Rabbi Ed Snitkoff - Director
Over the past 30 years Ed has served as a congregational rabbi, teacher, religious school principal, camp educator, and Israel tour educator/guide. Ed studied at Columbia University, The Jewish Theological Seminary of America, Hebrew University, Teacher’s College, and the Jordan Valley College. He has degrees in Anthropology and Jewish History, and advanced degrees in Rabbinic Literature and Jewish Education. Ed is also a licensed Israeli tour guide.
After being ordained at JTS he served for 6 years as a congregational rabbi and religious school principal in Harrisburg PA. When they made Aliyah in 1992, Ed and his family settled on Kibbutz Lavi and lived there as members for 8 years. After moving to Jerusalem in 2000, Ed served as the Educational Director of the Young Judaea Year Course, and Educational Coordinator for North America at the Department for Jewish Zionist Education of the Jewish Agency for Israel. Ed's relationship with Ramah began in 1983 when he was a Rosh Eida at Camp Ramah in California, and continued when he served as a teacher at Camp Ramah in the Berkshires in the years before making Aliyah. Ed joined the staff of Seminar in 2007. He is married to Minda and has 4 children and a baby grandson (born in Jerusalem during the first Shabbat of Seminar 2010- the first Snitkoff Sabra in 2000 years!).
Dr. Joe Freedman - Director of Ramah Programs in Israel
Joe holds an M.A. in Jewish Education from the Jewish Theological Seminary and an Ed.D. from Teacher's College, Columbia University. Before coming to Ramah, Joe served as Director of in-service training at Hebrew University's Melton Center for Jewish Education in the Diaspora. Joe served as director of the Ramah Israel Seminar from 1986-1999, during which time he also earned the prestigious tour guide license issued by Israel's Ministry of Tourism. Joe has produced numerous educational and hadracha materials, going all the way back to his days with the Jewish Theological Seminary's Leader's Training Fellowship beginning in 1971. Joe has also worked extensively with Camp Ramah in Wisconsin and served as Summer Director of Camp Ramah in New England in 1988. He came on aliya in 1980 with his wife. They have four children and live in Jerusalem.
Michal Chacham - Assistant Director
Michal is currently completing her degree in Land of Israel Studies in Bar Ilan University. She has many years of experience with Ramah as a family educator with Ramah Programs in Israel, and was also a madricha on TRY 2005 (Tichon Ramah Yerushalayim), Ramah’s Jerusalem High School. Michal worked for six summers at Camp Ramah in the Berkshires from 2003-2008, where she served as Rosh Edah and rosh mishlachat. Michal also works with the Jewish Agency Shlichut Department, selecting and training Shlichim to work in Jewish summer camps in North America. Michal grew up in Tiberias, and currently lives in Jerusalem. This is going to be her 2nd summer as Assistant Director of Seminar.
Eliraz Shor - Rosh Kvutza - Nachshon
Eliraz was born and bred in Jerusalem, Israel. After her military service in Galei- Tzahal – the IDF radio station, she went to BCI in Simi Valley, California, and was a counselor at Camp Alonim. Back in Israel, she worked in the ministry of tourism and in Techelet- the Jewish TV channel. She served as a volunteer Shlicha in Durban, South Africa for a year, and then worked with groups of youth and young adults in various programs through USY, The Israel Experience, Masa, Avi Chai and Mashkuchit. For the past two years she's been working at the Metzilah Center for Jewish, Zionist, Liberalist and Humanist thought. Eliraz is currently an MA student in Hebrew literature at Ben Gurion University and a teacher in training at Kerem, and is super excited to spend the summer with Ramah Israel Seminar!
Betsalel Steinhart - Rosh Chinuch BaShetach / Field Education Supervisor
Betsalel was born in London, England, and made Aliyah as a teen with his family in 1986. After his army service, he earned a B.A. in Psychology from Bar Ilan University, and is currently studying towards an M.A. in Jewish Education at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Betsalel has worked with a number of Israeli institutions involved in educating Diaspora youth, joining Ramah in 2000. He has worked in all of Ramah's departments in many educational and logistical capacities, and is currently teaching the ICC (Israel Core Course) on TRY. He is blessed to live in Jerusalem with his wife and four sons.
