Rabbi Daniel Greyber
Executive Director
E-mail: rabbidan@ramah.org
Rabbi Daniel Greyber became Executive Director of Camp Ramah in California shortly after his ordination at the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies at American Jewish University in May 2002. He began at Camp Ramah in the Fall of 1998 by helping to found Lishma, Camp Ramah in California's innovative learning program where young adult Jews spend the summer exploring traditional Jewish texts, prayer and practice in the beautiful setting of Camp Ramah in California. Rabbi Greyber attended UC Berkeley and Northwestern University and graduated in 1994 with Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Communication Studies. A gold medallist and Captain of the U.S. Swimming Team at the 1993 World Maccabiah Games, Greyber published ".08 of a Second," Dancing on the Edge of the World (Los Angeles, CA: Roxbury Park, Lowell House Press, 2000), an essay about his journey from being a competitive swimmer to becoming a rabbi. While in rabbinical school, he also founded The Neshama Minyan at Temple Beth Am and Minyan Nifla at Sinai Temple in Los Angeles, soulful Friday night services using the melodies of the late Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach. Rabbi Greyber looks forward to being a rabbi and teacher, mentor and role model for the family and to welcoming all those who come to our bayit kadosh - holy home at Camp Ramah in California.
Dr. Zachary Lasker
Camp Director
E-mail: zach@ramah.org
Zach is thoroughly enjoying his 14-year career with Camp Ramah in California (19 years if you count summers spent as a camper). Starting as a counselor, Zach quickly assumed the additional responsibilities of Rosh Shira (Head of Singing). Work as the Assistant Program Director, Gesher Director and Winter Weekend Director soon followed, culminating in two wonderful summers as a Rosh Edah. Zach earned his Bachelor's in Sociology and Judaic Studies from UC San Diego, during which time he lived and studied in Israel for his junior year . He holds a Master's in Education from American Jewish University, and is currently a doctoral candidate at UCLA. Zach has taught for several years at VBS Day School, and currently serves the Fingerhut School of Education at the UJ as a Clinical Lecturer in Education. Aside from his years at Ramah, Zach's most proud moments have been performing leading roles on stage in such musicals as Les Miserables, Little Shop of Horrors and Guys & Dolls. He is extremely fulfilled by his work at Camp Ramah, and passionately believes in the Jewish community it creates.
Randy Michaels
Business Director
E-mail: randy@ramah.org
Camp Ramah in California is excited to welcome Randy Michaels as our incoming year-round Business Director. Randy brings a wide range of business management skills to the leadership team of Camp Ramah in California. For the past seven years, Randy has run the company he founded, Redwood Kitchen & Bath in Marin County. Prior to entering the home improvement & design industry, Randy spent over ten years in the financial services industy perfecting his skills in management consultanting, investmnet banking and financial analysis with such firms as Charles Schwab and SEI.
Randy served on the executive board of the Osher Marin Jewish Community Center for six years. Prior to accepting a professional position with Ramah, Randy served on the camp's Board and also on the committee evaluating the expansion to Northern California. Randy earned his bachelors degree from Winona State University (business administration and economics) and is a candidate MS, Psychology, Dominican University of CA.
Randy is proud to join the Ramah organization. As an alumni of Camp Ramah in Wisconsin, Randy has always had a special place in his heart for Ramahand he and his wife Marlene are so happy to give thier two son's Stephen and Alex the Ramah experience.
Elie Mechaly
Director of Operations
E-mail: elie@ramah.org
Elie Mechaly was appointed Director of Operations for Camp Ramah in California in January of 1991. He is a graduate of the Tamor Hotel School, Herzliyah, Israel and completed the Hotel General Managers program at the Holiday Inn University. Elie brings to Ramah over 20 years of experience in the hospitality and hotel industry. For 10 years he worked for Holiday Inn resort properties as Resident Manager and Food and Beverage Manager in several Latin American communities including: Guadalajara, Mexico; Panama City, Panama; and San Juan, Puerto Rico. For five years, Elie was the General Manager/Partner of the Grand Lake Spa Hotel in Lebanon, Connecticut and just before coming to work for Ramah he was the Food and Beverage Director of the King David Hotel in Jerusalem and the Ramada Continental in Tel Aviv. Elie is a native of Morocco and is fluent in several languages including Spanish, French, Hebrew, Arabic, Moroccan and English. At the age of 13 he made Aliyah to Israel and as a member of the Israeli army, took part in the 6-Day War. Elie currently resides in Ojai, California with his wife Nurit.
