, National Ramah Program Director for more information.

Noa Popky – Canada – Binghamton University
Noa is a senior at Binghamton University studying Psychology and Judaic Studies with a minor in Education. She lives in New Jersey but grew up in Ottawa, Ontario which created her connection with Ramah Canada, where she has continued to spend every summer with Ramah. Noa loves learning about other Ramah camps at Binghamton, and especially teaching others about Canada! Other than RCN, Noa is the Director of Senior Programming at  Hillel at Binghamton, a tour guide on campus, and a Peer Success Coach.  Noa is so excited to work with Dani to make amazing programming for the Ramah community in Binghamton!

Dani Amster – Nyack – Binghamton University
Dani is a senior at Binghamton University majoring in Biomedical Engineering on the pre-health track, with hopes of becoming a pediatric PA in the future. She is from Bayside, New York and has worked at Ramah Nyack for four summers. On campus, Dani is very active in Hillel and is working as a Digital Media Intern this year.  When she’s not at Ramah events, you can find her getting iced coffee, working at the front desk of the University Union, or learning some new skills in her EMT class. Dani is so excited to work with Noa to build connections between Ramahniks and bring her love for Ramah to campus for the second year in a row!

Orli Friedman – Poconos – Boston University
Orli Friedman is a junior at Boston University studying Psychology with minors in Anthropology and Jewish Studies. Orli grew up in the suburbs of Philadelphia and spent eight incredible summers as a camper at Ramah Poconos. On campus, she is very involved with the Hillel, engaging in two fellowships this semester. She is excited to bring the Ramah community together at BU and recreate special Ramah experiences!

Dina Ocken – Berkshires – Brandeis University
Dina Ocken is a sophomore at Brandeis University on the pre-med track. She is from the Upper West Side in New York City, and has spent 12 summers at Ramah Nyack and Berkshires, including most recently a summer on tzevet at Ramah Berkshires. She also did Tichon Ramah Yerushalayim when she was in 10th grade and will recruit anyone she can to do TRY! On campus she plays for the Brandeis Women’s Ultimate Frisbee team (BANSHEE) and she will be the Senior Gabbai of Masorti, Brandeis’s traditional egalitarian minyan. Dina loved attending Ramah programs on campus this past semester and can’t wait to run them and meet even more Ramahniks in the future!

Aviva Weinstein – Poconos – Brandeis University
Aviva Weinstein is a senior at Brandeis University studying Anthropology and Jewish Studies and minoring in Business. She is originally from Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania and attended Ramah Poconos for eight summers, including one on staff, as well as a summer in Israel on Ramah Seminar. On campus, Aviva is a member of the Brandeis Women’s Ultimate Frisbee Team (Banshee), works for the student admissions office as a Chatter, and has held board positions at Brandeis Hillel and Shira Chadasha. Aviva served as the RCN Coordinator last fall before going abroad to Edinburgh for a semester, so she is very excited to be back and continue bringing the magic of Ramah to campus!

Maddie Cosgrove – California – Brown University
Maddie Cosgrove is a second year student at Brown University studying psychology and philosophy. She is from Manhattan, NYC and has gone to Ramah Ojai for the past 12 summers, both as a camper and counselor.  She also did Tichon Ramah Yerushalayim in 2019. Before coming to Providence, Maddie did the Mechina Bina gap year program in Tel Aviv. On campus, Maddie is involved with Brown’s Conservative minyan, volunteers at local elementary schools, and is a member of the Taylor Swift club. She is so excited to bring the Ramah energy to Brown!

Elisheva Malomet – Berkshires – Columbia / Barnard / JTS
Elisheva Malomet is a junior in the Joint Program between Columbia University and the Jewish Theological Seminary of America studying Archaeology and Jewish Texts and Interpretations respectively. Practically born at Ramah in the Berkshires, Elisheva has spent almost every summer of her life there as a staff kid, then camper, and finally as a counselor. Before coming to Columbia/JTS, she spent two years studying in Israel and staffed Ramah Israel Seminar. She is very involved with Hillel, serves as Postcrypt Coffeehouse’s volunteer manager, a student-run acoustic music venue on campus, and the Bayit, Columbia’s Jewish food co-op and living community. Elisheva is so excited to bond with other Ramahnik over shared traditions and rikkud-study breaks!

