A new Ramah minyan met for the first time on Friday, February 27, at Park Avenue Synagogue in New York City. Over 150 Ramah alumni from every Ramah camp in North America participated in a beautiful Kabbalat Shabbat and Maariv service led by Ramah Berkshires alumnus Eli Grossman. Gabe Scott-Dicker, an alum of Ramah New England and Ramah Nyack, gave a short D’var Torah about the role of Ramah and how its spirit beats in the hearts of all of its alumni, creating a common bond and common experience for thousands of Jews across North America.

After services, an oneg lasting almost three hours had people talking, laughing, and catching up until participants practically closed down the synagogue just after 10 p.m. Overhearing different conversations, one could pick up that “This was an amazing experience,” “I forgot how much I missed this,” and “I can’t wait for the next one.”

This new minyan is entirely lay led, with various subcommittees that focus on marketing, recruitment, logistics, and tefillah. Reshet Ramah provided the oneg for last week’s inaugural minyan, and Park Avenue Synagogue has generously provided the space for the next few weeks. The minyan will then rotate among other convenient NYC locations.

To sign up for the Ramah Minyan, click here.