Is working at camp a real job?
Not in the least bit. Sorry to squash your expectations, but camp is not the place where you will be getting your boss's secretary's secretary extra Splenda for his coffee and no, you won't be standing at the Xerox machine all day either. We'll let the "real jobs" take care of those types of "real tasks”. But yes, camp is a place where you'll learn how to work in a team environment, create new programming for kids of all ages, and deeply influence the lives of others. The skills you learn at camp are unquantifiable and cannot be matched elsewhere. Oh, and did we mention that it's crazy fun?

So tell me about these kids…
The campers, chanichim in Hebrew, can sometimes be a handful but they are great. The chanichim hail from many different cities (Toronto, Detroit, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh are the most represented cities), and some kids go to Jewish day schools and some do not. Some keep kosher. Some do not. Some will cry incessantly if the tuck shop is out of Caramilk bars. Some will not. In a nutshell, the Ramah population is extremely diverse and the chanichim are truly inspirational, amazing to talk to, and of course, have fun with!

What are days-off and what do I do?
There will come a time during the summer where you wish you slept in a sandless bed, ate in a venue with less than 400 humans under the age of 16, and shower in a room not occupied by seven other people of various ages who look vaguely familiar. Thankfully, during these times of need, you can take a day off. For five 23-hour spans (excluding the first and last week of camp), you are allowed to take a day off from camp and go into your fantasy wonderland and into the abyss of gumdrops and rainbows. Days-off start after dinner the night you're leaving, and they end right before dinner the next day. Junior counselors generally go on Sunday to Monday, specialists on Tuesday to Wednesday, and senior counselors go Wednesday to Thursday. Of course, exceptions can be made, but we'll definitely think less of you. Just kidding.

Days-off are different for every staff member. Some like to chill out in camp, some go home to Toronto, some take a ride to Barrie to check out the local Costco, and some take a nice hike around beautiful Skeleton Lake. Most staff members, however, go to the many cottages that staff members have. If you hear about staff members planning a day-off (only on their free time, of course!), don't be shy to join the conversation. And, if you want to go somewhere or need a ride, just ask!

Is there laundry at camp?
Yes. And it's easy. Dare we say, it's easier than at home. Each tzrif (cabin) has a bag for darks and a bag for lights; you put your clothes in the correct bag, place it outside at a designated spot, and that's it…a day later, you have spic-and-almost-span clothes and about 83% of your sock collection back. And, if there is ever a laundry emergency (which results from exactly what you think it would result from), there are coin machines available for staff use.

Am I the only new person at camp?
Potentially, but highly unlikely. Every summer, in addition to many new North American staff members, Ramah brings in 30-plus shlichim from Israel called the Mishlachat. They are great to talk to and will teach you some fun words to say in Ivrit and will show you some crazy moves to bust out on the dance floor. Additionally, there are generally 60 first-year staff members who are brand new to the tzevet clan as well.

And that's it - all you ever wanted to know about being on staff at Ramah. Well, that's a lie, but we'll leave you with the advice that every teacher has ever given on the first day of class: if you have a question, someone else is probably thinking the same exact thing, so just ask! Camp is filled with people and resources who are here to help, so don't be shy, get excited, and we'll see you at camp soon!

Brought to you by Senior staff member JP