Staff

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

Ramah in the Rockies is hiring on a rolling basis. Check out our different program areas and roles below, and see which ones best fit your interest and skills. Contact Mirit Sands, Camp Life Director, at mirit@ramahoutdoors.org with any questions.

Summer Team

Our Program Areas:

For questions about staffing and the application process, please contact Mirit Sands at mirit@ramahoutdoors.org or (303) 261-8214 x 106.

Our Year-Round Team

LEADERSHIP TEAM

Eliav is smiling looking straight at the camera, wearing a blue sweater

Rabbi Eliav Bock

Executive Director &
Camp Director

staff eliavb@ramahoutdoors.org

staff 303-261-8214 x104

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

staff gabi@ramahoutdoors.org

staff 303-261-8214 x101

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 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.

Mirit Sands

Camp Life Director

staff mirit@ramahoutdoors.org

staff 303-261-8214 x106

Mirit brings her passion for relational engagement, curriculum development, and leadership training to Ramah in the Rockies. Hailing from New Orleans, Mirit grew up attending the New Orleans Jewish Day School, participating in Young Judaea and United Synagogue Youth, and spending her summers at Camp Ramah Darom. She graduated from Columbia University with a B.A. in Psychology and the Jewish Theological Seminary with a B.A. in Bible and a Master’s in Jewish Education. Prior to joining the Rockies team, Mirit worked at Camp Ramah in the Berkshires as a Rosh Aidah and Program Coordinator and at Central Synagogue in New York City as the Assistant Director of their religious school. During her spare time, Mirit can be found listening and dancing to live music, rooting for the New Orleans Saints, and making her way through New York Times recipes. 

Program and camper team

Ben Kahn

Program Manager

staff ben@ramahoutdoors.org

staff 303-261-8214 x107

Ben joined our community as a JOLI participant in 2015 and has returned almost every summer since. In the 2022-2023 off-season, Ben was a Ramah Service Corps Fellow, which allowed him the opportunity with Ramah in the Rockies on recruitment and operational areas of camp. Ben also previously worked at Bonai Shalom and facilitated Jewish programs for Moishe House in Boulder, CO. In his role of Program Manager, Ben oversees all aspects of our masa (backcountry excursion) program during the summer and supports both our program and operations team in the off-season.

Talia Horowitz headshot

Talia Horowitz

Director of Camp Wellness

staff talia@ramahoutdoors.org

staff 303-261-8214 x108

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 future campers, Yona and Lev.

Zach Usmani

Summer Assistant Director

staff zachu@ramahoutdoors.org

staff 303-261-8214 x102

Zach first joined the Ramah in the Rockies team in 2011, where he discovered his passion for the outdoors and found a supportive setting to challenge himself and grow in so many ways: spiritually, intellectually, physically, and professionally. He returns year after year to facilitate and witness the magic of those moments of growth in campers and staff.
During the school year, he is a school social worker in Columbus, OH, and teaches in the master’s program at The Ohio State University College of Social Work. He has a BA in sociology from OSU and an MSW from Columbia University.

Sandra Yaron

Registrar

staff sandray@ramahoutdoors.org

staff 303-261-8214 x105

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.

Operations Team

Brent Bohs

Ranch Manager

staff brent@ramahoutdoors.org

staff 303-647-2260

An avid outdoor enthusiast and native of Indiana, Brent brings a diverse array of skills to Ramah in the Rockies. Brent spent many years living and managing an 8-acre homestead where he practiced organic vegetable and poultry farming. His focus on self-sufficiency has led to an extensive knowledge of carpentry, plumbing, electrical and metal fabrication. In addition to practical maintenance, his 15 years of live entertainment production/management has given him a unique skill set geared towards logistics and inventory management.
When not working on the ranch, Brent is also a seasoned outdoorsman adept at ultra running, canyoneering, rock climbing, whitewater rafting, backpacking, and mountain biking, to name a few. Regardless of the weather or season, expect to find Brent outside doing something exciting!
As a lifelong learner, Brent is constantly looking for opportunities to expand his skill set. In 2021 Brent earned his NOLS Wilderness First Responder and SSI SRT-1 Swiftwater Rescue Technician certifications. As Ranch Manager, he is looking forward to continually improving the grounds and facilities at Ramah in the Rockies while conserving the beautiful ecosystem we love dearly. He is fortunate to live year-round up at the ranch!

BaMidbar Wilderness Therapy Team

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.

staff

Jory Hanselman

Director of BaMidbar Wilderness Therapy

staff joryh@BaMidbarTherapy.org

staff (720) 930-4390

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.

About You

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.

Vocational Educational Training

Our vocational education program provides adults (18+) with special needs an opportunity to receive job training in a camp setting. Participants have the opportunity to work in one of several job areas to develop skills such as responsibility, reliability, and efficiency. As a part of a cohort, our vocational education participants meet several times a week to engage in life skills training, social skills training, and Jewish learning together. They live in staff housing with neurotypical staff and have opportunities to engage with each other and other staff members on a regular basis.

We offer:

  • Job training in a placement in one of several program areas throughout camp (still being finalized but likely to include kitchen, art, farm and horses).
  • Life skills training such as goal setting and financial planning.
  • Social skills training
  • Jewish learning
  • Independent living (in ohel with other staff members)
  • Community experience
  • One day off each week (transportation is provided to Woodland Park or Denver)
  • $100 weekly stipend with annual increase of $10
  • Two start date options

Program Costs:

  • $2,500 for 4 weeks. Needs based financial aid is available.

Program requirements:

  • Must possess ADL’s (activities of daily living/self-care skills)
  • Must be motivated to work and engage seriously in an educational program.
  • Must be able to follow camp rules (no drinking, smoking, etc).

How to Apply:

Email: inclusion@ramahoutdoors.org to set up a preliminary meeting with the Director of Inclusion. This meeting is intended to assess program suitability.
Application will be made available after this meeting, if appropriate.

WFR

Our Wilderness First Responder (WFR) training will take place from June 1 – 11, 2021.

We have limited spaces available for the training, and have reserved the vast majority of spaces for staff working at Ramah or URJ Camps in 2020.

If you would like to be added to our email list about WFR, please email Julia Chatinover at juliac@ramahoutdoors.org.

Ramah in the Rockies operates under a special use permit on the Pike-San Isabel National Forest. - Enfold Theme by Kriesi

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