Summer Staff Information
Ramah in the Rockies hires an outstanding team of people who have extensive wilderness training and backgrounds in outdoor education. We pride ourselves on having an extraordinarily mature, experienced, and well-trained tzevet (staff) that is uniquely accomplished and is amongst the most highly regarded of any Jewish summer camp in the country. We know that safety is absolutely critical to the success of our program, and as such, ensure that every excursion that leaves our base camp is staffed with at least one madrich (counselor) who has been trained as a Wilderness First Responder.
Our madrichim also act as role models for our chalutzim. Through sharing Jewish values and traditions, teaching outdoor activities, and connecting personally with chalutzim, our summer staff serves as a fully mobilized support system for all campers. This supportive, non-competitive and friendly environment encourages chalutzim to move beyond their comfort zones to experience new, unexpected levels of confidence and personal achievement.
Summer Staff Experience
Ramah in the Rockies aspires to educate and inspire a new generation of young Jewish leaders who:
- are Jewishly and environmentally literate;
- are committed to living enlightened Jewish lives;
- actively strengthen the broader Jewish community;
- preserve and protect the earth’s natural gifts;
- inspire positive change in the global community through their example of environmental stewardship and the perpetuation of Jewish values.
Click HERE for a little taste of our staff experience!
JOIN OUR TEAM
Check out our different program areas and roles below, and see which ones best fit your interest and skills. Contact staffleads@ramahoutdoors.org with any questions.
Summer Team
Our Program Areas:
2026 Staff Dates & Requirements
2026 Staff Dates
- Sunday, May 17 – Pre-Camp Setup Begins
- Wednesday, May 27 – Wilderness First Responder (WFR) Course Begins (Open to Select Staff)
- Wednesday, May 27 – Kitchen/Maintenance/Hospitality Staff Arrival
- Thursday, June 4 – Hanhallah (Leadership Team) & Israeli Staff Arrival
- Sunday, June 7 – Staff Arrival
- Thursday, June 11 – Late Staff Arrival (By Prior Arrangement)
- Thursday, July 9 – Second Session Staff Arrival
- Tuesday, July 14 – First Session Staff Departure
- Thursday, July 30 – Six Week Staff Departure
- Wednesday, August 12 – Staff Departure
- Thursday, August 13 – Hanhallah (Leadership Team) Departure
Staff Requirements
- Ramah in the Rockies summer staff must have a high school diploma or equivalent.
- All program staff new to Ramah in the Rockies (i.e. staff who did not attend as campers and have not previously been on our staff) must arrive by Sunday, June 7 and stay through Thursday, July 30 or Wednesday, August 12.
- This does not apply to certain positions, like drivers, medical professionals, and camp wellness team members.
- Former campers and returning staff have the option of working one session, six weeks, or the full summer.
- To be a madrich (counselor) or miktzoi (live-in specialist), first-time staff must be able to arrive Sunday, June 7 for first session staff training or Thursday, July 9 for second session staff training.
- To best set up campers and staff for success, staff who have not completed our full staff training may not live with campers.
Seasonal Staff Payscale
Available Positions for Summer 2026
Job Descriptions
Click below to read a general job description of our various positions.
Mirpa’ah (Health Center) Assistant
Counselor – Ohel (Bunk) Tzevet
Anaf (Activity Area) Tzevet – Live-in with Campers
Anaf (Activity Area) Tzevet – Staff Housing
Rosh Anaf – Activity Area Supervisor
Chinuch (Education) & Program Assistant
Yoetzim & Inclusion – Camp Wellness & Camper Support
Staff Training Opportunities
Working at camp is more than a job – it is an opportunity to develop skills and experience ongoing learning opportunities.
We offer both informal and formal training to our summer staff, including:
Wilderness First Responder certification through SOLO Wilderness Medicine
Mental Health First Aid
Backcountry leadership training
Jewish leadership development
Year-Round Opportunities for Summer Staff
Training and Conferences
As part of the Ramah camping movement, we offer a variety of off-season training opportunities to our summer staff.
- Bert B. Weinstein Institute for Counselor Training – for first-year counselors
- Leadership Institute for College Sophomores – for experienced senior counselors
- Louis & Shoshanah Winer Institute for Rosh Edah Training – for division heads
Ramah Service Corps Fellowship
Ramah in the Rockies staff can also participate in the Ramah Service Corp Fellowship.
Ramah College Network Coordinator
Are you interested in bringing the ruach and values of Ramah to your campus? Become a Ramah College Network Coordinator! Skilled leaders on their campuses, Ramah College Network Coordinators are passionate about Ramah and creating strong, engaged Jewish communities. Coordinators plan 6-8 events on their campuses throughout the academic year for Ramah alumni and extended friends of Ramah.
Reshet Ramah Internship Program
Are you looking for an internship that will allow you to grow your skills and professional networks and also return to work at camp? Check out the Reshet Ramah Internship Program for current internship opportunities in a field of your choice, in addition to a stipend added on to your camp paycheck.
For questions about any of these opportunities, contact Martha.
Staff Handbook
Interested in the nitty-gritty details of being on staff? Check out our staff handbook here!
For questions about staffing and the application process, please contact staffleads@ramahoutdoors.org or (303) 261-8214.
