Even though we belong to the Reform Movement and the camp our son attends is affiliated with the Union for Reform Judaism, we keep a stricter level of kosher, one which calls for meat being ritually slaughtered according to Jewish law.

No matter what the activity, the social aspects of Jewish camp all play out in a constant Jewish milieu. The benefits of those summer experiences are reaped over the course of a lifetime for the Jewish individual, and in turn for the Jewish community as well.

Something is happening at Camp Ramah and similar camps, I can report, that bears watching by our society as a whole. It can be summed up in three words: community still matters.

Some of the most passionate defenders of Jewish values wouldn't also be fighting tirelessly for their vision of change had they not felt an eternal connection to Israel to begin with.

There is much hand-wringing over Jewish continuity, but less attention paid to Jewish literacy. One factor that is especially neglected -- to our peril -- is the centrality of Hebrew language knowledge.