Amira's Posts

Five days on a bike, riding with 40 riders through the Golan Heights and the Galilee to raise more than $200,000 for Camp Ramah special needs camping programs, gave me new perspective on my Ramah Special Needs Program

Directors CoP (read “Nurturing an Online Community of Practice:http://www.lookstein.org).

In the past few weeks, I have been wondering if our small, “closed,” directors CoP has reached an impasse and is in need of some “new life.” Perhaps the recent fall off in participation is seasonal. As the camp season approaches, camp directors are very busy–maybe even too busy to actively participate in monthly CoP video conferences and google group discussions. . When participation wanes, I sometimes wonder if we have reached an impasse and need to breathe new life.

Now I think we simply need to measure success differently. While in Israel, there were two wonderful developments very much connected to (and more likely an outgrowth of) the CoP. In fact, both developments occurred precisely because the Ramah special needs directors are in regular contact.

The CoP has demonstrated to the National Ramah director and the National Ramah Commission that there is great benefit in having all Ramah special needs programs working more closely together. The seven programs—spread out across the United States and Canada—are part of a larger whole, and we special needs program directors have a lot to share with each other.

The first successful outgrowth of our CoP was the Ramah Galil Bike ride itself! http://www.ramahbikeride.org Riders connected to all seven Ramah camps came out in support of the various Ramah special needs programs. Two special Shabbat panel discussion with Tikvah Program founders, Herb and Barbara Greenberg, and me, taught the riders about the 41 year history of the Tikvah Program at Camp Ramah in New England–Ramah’s first program for campers with special needs. They also learned about challenges, successes and the many Ramah overnight and family camp programs for campers and their families. The riders became more aware and therefore more connected to the cause.

Second, while the riders were enjoying Israel, raising money, and learning about the Ramah special needs programs, a special group of experienced Ramah counselors—from the various special needs programs across the US and Canada—were meeting together (at Camp Ramah in New England) for the first ever joint training program—and it was underwritten from the proceeds of the ride. The riders enjoyed the phone call on our last evening with the dozen or so star counselors—they took a break from their learning and sharing to thank us.

I was smiling for an additional reason. They didn’t know it yet, but their desire to stay in contact, share programs, offer support and start a google group, was leading them to…the formation of a Ramah special needs counselors CoP!! The wheels on the CoP truly go round and round!

Read more

This Sunday, Rosh Edah, Rami Schwartzer, and I will join 40 riders, representing Ramah camps across the US and Canada, in the first ever Ramah Galil Bike Ride (http://www.ramahbikeride.org). Each rider has a unique story of why he or she is riding in support of special needs camping programs at all Ramah camps. As my rider page explains, I came to Ramah New England in 1984 to work in the kitchen. When there was an unexpected last minute opening for a counselor position in Nivonim, they considered me for the job, but I was too young! A guy named Cliff Nerwen, scheduled to be an Amitzim counselor, agreed to make the move to Nivonim, and I took his spot in Tikvah!

I can honestly say that “switch to Tikvah changed my life this is my 17th year affiliated with Tikvah. And Cliff Nerwen, a long time Nivonim counselor and Rosh Edah at CRNE, is now a pediatrician; he works each summer as a camp doctor at Ramah Berkshires. I look forward to reconnecting with Cliff as we ride together through the Golan Heights and Galil for a good cause! Check out my rider page!http://www.firstgiving.com

And Rami has his own special story. My connection to Tikvah runs deep, Rami reports. As a camper, I spent much of my summers volunteering my time in the Tikvah program and another three summers working for the program in different forms. Today, as a rosh edah elsewhere in camp, I continue to see Tikvah as a crucial component of my camp experience and get great joy out of watching my campers of all ages and abilities make Tikvah a part of their summer as well. 

Rami is now working in New York City as a Special Projects Coordinator for the National Ramah Commission. When he started working in this capacity, the idea for the ride began to materialize. They needed a coordinator for the trip and, eager to be involved in any kind of project related to Tikvah, especially on a national level, I happily jumped on board. 

In addition, Rami notes, On a more personal note, I dedicate my own five days of riding to the honor of my dear friend, shul buddy, and soon-to-be brother-in-law (Dani, brother of long time Tikvah Rosh Edah, Ariella Rosen), to whom the Tikvah program at Ramah NE has been incredibly meaningful over the years.  Read Rami’s story and consider sponsoring him!  http://www.firstgiving.com

Thanks to the kindness of many in our camp community, I have raised nearly $11,000! And Rami has exceeded his goal of $3,200! The 40 riders are likely to raise more than $180,000!!! We are so close to hitting our goal!

Kol Hakavod to all of the riders and supporters especially those with Ramah New England affiliations–Rami, me, Ciff, Ellen Phaff Shein and Harriet.

Read more

Tour De Shuls, a series of bike rides organized by the Federation of Jewish Men’s Clubs, supports the Tikvah Program at Camp Ramah in New England. It is not too late to sign up for this years rides -June 5th Tour De Shuls bike ride in Boston and the June 19th Tour De Shuls in West Hartford, CT. As part of the promotional materials for the upcoming rides, there is a wonderful YouTube video of former Tikvah camper, Josh Starr. Josh, who lives in West Hartford, is a gifted musician. Here, he is seen conducting the West Hartford Symphony Orchestra! Hope you’ll consider joining us for one or both of the rides!

