Dear Ramah in the Rockies community,

I woke up today to the sound of silence. Usually that would sound like heaven, but after ten weeks of awakening every day to the sounds of chalutzim (campers) and tzevet (staff) busily preparing for their day, it seemed unnatural not to hear children running to the bathhouse or playing ping-pong at Ohel Koby. This summer, over 550 youth joined us on our ranch, with as many as 340 members of our community here at one time. With our final tzevet departing in the coming hours, we will have to wait nearly ten months until our community is whole again. Though it is impossible to truly encapsulate what has happened this season, I hope to give you a taste of the energy present on our chava (ranch) this summer.

Dear Ramah in the Rockies Community,

This morning I woke up to the light streaming through my window and to the sounds of chirping birds and rustling trees. I saw no campers playing along the road or in Ohel Koby, and no one was there to yell “Bo-bo-bo-boker Tov!” The blue sky and mountain air still greeted me when I opened my door, but I miss seeing the chalutzim (campers) bustling about, scurrying to the bathhouse or lounging at the picnic tables.