Judy Greene - Israel Program Coordinator, National Office
Judy Diamond Greene has an MSW from the Wurzweiler School of Social Work at Yeshiva University and received Certification as a Family Educator from Hebrew College, University of Hartford. Judy is the co-author of the new curriculum, “Sacred Choices”, published through the Union for Reform Judaism. She is also a Founder of Mayyim Hayyim, the Community Mikveh and Education Resource Center in Newton, MA. Judy lived in Massachusetts for 27 years before moving to New York. While in MA, she was Director of the Teen Initiative sponsored by the Harold Grinspoon Foundation, Outreach Coordinator for the New England Region of Conservative Judaism, teacher at Solomon Shechter Day School in Newton, and Gann Academy/New Jewish High School in Waltham. She also spent 16 years working at Camp Ramah in New England. Judy is married to Rabbi Gary Greene and has four sons; Amichai, Hillel, Roni, and Asaf. She is currently residing in Douglaston, NY.
at the ramah programs in israel we know that the members of our staff are crucial for the success of our program. here is some information about the people involved in ramah israel seminar
Ilan Bloch
Ilan has guided three Seminar groups (and six TRY groups) and can't wait for Seminar 2010. He is a Ministry of Education-authorized Tour Guide, and is currently completing grad school in Jewish Education and Non-Profit Management. He has been working at Ramah in various roles since he made Aliyah from Australia more than five years ago. He got married to Yael last November and they live together happily in Jerusalem.
Nicole Dror - Administrative Coordinator
Nicole grew up in London, England, and made aliyah in January 1994. Just three months later she was employed as Ramah's administrative assistant. Nicole worked for Ramah until the year 2000 and held various positions including working as a Trip Coordinator for RII (Ramah Israel Institute) and spent a year working for the Israel Desk in the Ramah New York office. In the
winter of 2008, Nicole returned to the Ramah family! Nicole has a rich background in administration and logistics and has worked
at the Prime Minister's Office, the World Zionist Organization, and most recently at the Jerusalem Foundation as a writer for
Culture Affairs. Nicole is married and lives with her husband and two children in Jerusalem.
Alan Goldman
Alan grew up in Philadelphia PA and made aliyah in 1989 after completing a B.A. from Clark University in Sociology and Jewish Studies. For the last 20 years Alan has been involved in formal and informal Jewish education in Israel programs serving on the senior faculty for a number of organisations, including Ramah Israel Programs, Young Judaea Year Course, and Machon HaDati (B'nei Akiva Hachshara). Alan has also gained wide experience in teaching outside the classroom both in Israel and Eastern Europe. Throughout the years Alan has remained committed to his own personal development by studying at Yeshivat Knessset Beit Eliezer and receiving semicha (Rabbinic Ordination) in 1998. He is currently completing a Masters Degree in Jewish History from Touro College at the Landers Campus in Jerusalem. Alan lives with his wife Missy, whom he met at Ramah Poconos, and their two children on Moshav Beit Meir in the Judaen Hills.
Seminar 2010 Staff
Cindy Nathanson - Yoetzet / Guidance
Cindy Nathanson, MSW, LCSW, was born and raised in New York. She graduated from The New York University School of Social Work in 1997 with a masters degree in Social Work. Upon graduation, Cindy began working at Jewish Child Care Association as a social worker in their foster care division, primarily with the teenage population. In 2003 Cindy was promoted to Social Work Supervisor and remained in that role until 2007, when she made Aliyah. Cindy is currently attending The Family Institute at Neve Yerushalayim where she will receive a certificate in counseling and family therapy. Cindy is eager and excited to be part of Ramah Seminar this summer!
Jonathan Madoff - Yoetz / Guidance
Jonathan Madoff MSW, LSW, is a social worker with many years of camping and staffing experience at Camp Ramah in the Poconos, where he served in various capacities, including Yoetz. Jonathan made Aliyah in April, and lives in Tel Aviv.
Seminar 2010 Mehanchim / Educators
Seminar 2010 - Rashei Kvutza
Alana Tilman - Rosh Kvutza - Shemer
Alana is a recent graduate of Brandeis University with a degree in psychology, Judaic studies and Hebrew literature. Outside of her studies, she is very active in Jewish life on campus and works as a Hebrew school teacher and USY advisor. Originally from suburban Philadelphia, she spent six summers as a camper and three as a counselor at Ramah in the Poconos. Last year after studying abroad at The Hebrew University, she was a Madricha on Ramah Seminar. She is thrilled to be returning to Seminar this summer as a Rosh Kvutza!
