While it is very hard to describe any experience without actually going through it (let alone a place like the State of Israel!),  The following should help clarify some of the key issues. There are many aspects of Seminar which carry-over from the Ramah camping experience:
a.  As in camp, we try to provide you with a vibrant, Conservative religious framework where living Jewishly comes second-nature.  The tefillot, Shabbat atmosphere, and emphasis on Jewish ethical behavior (mitzvot ben adam lchavero)  which were present at camp all are present in the Seminar.

b.  We strive for excellence in our formal and informal programming which are the benchmarks of the Ramah experience.  Rather than throwing together an itinerary of disparate tours and activities, every day of the Seminar program is carefully thought-out against the back-drop of our educational goals.  When you look back at your camping experience, it all seems to “fit together.”  That’s the way we want you to feel about your experience in Israel.

c.  You will be experiencing Israel with people who, like yourself, have spent one, two or many summers at a Ramah camp.  Despite differences among the Ramah camps there is a distinct common denominator (mechaneh meshutaf) among all Ramah camp alumni.  Moreover, some of your Seminar madrichim will have come up through the Ramah ranks and know very well what the Ramah experience is all about.

d.  As at camp, we encourage you to  speak Hebrew whenever possible (though most guiding and discussions are in English).  Although we don’t have shiurim b’Ivrit (Hebrew lessons) like at camp, several days a week there will be a brief workshop focusing on Hebrew related to the theme of the day, or giving you tips for using your Hebrew as you experience Israel from day to day.

There are many other similarities between Camp Ramah  and Ramah Seminar; however, it will help enhance your Israel experience by anticipating the differences between the two.  Here are just a few examples:

A.  Israel is not a “camp.” Sounds logical, right?  But many people come on Seminar expecting to see almost a replica of their Ramah camp in Israel, and are disappointed to find that it’s not there!   By definition we are always moving around.  The Ramah Seminar is not located in a campsite (though we have our home-bases at the Goldstein Youth Village in Jerusalem and Hodayot in the north); rather it is set in a complete, old/new society and country  called “the State of Israel!”   Our kikar is the Galilee; our waterfront the  Med, Red, Dead and Kinneret Seas; our sports fields are places like the Judean and Negev Deserts; our hanutiya is every corner kiosk, the soldiers of the IDF serve as our shomrim, and the local “townspeople” are almost all Jewish!

B.  Although you will find you have a lot in common with the other participants (see “c” above), remember that Seminarniks come from no less than seven different Ramah camps. Each camp has its own history, t-shirts, traditions, songs, in-jokes, melodies and approaches to prayer, and ways of doing things.  Of course, one of the great aspects of Seminar is to explore Israel with the buddies you’ve bonded with every summer.  Keep in mind, however, that this is one of the few opportunities to get to know such an array of Ramah campers, it is crucial that you come with an open mind to learn about, and appreciate, the subtle (and not-so-subtle) differences among the camps.

C.  The pace and scheduling of the Seminar is very different from camp.  We have no perek alef or perek bet…. No two days look alike. In fact, every day of the Seminar could be compared to a Yom Meyuchad at camp!  We get up at different times (usually very early), daven in different kinds of minyanim, eat different kinds of food (remember, be open to new experiences!) and then head out on the bus for vistas and sites which change from day to day.  This fast and every-changing pace is both very exciting and disconcerting at the same time.  It takes getting used to.

D. Finally, we’re bringing you here to see Israel as it really is: with all its beauty and goodness, as well as with its challenges. We want you to see that being Jewish in Israel is not more or less than being Jewish in North America — or at Camp Ramah…it’s DIFFERENT! While we try to create a Ramah-like atmosphere at our bases and within our groups, we cannot control or program everything that goes on outside. (Even our bases are not for our exclusive use; there may be others present whose customs or rules may differ from Ramah’s.)

Much of what you find in Israel will match or surpass your expectations — but there may be many aspects of Israeli society which you might find disappointing. Our counseling staff is there to help you make sense out of everything you see and learn.

The daily schedule will vary depending on where we’re based (Jerusalem, North, Negev) and the particular program for that day. To give you an idea, let us run through a typical day when we are based in Jerusalem. (We use a 24 hour clock system, as in Israel; for “PM” times, simply subtract 12):

06:15(yawn!) Kimah -  Wake-up
07:00-Tefillot -  Services
07:45-Aruhat Boker - Breakfast (buffet style – often after breakfast we pack our lunches to eat while we’re on the road).
08:30 - Bus leaves for the day’s tiyul/field trip. (Most days combine sightseeing with discussions, meetings with people, some kind of game or role-playing, just-for-fun activities, etc.)
13:30-Aruhat Zohorayim  – Lunch (if we eat back at the base; time may vary if we’re eating in the field).
14:00-Continue the day’s program (some days will offer a chance for free time, on or off the base).
18:00- Return to the base for Aruchat Erev – Dinner.
20:00- Peulat Erev – Evening program (for example, a game or discussion, or an introduction to the next day’s activity followed by committee meetings, etc.). After that, some free time at the base.
22:30-Curfew meeting and time to be back in the dorm. This is an approximate time, however, if your group is getting up extra early for their program the next day, curfew may be set for an earlier time.
23:00  (usually) in-room curfew

Much of what goes on in Israel and in the Seminar will be familiar: You’ll know many of the other participants from camp or other contexts, you’ll hear a lot of English ­particularly in Jerusalem (but don’t lose out on the opportunity to put your Hebrew to practice!), and you’ll hear the latest songs from North America and Europe on Israeli radio.

