The Conservative Jewish Movement in North America’s summer camp system, Ramah, is set to launch its own web dating service this spring to be called RamahDate. It is being developed in partnership with JDate.
How many of us had our first romantic experience while a camper at a summer camp? For those who continued on at a camp into their junior high school years or who worked as CITs when 16 or 17 years of age this is especially true.
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No the people behind the new service are not trying to make shidduchs (Jewish arranged marriages) between 12 year old kids at summer camps. But the people who staff those camps tend to be of college age and in their early 20s.
Many of those people tend to pair up over the summer. Some keep the connection alive and there are quite a few Ramah Camp marriages in the world.
This service, however, is intended to help the camp system’s alumni who, have shared experiences in common, find one another.
“Ramah is cutting-edge in so many ways, from educational innovations to the use of technology. This is Ramah’s single coolest initiative so far to strengthen our people and our movement, ” said Beth Kopin, chair of Reshet Ramah’s RamahDate subcommittee.
“At Ramah, people find community and develop a strong Jewish identity and a passion for living Jewishly, ” added Rabbi Mitchell Cohen, Director of the National Ramah Commission. “RamahDate is one more tool that our movement can use to support our alumni in a pathway of involvement in Jewish life throughout all stages of their lives.”
“One of the strongest commonalities among JDaters® is Jewish summer camp, ” said Rachna Sethi, Head of Product and Engagement Marketing Strategy for JDate. “Not only is this partnership a natural extension of the work we do, but it also provides us with a special opportunity to further our mission of strengthening the Jewish community. We can’t wait to reconnect Ramahniks from around the world and create many, many new JDate/Ramah Success Stories!”
RamahDate members will subscribe to JDate through a co-branded portal and receive an identifying Ramah “badge” on their online profile.
“Ramahniks”will be able to choose to “meet” only other Ramahniks or search more broadly within JDate’s 750, 000 members worldwide. Participation in RamahDate will support the Ramah Camping Movement, with 70% of subscribers’ initial membership fees being directed to Ramah camper scholarships.
The new service is expected to launch in May.