Rabbi Eliav Bock
Executive Director &
Camp Director
Eliav brings extensive experience in outdoor camping and leadership to Ramah in the Rockies. A native of the Boston area and former Boy Scout, he has spent 11 summers working in other Ramah camps in a variety of specialty areas, including five years as an outdoor adventure leader in Camp Ramah, Canada. Ordained as rabbi by the Jewish Theological Seminary in 2009, Eliav is especially interested in helping youth connect to their Jewish souls through nature and the great outdoors. Prior to rabbinical school, Eliav worked in the finance industry in New York City. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Bible and a Master of Arts degree in Jewish Education, as well as a Bachelor of Arts degree in Urban Studies from Columbia University. Eliav has been awarded the Pomegranate Prize by the Covenant Foundation and is a Schusterman Senior Fellow. He is joined each summer at camp by his wife, Dina Danon, and their three children.
Gabi Wasserman
Finance Director
Gabi has been closely involved with Ramah in the Rockies in different capacities since 2011 when he worked his first summer as mountain bike staff (despite having never ridden a mountain bike). Fast forward 10 years, Ramah in the Rockies has had a transformative impact on Gabi‘s life. In addition to being a avid mountain biker, climber, and coffee drinker, Gabi is deeply committed to the mission of Ramah in the Rockies and has seen up close the impact that the organization can have on Jewish youth. Gabi brings ruthless organization, a keen sense of risk management, and a passion for writing bios to the year-round team, and he is truly excited to be able to serve Ramah in the Rockies in his current capacity as Finance Director. During work hours, you can find Gabi in one of eight possible coffee shops in the Denver metro area working hard to ensure Ramah’s financial stability for years to come.
Talia Horowitz
Director of Camp Wellness
Talia brings an integrated approach to the Ramah in the Rockies Wellness Team by drawing on her experience as a clinical social worker, her training as a yoga teacher, and her passion for Jewish practice and spending time in nature. A Denver native with deep roots in the Denver Jewish community, Talia has a BA in Art History and Hebrew from Brandeis University and received her Masters in Social Work from Simmons College in 2013. Having worked with children and families in a variety of settings throughout her career, Talia strives to foster an environment of social-emotional health for campers, staff, and families alike. She brings warmth and openness to every encounter, focusing on the unique needs of each individual in balance with the goals and wellbeing of the larger group. Talia will be joined each summer at camp by her husband Jeff (also a social worker!), and her two children, Yona and Lev.
Martha Lieberman
Program Director
Martha first joined Ramah in the Rockies as a young camper in 2014 and has been back almost every summer since. She has spent time on staff as both a madricha (counselor) and a Rosh Edah (unit head) and is now excited to be part of the year-round team as Program Director. Originally from New York City, Martha discovered her passion for the outdoors and for Jewish education at Ramah in the Rockies. She holds a B.A. in Middle Eastern Studies and Jewish Studies from Colby College and has also spent time learning at the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem. She is passionate about weaving together outdoor adventure, Torah, and community to create meaningful Jewish experiences and lasting memories.
Zach Usmani
Director of Development
Zach first joined the Ramah in the Rockies team in 2011 and has been part of the community ever since. Over the years, he’s discovered a passion for the outdoors (and a knack for whittling wood into surprisingly recognizable shapes) while creating a joyful and safe environment for campers and staff to grow. When he’s not at camp, Zach calls the great state of Ohio home. He holds a B.A. in sociology from The Ohio State University and an M.S.W. from Columbia University. Beyond camp, he teaches social work at OSU, collects oddly specific knowledge from podcasts, and is always plotting his next adventure abroad (usually with a book or two squeezed into his backpack).
Sandra Yaron
Registrar
Sandra grew up in Denver and was a member of the first class of the Theodor Herzl Jewish Day School (now Denver Jewish Day School). Her summers were spent participating in a wide variety of activities including Jewish summer camps in Colorado and Pennsylvania. While in high school, Sandra participated in the Israel Study Tour between her Junior and Senior years. She attended the University of Colorado and Mount Holyoke College and continued her studies at Haifa University and Tel Aviv University. She lived for twelve years in Israel and became fluent in Hebrew. Her Sabra husband Eyal insists that she speaks Hebrew like a native! Sandra has worked in the Jewish Community for the past eight years. During that period she was the BBYO Office Manager and the JCC Program Registrar. She has also been a teacher in the Temple Sinai Religious School. Sandra and Eyal have two children – Lior and Aviv.
BaMidbar Wilderness Therapy, a program of Ramah in the Rockies, supports emerging adults who are struggling on their journey from adolescence to adulthood and serves at-risk young adults (18+) struggling with mild to moderate social, emotional, behavioral, and academic challenges. Click here to learn more.
Jory Hanselman has dedicated her personal and professional career to engaging youth and emerging adults in meaningful outdoor experiences and helping youth build personal resiliency and the skills necessary to grow and thrive in a complex world. Jory has experienced wilderness programs from the client and staff perspective, from the field and the office, in Jewish and secular settings, and in the private industry and the non-profit sector. She has spent 400 professional “field days” managing youth from 13-26 through organizations focused on education, recreation, therapy, and workforce development. Jory is extremely excited to be joining the Ramah in the Rockies’ team, and to help move the Jewish Wilderness Therapy program from theory to actuality. Jory sees the wilderness therapy model as an extremely powerful environment, and believes that Ramah in the Rockies can help magnify that impact, and through Jewish learning provide a foundational tapestry for clients that builds Jewish identity and provides the framework for youth to experience meaningful transitions to independent and healthy adult lives.
APPLICATION
Thank you for your interest in a seasonal summer position with Ramah in the Rockies. This application will take you approximately 15-20 minutes to complete.
If you have any questions, please call 303-261-8214 x104 or email eliavb@ramahoutdoors.org.
We look forward to reviewing your application. Thank you!
Please provide a non-university or school connected email address and mailing address for your account.