Eden Astorino – Poconos – Columbia / Barnard / JTS
Eden Astorino is a junior at Columbia University and the Jewish Theological Seminary majoring in Psychology and Jewish Women and Gender Studies. She is from the suburbs of Philadelphia and has spent 10 summers at Camp Ramah in the Poconos and in Israel with Ramah Seminar. Eden spends her time at Columbia and JTS as director of Camp Kesem, working for the JTS admissions office, serving on the board of Hillel, helping the sustainability club, and teaching Hebrew School. She is excited to bring Ramah ruach back to campus this year.

Samantha Albert – Berkshires – Cornell University
Samantha is a Sophomore at Cornell University studying Math and Economics with a minor in Business. She grew up in Tenafly NJ, and spent 2 summers at Ramah Nyack, and then 9 summers at Berkshires including 2 on staff. On campus she is active in Hillel, a part of TAMID and a consulting club on campus. She is so excited to bond with other Ramahniks on Cornell’s campus!

Eli Mars – California – Emory University
Eli Mars is a senior at Emory University studying Psychology and Business Consulting. He is from Los Angeles, California and has spent 10 ruach-filled summers at Ramah in California, including a summer in Israel with Ramah Seminar. In addition to his academics, Eli spends his time at Emory working for the admissions office, serving on Emory Hillel’s executive board, planning events for TEDxEmory, and babysitting for local Atlanta families. He is excited to lead the Emory Ramah Cohort for a second year and to bring the Ramah magic to campus!

Lena Bromberg – Wisconsin – Muhlenberg College
Lena Bromberg is a sophomore at Muhlenberg College where she is double majoring in Psychology and Media and Communications. She grew up in the suburbs of Chicago and spent her summers in the North Woods of Wisconsin at Camp Ramah in Wisconsin, where fun and friendship build Jewish lives. Five of these magical summers were spent as a camper and two as a staff member. On campus, Lena is active on her Hillel’s board and you can listen to her talk for 2 hours straight on the Muhlenberg campus radio 91.7 WMUH Allentown. Lena is excited to bring the Ramah community that she loves so much to Muhlenberg!

Rachel Scheer – New England – Muhlenberg College
Rachel is a Sophomore at Muhlenberg College studying psychology with a minor in women’s and gender studies. She is from Syracuse, New York and has been at Ramah New England for 10 summers as a camper and as a staff member. On campus Rachel serves on Hillel board as co Social Action chair. Rachel loves all things omanut and rikkud and is so excited to bring the ruach of Ramah to Muhlenberg.

Jacob Bengelsdorf – Darom – New York University
Jake is a Junior at New York University studying Business and Political Economy. He is from Nashville, Tennessee and has been going to Ramah Darom since 2011. Jake loves bringing the Ramah ruach to Jewish life at NYU and connecting with other Ramahniks in lower Manhattan.. Outside of RCN, Jake is president of the Egalitarian Minyan at the Bronfman Center, head of the Jewish Learning Fellowship Intern program, in the premiere (only) Jewish a capella group, the Israel Journal, and Hillel laser tag. Jake cannot wait to get to work with the Ramah community at NYU!

Raphi Gold – Rockies – Princeton University
Raphi Gold is a First Year at Princeton University hoping to study English and minor in Environmental Studie. She is from Manhattan and has spent 13 cumulative years at Ramah camps, beginning at Nyack, shifting to Berkshires, and finally landing at Rockies where she spent six summers and will be returning as a counselor this summer. At school, Raphi writes for the Daily Princetonian newspaper, is a Literary Director for a literary magazine, and will start this semester as the Education Chair for Koach, Hillel’s conservative community. Raphi was so glad to find a Ramah community  within the CJL and is so excited to keep bringing the gang together for future events and welcome new Ramahniks onto campus!

Dalia Levi – New England – Northeastern University
Dalia is a second year at Northeastern University studying Nursing. She is from Albany, NY and has gone to Ramah New England for 16 incredible summers. On campus Dalia is the president of Northeastern’s Challah for Hunger chapter as well as participates in many Chabad events as well. Dalia is so excited to be able to bring some of her home away from home to Northeastern’s campus!