But there definitely will be things which are different: the diet, while on a high standard for Israeli institutional food, is – well – different! (O.K., so maybe you’re not used to cucumbers and tomatoes for breakfast — it’s what people eat here. But Ramah throws in some Cornflakes on many mornings). The customs and mentality of the people on the street may also be strange to you.  Behavior that seems to you to be rude may be perfectly acceptable in Israeli society. When you go to different synagogues in Jerusalem you will find customs which are not only strange but which may make you uncomfortable. Similarly when you go off on your Host Shabbat you just might find that your hosts (even if they’re your own relatives) will have a way of observing Shabbat or Kashrut which is not the way you observe at home nor the way we observe at Ramah.

The key to getting the most out of the Seminar is to come with an open mind….and heart. While we all have our preconceptions (and sometimes MISconceptions) about Israel before the trip, try to leave them behind. Accept the people (in all their variety), food, customs, manners, language, sights, colors and odors…for what they are. Experience everything for what it’s worth; don’t let the differences alone keep you from learning. Much of the time you’ll feel right at home. At those times when you just feel out of it, think of yourself as an anthropologist coming to learn everything you can about this “exotic” and exciting culture.

As explained above, since you will be staying at the same base as the other participants in the hativa(division of two – three kvutzot) you will have an opportunity to spend time with friends from your camp in other kvutzot, and get to know others outside your kvutza. Some of those times are free time at the base (on some late afternoons or evenings), free time on the base on Shabbat, Seminar- wide activities at the base, and so on.  While you shouldn’t expect to become good friends with all the other 300 teen-agers, you will be able to meet people from all over North America.

We are very fortunate to have on our staff two professional guidance counselors. They are available for consultation: to discuss problems with or simply just to talk to. You can approach your yo’etz/et directly and s/he will reassure you of confidentiality. Parents can similarly feel free to contact him/her within any concerns they have.

We’ve found that some people can’t get enough free time; others would rather be programmed all day long. Your madrichim will be giving you all kinds of ideas of how to use unscheduled time, be it a couple of hours at the base, or a block of time at the end of a tiyul day.
For your information, the Goldstein Youth Village (the hava) has a swimming pool which is available during afternoon hours – when there is sometimes free time in the schedule, and on Shabbat. The hava  also has several basketball courts and a tennis court. Ramah has some sports equipment which may be signed-out (basketballs, Frisbees); however, we do not have tennis rackets. At our base in the North, Hodayot, there is a swimming pool which will be available to us on a regular basis (except on Shabbat). They also have some limited sports facilities.

Our counselors (all of whom are in at least their early or mid-20′s) are thoroughly trained in looking out for all areas of the welfare of the participants, from security and health matters to just helping them have a good time. Besides having an effective participant-staff ratio (approximately 1 – 10) for all scheduled activities, we have developed an intricate system of establishing staff presence during unscheduled time.

HOWEVER…having said all the above, it must be pointed out that it is not possible, let alone appropriate, for our staff actually to be with and directly supervise our participants 100% of the time 24 hours a day. At age 16 – 17 your teens are used to having – and certainly deserve – a minimum of independence without someone looking over their shoulders. To help the participants use their independence and free time wisely, we give them (on their very first day) a full orientation to our rules and procedures with regard to health, safety and security. Ultimately, however, it is up to the PARTICIPANTS as to how they will act — both in the presence of the staff and on their own. Much depends on the trust which has been established between YOU and your growing children and the trust which we attempt to establish with them for the short time that they are here.

The Statement on Standards and Procedures that both YOU, the participant, and your parents signed is taken very seriously by our staff. We simply cannot run the educational program of the Seminar without minimal adherence to our basic rules of behavior — from conforming to religious norms to abstaining from that which is prohibited (drinking alcohol, staying unsupervised in hotels, etc.). We don’t intend to “breathe down your necks,” and we go under the basic assumption and trust that you will follow our rules. However, we will not hesitate to enforce the rules which you yourself have agreed in writing to follow.

Our staff in Israel and in North America does not work hard to bring you to Israel just to look for the chance to send you home. Nothing pains us more than to prevent a fellow Jew from experiencing the wonder of Israel. However, for the benefit of all concerned we must take necessary measures to assure the integrity of the program and – most important – the health and safety of our participants.

To begin with: Don’t bring anything of great monetary or sentimental value. Unfortunately our participants have fallen victim to damages, petty thefts, pick-pocketing, and of course simple misplacements or “I think I left my camera on the cab…but don’t worry, I remember the taxi driver was an Israeli.…” Instead of a fancy camera with all the attachments, a simple camera will do nicely, and there won’t be the heartache if something should happen to it.  The same goes for jewelry, disc players, sunglasses, etc. The rule is, if you will be heartbroken if you can’t bring a given item back home with you, consider leaving it at home in the first place.
Similarly, regarding money: avoid bringing cash except for a small amount you may need in the airport.