Kol Ramah

Rotem welcomes Nitzanim to Radio Kol Ramah for a great music and talk show

Parashat Va-etchanan [Deuteronomy 3:23-7:11] is always read on Shabbat Nachamu, the Shabbat after Tisha B’Av, so named because nachamu is the first word of the haftarah [Isaiah 40:1-26]. It seems appropriate that the Shabbat we come out of our commemoration of the death and destruction associated with Tisha B’AV that our Torah reading includes both the first paragraph of the Shema [Deuteronomy 6:4-9] and the Ten Commandments [Deuteronomy 5:6-18]. It is not too much to say that these two texts are foundational to Judaism, and that we best mark the turn from Tisha B’Av towards consolation and the upcoming High Holy Days by recommitting ourselves to them. Our conversation focused on the metaphor of the כור ברזל [kur barzel, translated as iron blast furnace, in the NJPS translation] for the first twenty minutes or so. We then shifted to a consideration of comfort, the theme of the haftarah. We continue to keep in mind the hostages, dead and alive, may they be speedily returned to their families. We are also m

Food talk by Nitznim - Rave reviews for kitchen staff!!

Heartwarming (and very cute) visit by Chaverim to Radio Kol Ramah!

Cantor Silverstone visits Rotem and Ta'am the studio and talks about the history of camp when he was a camper at CRB!

Parashat D’varim [Deuteronomy 1:1-3:22] is the opening parashah of the Book of Deuteronomy. Having reached the eastern border of the Promised Land, Moses addresses the people for the last time in a series of discourses, culminating in his death alone atop the mountain, to be buried by God in a place unknown to any human. We spent over half our conversation discussing Moses as prophet and leader at this particular time in his life, and what he had to say to his people as his life comes to its conclusion while the people ready themselves to begin their lives anew in Israel. In the remaining time we discussed the haftarah [Isaiah 1:1-27]. This Shabbat, the one preceding [and this year immediately preceding] Tisha B’av, observed Saturday night and Sunday, August 2-3, 2025, is called Shabbat Chazon, the Shabbat of Vision, after the first word in the Book of Isaiah. It is the third of the three haftarot of admonition, which will be followed by the 7 haftarot of consolation. We continue to keep in our hearts and

Bunk A17 Nitzanim stops by the Kol Ramah studio to visit Rotem and tell us all about life at camp!

Bunk A14 Tzeirim stops by the Kol Ramah studio to visit Rotem and tell us all about life at camp!

Bunk A10 Tzeirim stops by the Kol Ramah studio to visit Rotem and tell us all about life at camp!

Today we hosted the Camp Together program! Teens from Isreal are joining Camp Ramah and are here to tell us about themselves and their experiences.

Parashat Mattot-Massei [Numbers 30:2-36:13] is a double parashah which concludes the Book of Numbers. It is one of the longest readings of the year, even for those who use the triennial cycle. Our focus this week was the curious story about the tribes of Gad and Reuven, and the half-tribe of Menashe. As the Israelites’ forty-year journey is coming to an end, with the entrance into the Land of Israel imminent, these tribes, blessed with much cattle and flocks, decide they want to stay east of the Jordan. How to unpack this story? Give a listen! We continue to be mindful of the hostages being held in Gaza, both the living and the dead, may they be speedily returned to their families. We also keep in mind those defending Israel as part of the Israel Defense Forces, may they be removed from harm’s way. Shabbat Shalom and Chodesh Tov [the month of Av, which marks the 11th yahrtzeit of my father, Mel Chesler z”l, is this Shabbat].

Join us for the nitzanim show! We invited our hofa'a staff for a visit, and they told us all about their work on the musicals at camp. Featuring: Arielle , Raviv , Naama Yael, Hazel and Annabel . And our staff: Rotem Shimony with Stacy Greenblatt, Jojo Adams and Mika Sayag.

Parsha Talk Pinchas - a Kayitz favorite! Parashat Pinchas [Numbers 25:10-30:1] is probably best known for the holiday calendar in chapters 28 and 29, from which the maftir is taken for the Yamim Noraim [the Days of Awe, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur], for the Shalosh Regalim [the three pilgrimage festivals, Pesach, Shavuot, and Sukkot], and Rosh Chodesh [the beginning of the Hebrew month]. In addition we have the conclusion to the story of the apostasy at Baal Peor, the Second Census in chapter 26, the first rendition of the daughters of Zelophehad, who successfully appeal to Moses to inherit from their father because he had no sons, and the succession of Moses by Joshua. There is a lot to talk about! We continue to keep in mind the hostages, dead and alive, who remain in Gaza, may the be returned to their families speedily. We also are mindful of the soldiers defending Israel as members of the Israel Defense Forces, may they be removed from harm’s way. Shabbat Shalom.