Dayna Jacobs – Canada – Queen’s University
Dayna Jacobs is a third-year student at Queen’s University studying Kinesiology. Originially from Toronto, Dayna is a proud Ramah Canada alum. On campus, she is the vice president on the Chabad board and is also an orientation leader for the first-year kinesiology students. For the RCN this year, Dayna is very excited to facilitate fun group activities and events as a break from the stress of school, and to bring her love for Ramah to campus and share it with everyone there!

Dena Feldman – Poconos – Rutgers University
Dena is a senior at Rutgers University majoring in Psychology and minoring in Women and Gender Studies and Jewish Studies. She grew up in Princeton, New Jersey, and has spent many summers at Camp Ramah in the Poconos and in Israel with Ramah Seminar. Seven of those summers were spent as a camper, and three summers as a staff member. At Rutgers, Dena is involved in Rutgers Hillel and Chabad on campus and is excited to bring the ruach of Ramah to Rutgers.

Abby Mehr – Wisconsin – The Ohio State University
Abby Mehr is a sophomore at Ohio State majoring in STEM Education with a physics specialization. She is from the suburbs of Chicago and is so excited to spend her 11th summer at Ramah Wisconsin this kayitz! During the year, Abby is a co-music director of Meshuganotes Jewish A Cappella and a very active member of Off the Lake Productions, Ohio State’s student run, service-based theatre organization. Abby is so excited to bring together the Ramah community at OSU!

Ben Lesserson – Darom – Tulane University
Ben Lesserson is a senior at Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana, majoring in Economics and minoring in Jewish Studies. He is from Palm Beach Gardens, Florida where he was president of his USY chapter. Ben went to Camp Ramah Darom as a camper for eight summers and was a counselor in 2019. He had the privilege to return to Darom as a counselor at Winter Break Family Camp in 2021. In his free time, Ben enjoys playing guitar and listening to music, as well as hosting a radio show for Tulane’s campus radio station.

Maya Tochner – California – University of California, Berkeley
Maya Tochner is a freshman at UC Berkeley, and intends to major in Political Science. She is from Los Angeles, California and has gone to Ramah Ojai for over 12 summers, both as a camper and counselor.  Before coming to Berkeley, Maya did the Hevruta Gap Year program with the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem. On campus, Maya is involved with Berkeley’s Tamid chapter, and is a member of Greek Life as well.  She can’t wait to bring Ramah ruach and traditions to the Berkeley campus!

Nadav Weizman – Darom – University of Central Florida
Nadav has been with Camp Ramah Darom since 2012 and is eagerly anticipating returning this summer where he will be working on Tzevet Musica! Last year Nadav attended Nativ the Conservative gap year in Israel and he is currently a student at the University of Central Florida studying Philosophy.

 

Jamie Bielski – Darom – University of Florida
Jamie is a sophomore at the University of Florida majoring in Psychology with a Hebrew minor. She is from Jacksonville, FL and has been spending summers at Ramah Darom since 2013. Jamie is the VP of Programming for Alpha Epsilon Phi, teaches Hebrew school, and is involved with UF Hillel on campus. She is thrilled to be returning to work at Darom this summer and bringing the magic of Ramah to Gainesville during the year!

Michael Lurie – Nyack University of Maryland
Michael Lurie is a sophomore at University of Maryland studying Philosophy. He is from Livingston, NJ and will work his third summer at Ramah Nyack this year. On campus, Michael is very active in the Hillel community, is a member of the National Hillel Basketball Tournament board, and works for the Department of Resident Life. Some of his favorite hobbies are hiking, playing piano, and Jewish geography. He is thrilled to be the Terp’s RCN coordinator this semester and to expand their thriving community!

Ariel Monson – Poconos University of Maryland
Ariel is a sophomore at the University of Maryland studying Computer Science. She lives in Lower Merion, Pennsylvania and has gone to and worked at Camp Ramah in the Poconos for a total of 14 summers. On campus, she is involved with Hillel, Tamid, and Greek life! Ariel is so excited to bring the Ramah spirit to the UMD campus and meet fellow ramahnicks!

