Camp Ramah in Wisconsin is a Jewish summer camp based in Conover, Wisconsin, on Upper Lake Buckatabon. The Wisconsin camp was the first of the Ramah camps, established in 1947 by Rabbi Ralph Simon, under the direction of Conservative educator Henry Goldberg, with nearly 100 campers. It was sponsored by the Chicago Council of Conservative Synagogues and the Midwest Branch of the United Synagogue. It draws campers from across the Midwest, primarily Chicago and the Twin Cities. Campers stay at the camp for either four or eight weeks, depending on their age division, or "eidah". Following Nivonim, the eidah for those entering 11th grade, campers are encouraged to participate in Ramah Israel Seminar. The summer following Seminar, they may apply to join the camp staff. The Camp Ramah Executive Director is Jacob Cytryn. The Director Emeritus of Ramah Wisconsin is Rabbi David Soloff. History The first Ramah camp was built on a site purchased by the Jewish Theological Seminary on Larsen's Bay. The property was a fishing village on the shores of Upper Lake Buckatabon owned by the Larsen family, dotted with small cabins and wild flowers. Multi-purpose buildings were quickly erected, and the first campers arrived by train on the Flambau Express line. According to Shom Sefor Klaff's interview for the 50th reunion (Klaff was a camper in 1947), a seaplane brought the weekly movie to the camp. Klaff added that campers had a dress code to follow, especially for shabbat. Irving Robbin, a former prisoner of war of the Nazis, was President of the camp for 19 years. In 1962, 260 boys and girls were campers during the summer. In July 2008, busloads of campers from the camp took part in a rally in support of immigrant workers at the nation's largest kosher meat plant. Divisions (eidot) Ruach Ramah (Spirit of Ramah) (entering 3rd grade; 5 days long) Kochavim (Stars) (entering 4th grade; 12 days long) Garinim (Seeds) (entering 5th grade; 4 weeks long) Halutzim (Pioneers) (entering 6th grade; 4 weeks long) Solelim (Trail Blazers) (entering 7th grade; 8 weeks long) Shoafim (Yearners) (entering 8th grade; 8 weeks long) Bogrim (Mature ones) (entering 9th grade; 8 weeks long) Machon (Institution) (entering 10th grade; 8 weeks long) Tikvah (Hope) (Program for campers with learning and social disabilities; 4-week and 8-week sessions, as well as an 8-week vocational program) Nivonim (Wise Ones) (entering 11th grade; 8 weeks long) Tikvah programs