Carol Abrams
Development Director
E-mail: carol@ramah.org
Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, Carol lived in Ramah Wisconsin's catchment area until moving to sunny Southern California fourteen years ago. By then, her two daughters had each spent every summer since age 12 at Ramah-Conover as campers and counselors, except for their Ramah Israel Seminar summers. At Visitor's Day there each year, Carol looked enviously at friends who got to spend weeks as camp doctor, nurse or visiting rabbi. So it's no surprise that she views her job as Camp Ramah in California's Development Director as 'coming home'.
Carol met her husband Chuck at the University of Illinois while earning her Bachelor's in Sociology. She has always worked in the nonprofit sector, earning a Master's degree in nonprofit management in 1992. She has been a development professional for over twenty years, working for such varied organizations as the American Jewish Congress, the American Red Cross, and for the eleven years prior to joining Camp Ramah in California, as development director and executive director of the Alumni Association for the RAND Corporation.
Carol and Chuck are active members of Kehillat Ma'arav in Santa Monica, and Carol spends her 'spare' time visiting daughter Caryn and future Ramah camper Sasha (born November, 2005) in Denver or daughter Amy (and son-in-law Ronen, also a Ramah alum) and future Ramah camper Ruby (born February, 2006) in Brooklyn, NY.
Elana Naftalin-Kelman
Tikvah Director
E-mail: elana@ramah.org
Elana has been a member of the Ramah family since she was a "staff kid" in the Gan, and was a camper, counselor and Rosh Edah. Her connection to the Tikvah program started when she was a Tikvah buddy as a camper in Machon. She then went on to be a Tikvah counselor for two summers and the Rosh Edah for the, now re-named, Amitzim, for two summers. She is a graduate of UC Santa Cruz and studied in Israel for several years. She holds a Masters Degree in Special Education from Bank Street College of Education and a Masters in Social Work from Columbia University. She has taught in the NYC public schools and in LA Unified and has worked as a supervisor for a behavior intervention agency in Los Angeles. She helped to create and start the Ezra program (it was her masters' thesis for Bank Street) as well as several synagogue special education programs in the Los Angeles area, such as the Koleinu Shabbat minyan at Temple Beth Am. She has taught special education courses at the University of Judaism in Los Angeles as well as many one-day seminars on Special Education for educators in the broader Jewish community. She is currently editing a book on Jewish Special Education. She now resides with her husband Adam and her son Yair in Boulder Colorado, but loves coming back to Ojai each summer! For Elana, being the director of the Tikvah program is like coming home.
Erika Resnick
Program Director
E-mail: erika@ramah.org
Erika is proud to be the Program Director for Camp Ramah in California. She spent her first summer at camp when she was only a baby and has been summering in Ojai ever since. Erika was a camper from Nitzanim thru Machon, participated in the Mador program, continued on to be a senior counselor and most recently served as the 2006 Rosh Gesher. Erika graduated from the University of California in San Diego with a degree in Urban Studies & Planning. While in San Diego Erika not only blended smoothies at Jamba Juice, but also worked at the UCSD Hillel as an integral member of their staff community. Erika loves wearing flip flops year round and spending time at the beach with her sisters. Erika is a strong believer in the benefits of spending summers at Ramah and looks forward to providing great programming opportunities to future Ramah campers!
Wendy Morris
Assistant Business Director
E-mail: wendy@ramah.org
Bio coming soon!
Karmi Monsher
Outreach Coordinator
E-mail: karmi@ramah.org
Bio coming soon!
Rachel Lancaster
Summer Camp Registrar
E-mail: rachel@ramah.org
Bio coming soon!
Administrative Assistants
Ellie Haiem
E-mail: ellieh@ramah.org
Bio coming soon!
Patricia Straker
E-mail: reception@ramah.org
Bio coming soon!