Listen to our guests from bunk a10! A live recording from 7/17 with tzeirim campers telling us about themselves and choosing some fun music:) Featuring Adin, Micah, Jona, Noam, Wesley, Seymour, Louis, Liaml, Asher, Charlie, Nolan, Ben.

Parashat Balak [Numbers 22:2-25:9] primarily tells the tale of Balaam the seer, who is commissioned to curse the Israelites, of whom Balak is deathly afraid. Balak’s plan does not go as planned, as God has other plans for Balaam, one of which involves the famous talking donkey, a precursor to the perhaps more famous Mr. Ed. According to the rabbis, the mouth of the donkey was created on the eve of the first Shabbat, late in the 6th day of Creation, suggesting that already imbedded in Creation was this talking donkey in order to remove the donkey from the realm of the supernatural. Most of the parashah is taken up with Balaam’s four oracles about Israel, concluding with three oracles against the nations. Of particular interest to synagogue goers is Numbers 24:5, which has been incorprorated into the liturgy as the Mah Tovu, the first verse of a paragraph recited upon entering the synagogue for prayer. It is quite striking that this line is uttered for the first time by a non-Jew. The Parashah concludes wi

Soundtrack of this year's fantastic Fourth of July extravaganza! Featuring Landon Braverman and the Tzevet Hofa'a Band!! Special thanks to Mike Schatzberg and Rotem Shimony for recording. Edited and mastered by Yaniv Morozovsky.

Shorashim bechira project - Tiyul Shorashim Join us for a trip around camp with Edat Ha'Shorashim and hear what the campers have to tell!

Parashat Chukat [Numbers 19:1-22:1] is perhaps best known for the story about Moses & The Rock, for which Moses and Aaron were denied entrance into the Land of Israel. Aaron will die later in the parashah, and Moses’s death is recorded in the last chapter of the Torah [Deuteronomy 34], read on Simchat Torah morning. The other well-known chapter is Numbers 19, which is the maftir reading for Shabbat Parah, the third of the four special shabbatot leading up to the holiday of Pesach. This chapter describes the ritual of the red heifer, whose ashes are used to prepare the potion used for purification from corpse contamination. Water also features in the parashah, as it did in our conversation as well. We remain mindful of the hostages, dead and alive, who continue to remain in Gaza; may they be speedily returned to their families. We keep in mind the soldiers defending Israel as members of the Israel Defense Forces, may they be removed from harm’s way. Shabbat Shalom.

Parashat Korach [Numbers 16-18] primarily relates the story of Korach’s rebellion. Modern biblical criticism suggests that the text is perhaps an amalgam of as many as four different rebellions. Our conversation focused on the rebels and on what they were actually rebelling against. How should we characterize Korach, and Dathan and Aviram? Did they have legitimate complaints? Or are they best described as demagogues? How doe we evaluate Moshe as a leader? Give a listen and let us know what you think! We continue to be mindful of the hostages, dead and alive, who are still held in Gaza, may they be speedily returned to their families, and the soldiers defending Israel as part of the Israel Defense Forces. In addition, even with the announced truce between Israel and Iran, we are mindful, too, of the Israeli civilians, under attack, may they be spared. Shabbat Shalom.

Parashat Sh’lach [Numbers 13-15] is predominantly devoted to the episode of the spies, the 12 tribal leaders, men of renown, who entered the Land of Israel to scout it out and come back with a report to B’nai Yisrael, the Israelite community. The devastating consequence of that report was God’s decree that no one over twenty, save the two who rejected that bad report, Caleb and Joshua, would be permitted to enter the Land. Our conversation explored the nature and implications of the spies’ experience in the land. We spent some time, too, discussing the it in relation to the episode of the Golden Calf, an event with which it is sometimes linked, both in the Bible and rabbinic literature. Since our last recording, the war with Iran broke out. We continue to keep in mind the hostages, dead and alive, who, well over 600 days later, remain in Gaza, and pray that they be returned to their families speedily. We also keep in mind the soldiers defending Israel as members of the Israel Defense Forces, may they be