 In 1951, Massad launched its Machon Ma’ale () program for the preparation of Hebrew-speaking counselors, with Professor Hillel Bavli serving as its first director.In 1960, Massad opened up a new division called Prozdor (a preparatory program for the Machon) for 15-year-old campers.In the 1950s and 1960s, Massad drew the majority of its campers from the Talmud Torahs and day schools in New York, admitting mainly campers with Hebrew educational backgrounds The bulk of the camp populations came from the centrist Orthodox community, especially from the students of the Ramaz School and Flatbush Yeshivot.