Read more

Original Article Published on The Jerusalem Post

Checking out great new digital talent in Jerusalem

The new animated film Rango stars the voice of Johnny Depp and follows the life, adventures and struggles of an aspiring hero in the form of a pet chameleon (Rango) as he becomes local sheriff in the Old West town of Dirt. When the movie is over, viewers can go home and continue to enjoy the great chase scenes, think about the chameleon in a Hawaiian shirt and have an Israel experience. In which case, you might now be wondering what Israel possibly has to do with a film about an animated chameleon?

Well, thanks to Israeli company, Funtactix, fans of Rango can go home and play Rango: The World, an online game based on the movie. Funtactix, the browser-based game developer, is releasing a game where players can meet characters from Rango, create an avatar, explore film environments and take on quests – all with their online friends. Imagine entering the world of your favorite film!

Funtactix is one of several hot, innovative Israeli companies making a difference in animation, gaming, social networking and more! Working out of the recently renovated national Mint of the British Empire and the Ottoman warehouses next door to the area surrounding Jerusalem’s old train station, over 300 artists, animators, programmers, engineers, storytellers and others huddle together in the Jerusalem Venture Partners (JVP) Media Quarter in Jerusalem, where they work enthusiastically on animated films, websites and video games. All of this exciting, high quality innovation is taking place a short fifteen minute walk from the Western Wall, the City of David and archaeological excavations which are over 3,000 years old. Welcome to Jerusalem Venture Partners (JVP) Media Quarter-home to Funtactix, Animation Lab, AnyClips, Qlipso, and more!

The JVP Media Quarter, started in 2002, is the brainchild of Erel Margalit, the founder and managing partner of JVP, a leading Israeli venture capital firm with over $820 million under management. The JVP Media Labs house a dozen companies, as well as a performing arts incubator and theater, The Lab (Hama’abada), and a social profit organization JVP Community (Bakehila).

Margalit playfully noted that, Unlike most labs, our focus is not on molecules and atoms, but rather, colorful, exciting stories and characters. Our employees are hard at work creating games, movies, virtual environments, web applications and mobile/iPod content for both children and adults. The Animation Lab team is currently hard at work on its animated feature film about a group of wild flowers that must contend with an evil gang of genetically-engineered plants. It follows a teenaged daisy (named Daisy) who was raised in the Sacred Meadow. According to the Animation Lab website, Daisy “now has to brave the great, dangerous world outside the Meadow’s walls and team up with a secret society of plant spies who have worked covertly to protect the planet from human activity since the beginning of time. Daisy discovers that she alone can save her Meadow, and the world at large, against an attack by an army of genetically modified corn stalks.

The film is currently in production in the Jerusalem animation studio. It was originally called The Wild Bunch when the filming first began, but the title is sure to change before its release in late 2011 or early 2012. It combines action, comedy, adventure and romance and features the voices of famous actors including Abigail Breslin, Willem Dafoe, Chris Klein, and Elizabeth Hurley.

Ayelet Weinerman, CEO of Animation Lab proudly said that, “Most of the work will be done in the studio in Israel. Some of the animators will come from the Bezalel Academy of Art and Design, as part of the planned future cooperation between the design academy and Animation Lab.

Weinterman added, “We plan to compete with the world’s big studios. The films are being designed for international distribution, at movie theaters worldwide. The budget for the film is about $20 million.

On a recent visit to the Media Lab, I began to get curious when I saw the phrase I’ll have what she’s having stickered on every light switch. I smiled, remembering that is a line from the movie When Harry Met Sally. Little did I know, this was also PR for a new company! Thanks to AnyClip , another Israeli company housed in the Media Lab, finding any clip is easy. Anyclip.com is basically a search engine to find any moment from any film ever made.

Did you ever love a movie scene so much that you wished you could just watch it over and over again? Is there line from a movie or funny scene that pops into your head and you suddenly wish you could share it with a friend? Your dream just came true! AnyClip maps, indexes, and tags entire films for you!

Another cool project of the media center is Qlipso. When we find a funny video on YouTube or someplace else, we often send the link to a friend or tell them on Facebook. Now, with Qlipso, there is a way to view or listen to content online with our friends. Qlipso calls itself a multi- user content-sharing platform.

With Qlipso’s Multiuser Content- Sharing Platform, we can now bridge those experiences we share in real-life with our online social network. They let us share the things we love with our social networks. In March 2010, Qlipso purchased Veoh has a library of more than one million videos, TV shows, online games and other interactive content. Qlipso allows you and your friends to interact with this amazing content photos, music, video and games!

These are only a few of the many amazing innovations coming out of a small old warehouse in Jerusalem. Next time you watch an impressive animated movie, or connect with a friend online, think of Israel – the technology may easily have been developed in the land of milk, honey and computers!

Read more