On Monday, May 20, Ramaz students crowded onto the bus to head to Camp Kaylie for the second annual retreat. However, unlike last year, this retreat brought a tradition back to Ramaz for the first time in over a decade: Color War.
“We all thought we wanted to make it happen. Students have been wanting it and we thought it would be great for school and for spirit,” Rabbi Aaron Frank, Upper School principal said. Although the decision to have a color war took a lot of planning, “it seems the feedback was positive,” Rabbi Frank added.
Reintroducing Ramaz to the event was a pleasant surprise for all students, but especially exciting for Sophomores and Juniors who have been begging for its return. “I was so excited to see color war return to Ramaz and I knew that I really needed to get into it so that it could continue even after I graduate,” Ashley Rechtschaffan ’25 exclaimed.
This decision brought 9th-11th graders together, unifying them through a mix of athletic and creative events. By including events like basketball games, the traditional Apache relay race, and creative challenges like banner-making and dance-offs, the administration ensured that there was something for everyone. “There was an amazing mix of traditional activities like tug of war and volleyball mixed with new Ramaz traditions to create a color war unlike any other,” Levi Kotulski ’27 noted.
It was not only the activities that led to Color War’s success, however, team leaders also were crucial to the enjoyment of the event. Color War leaders immediately jumped into planning mode when Color War was announced and their dedication allowed Color War to run smoothly. “Prepping actually began on Friday right after Color War had broken out,” white team General Rachel Buller ’25 said, “me and my co-general Gavriel Harmatz started signing everyone up for activities and arranging who would be in charge of each of the major events.”
Despite the overall enthusiasm at the event, some students still chose not to participate in team meetings or activities which definitely had an impact on the final results. “I think we would have won the alma mater if everyone would have participated, but also I think that there would have just been an overall more exciting and hype vibe” Buller ‘25 added.
Some students, unfortunately, missed their chance to participate in color war because of scheduling conflicts. “I was really sad about missing Color War because of Mock Trial because I’ve always loved doing it at camp where it was always a fun tradition,” Tamar Romano ’26 said, “but I was also really excited about Mock Trial because it was such a huge opportunity for me.”
Regardless of the setbacks, Color War was an overwhelmingly positive experience for Ramaz students and faculty, as it reinforced school spirit and the importance of teamwork. This positivity about color war was mirrored by the administration who promised to bring it back next year. “Yes, there is lots to improve upon and we will review that over the summer to make it even better next year,” Rabbi Frank said.
