From Camp to the Capitol
For the second year in a row, thanks to the efforts of Congressman Ted Deutch (D-FL-21), Ramah Poconos alumnus and Ramah Darom parent, 100 alumni and friends of Ramah participated in a nighttime tour of the U.S. Capitol this past Sunday evening. Many of those who attended were in Washington, D.C. for this year’s AIPAC conference.
Congressman Deutch inspired the group as he told of the profound influence of Ramah on his decision to lead a life of public service. He described how when he was a Poconos camper in the 1970s, there were many discussions about efforts to help Jews in the former Soviet Union. One summer, he participated in a day-long simulation, “Escape from the Soviet Union.” Along with his fellow campers, he was given the name of a Soviet Refusenik, who, upon requesting to leave the USSR, “lost” his job, “lost” his apartment, and spent the entire day in camp fleeing from staff members playing the role of KGB agents. Congressman Deutch told the group that his experiences at camp, and this activity in particular, in many ways mark for him the start of his political activism. He also recounted the story of how after he had become a member of Congress, he met Natan Sharansky and said to him, “I got my start in politics by pretending to be you!”
The evening was capped off by the entire group standing on the floor of Congress with arms linked, singing Rad Hayom.
Rami Schwartzer, a JTS rabbinical student and a veteran staff member at Ramah New England who is now the director of the new Ramah Day Camp in Greater Washington, D.C., said, “It was very powerful to have this shared experience with so many Ramah alumni. Sitting in the leather chairs on the floor of Congress and listening to Congressman Deutch speak, I know that I was not alone in feeling an overwhelming sense of pride in my identity as a Jewish American.”
We thank Congressman Deutch and his staff, including Ramah Darom alumnus and Legislative Aide Jason Attermann, who was instrumental in making this happen.