For over 20 years the Ramah Israel Institute (RII), the department of short-term trips of the Ramah Programs in Israel, has provided educational Israel experiences for Jewish day schools in North America (community-based schools as well as Solomon Schechter affiliated schools). The RII staff partners with the school leadership to make every itinerary – whether for 8th graders or high school students – a unique blend of touring and informal learning experiences, with pace, style of presentation, and level of accommodations meeting the group’s specific needs.
RII runs trips that are imbued with: Hebrew, Israeli culture, text learning, spirituality and fun. An age-appropriate sourcebook is used in the field that connects the student to Tanach and Rabbinic sources, maps, modernIsraelsongs and to his own thoughts and reflections. The religious policies of the schools are adhered to, while we seek to expand upon the students’ understanding and practice of Shabbat, Tefilla and other aspects of Jewish tradition (RII is pluralistic, not “pareve”). The RII has also createdIsraelexperiences for faculty, school boards, and groups of families within the school community.
Each middle school trip is uniquely tailored to the curriculum, tastes and background of the individual group with a choice of themes, sites and activities. Following is a sample of a typical eighth grade program; however, each trip is customized to the needs, budget and expectations.