Meir Kornfeld - Rosh Kvutza - Rachel
I was born and raised in the small southern town of Meitar in the Negev but had the privilege of spending a few years abroad in the beautiful state of Maryland during my high school years. After spending 4 years in the army and playing for a semi-professional basketball team for one season, I moved to Jerusalem where I am currently a third year student at Hebrew University, majoring in International Relations. For the past few years I have worked for the Alexander Muss int., for the Jewish Agency for Israel (which also included three amazing summers in Camp Alonim in Los Angeles) and in the Israeli Parliament. I’m very excited about taking part in the great Jewish institution that is Ramah Seminar and I look forward to an exciting summer!
Shani Ilan - Rosh Kvutza - Amichai
My name is Shani Ilan (26). I live in the Ben- Shemen Youth Village in Israel. I'm a senior at the "Ruppin Academic Center" working towards a B.A. degree in behavioral science. For the past 3 years, I've been working at the summer shlichim program in the Jewish Agency as a part of the recruitment and guidance team for summer camps "Shlichim".
I was introduced to the world of summer camps in 2005 as a "Shlicha" to JCCA summer camp in Indiana, USA. In 2006, I was a "Rikud" instructor in camp Ramah in Canada. From 2007- 2008, I was a "Rosh Mishlachat" and in summer '09
I was a "Rosh Shorashim" in camp Ramah in Canada. This summer will be my first time at Ramah Seminar as a Rosh Kvutza, I'm very excited and looking forward to having an amazing and experience with all of you here in Israel!!
Ailon Goldstein - Rosh Kvutza - Senesh
Ailon was born and raised in Hoshaya, a small religious settlement in the lower Galilee established by his parents. He studied in Otniel Hesder Yeshiva near Hebron and served in the Nachal Brigade. After the army, Ailon spent two summers in Australia as a madrich in the Zionist Seminars, not forgetting to travel the Far East in between. He is currently finishing his third year in the Hebrew University Law School, and works as a history teacher in the IDF "Nativ" course for Judaic studies. Ailon likes biking, frisbee, and listening to weird Icelandic music in his spare time.
Netta Granit - Rosh Kvutza - Ramon
Netta was born and raised in Jerusalem, the most beautiful city in Israel. Netta is currently completing her B.A in English Literature in the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, while working with the Jewish Agency Shlichut Department in sorting out candidates and training them to work in Jewish summer camps in North America. Netta has worked for two summers in a URJ summer camp in Wisconsin as a horse back riding instructor and later as the stables manager. Netta is super excited and looking forward to seeing all of you in Israel!!
Jaime Salter
Jamie Salter is a licensed Tour Guide who has worked in formal and informal Jewish education settings, both in Israel and in the Diaspora. He has a Masters degree in Jewish Education from the Hebrew University. Jamie has made his home in Jerusalem, having moved from England to Israel nearly ten years ago. He enjoys long-distance running and recently ran the Jerusalem half-marathon! Jamie was a Rosh Kvutza on Seminar in 2000.
The staff of counselors and advisors consist of experienced, mature educators who have a love for and a commitment to Israel and Judaism. North American staff members have often had previous Ramah experience, have lived in Israel, and have a knowledge of the country and its people.
In each group, one staff member functions as the Group Leader (Rosh Kvutza), one serves as a tour educator (Mehanech), and three are counselors (madrichim) responsible for the social and individual well-being of campers. Some counselors are North American or from other English-speaking countries, others are "sabras" (native Israelis). All undergo intensive training throughout the spring in Israel.
Ayelet Arazi - Rosh Kvutza - Agnon
Ayelet, originally from kibbutz Ashdot Ya'akov (near the Kinneret), now lives in the capital city, Jerusalem. She has recently returned from two weeks traveling in Israel with Shechter kids from Connecticut. For 3 summers she's worked at Tawanga summer camp in California, and this summer will be the first out of the last three spent in Israel (so like you, she can't really tell what exactly the weather will be like). This will be her first time working at Ramah Seminar.
" I'm sooooo excited for our summer together in ישראל. One thing though I know for sure - we are going to have so much fun!!!!"
Yankale Berkowitz - Rosh Kvutza - Esther
I grew up in Bnei Brak and Jerusalem. I graduated from the Hartman High School in Jerusalem in 2004. After high school I studied for one year in Yeshivat Ma'aleh Gilboa, and then served as a combat soldier in the Givati Brigade where I was a commander. I finished my army service in June 2008 and went straight to Ramah New England to which I returned in 2009. I was a counselor in TRY ( Tichon Ramah Yerushalim program) in 2009. I am excited to have my first job as a Rosh Kvutza. I look forward to a lot of exciting, stimulating and fun times this summer. I can't wait to meet everyone!
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