Bella Jureller – Berkshires University of Michigan
Bella Jureller is a junior at the University of Michigan majoring in Public Health and minoring in Middle Eastern Studies. She is from Ridgefield, CT. Ramah has been her home away from home since she was in seventh grade. Bella spent two summers working on Tzevet and loved recreating the camp experiences for her campers. On campus she is a School of Public Health Ambassador and member of the JHealth club. She can’t wait to bring her love for Ramah to Ann Arbor.

Hannah Medved – California – University of Oregon
Hannah Medved is a third year student at the University of Oregon studying Human Physiology, and minoring in Chemistry and Global Health. She is from Los Angeles, CA and spent seven summers at Camp Ramah in California. On campus, she is involved with Hillel and Chabad, student health clubs, and greek life. She can’t wait to share so many amazing memories with the Ramahniks at Oregon!

Elan Roth – Berkshires – University of Pennsylvania
Elan is a sophomore at Penn from Westchester, NY studying mathematical philosophy and computer science. He grew up at Ramah Nyack as a staff brat for 9 summers and returned to work there. He also spent a Gap Year on Hevruta with the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem. On campus, Elan is involved with the interfaith community, the sports analytics club, and Greek Life. Elan is most excited to bring Ramahniks together for Shabbat dinners, engaging programs, and also learning (if anyone will learn with him)!

Sophie Abner – Berkshires – University of Pennsylvania
Sophie Abner is a junior at the University of Pennsylvania studying math. She is from White Plains, NY, and has attended Camp Ramah in the Berkshires since Ta’am Ramah, eventually working on staff for two summers. On campus, Sophie serves on the board of the Penn Undergraduate Math Society and enjoys acting as a Pincus Engagement Intern at Hillel. Sophie is looking forward to bringing the Ramah community at Penn together this semester.

Lauren Meltzer – Poconos – University of Pittsburgh
Lauren is a senior at the University of Pittsburgh majoring in Communication Sciences and Disorders, Jewish Studies, and Children’s Literature. She is from the suburbs of Philadelphia and has spent 11 summers at Camp Ramah in the Poconos and in Israel with Ramah Seminar. Lauren spends her time at Pitt as an active member of Chabad at Pitt, working for Hillel’s Jewish Women’s International programming sector and engaging in the National Student Speech Language Hearing Association. She is excited to see familiar Ramahnik faces around campus, bringing the unique and magical camp feeling to Pittsburgh!

Avi Katzen – Nyack – University of Wisconsin, Madison
Avi is currently a freshman studying civil engineering at UW-Madison. Outside the classroom, you can find him at Hillel and Chabad, taking classes about various Jewish topics or enjoying a delicious home-style Shabbat dinner. Avi tries to go to a sports game almost every weekend — whether it be football, volleyball, basketball, or more; the energy in the stadiums is like nothing else! This upcoming summer will be Avi’s fifth year at Ramah Nyack, and he is excited to take the spirit of the Ramah community with him as the RCN coordinator in Madison!

Rocky Cohen – Wisconsin – Washington University in St. Louis
Rocky Cohen is a senior at Washington University in St. Louis, where she is majoring in Sociology. Rocky is proudly from Chicago, her favorite place in the world second only to Camp Ramah in Wisconsin. Rocky went to camp every summer from the youngest edah on up, and came back as a counselor, too. On campus, Rocky is a peer counselor and a member of J Street U. RCN events helped Rocky meet her friends during her first semester at school, which she hopes to make happen for others!
 

Danielle Gerten – Poconocs – Wesleyan University 
Danielle is a junior at Wesleyan University studying education, environmental studies, and psychology. She is from Baltimore, Maryland and has spent ten summers at Camp Ramah in the Poconos, including Ramah Seminar and two summers on staff. At college, she is co-president of the Wesleyan Jewish Community, a tour guide for the Office of Admissions, and a member of the club badminton team. She is very excited for Wesleyan’s second year in the Ramah College Network and to bring Ramah ruach and engagement to her fellow Ramahniks.

Jacob Ringel – Canada – Wilfrid Laurier University
Jacob is a second-year Business co-op student pursuing minors in English and Judaism at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario. After ten years at Camp Ramah in Canada, Jacob is excited to continue his involvement with the Ramah movement in this different environment. On campus, Jacob is the Director of Shabbat for Hillel and is involved with the intramural programs. Jacob is looking forward to bringing the classic Ramah movement all the way to Waterloo to help strengthen the growing community of Ramahniks.