MIDWEST E D I T I O N
THE NCSY NEWSLETTER
CHANUKAH 2011
2400
Number of Jewish teens affected by Midwest NCSY each year
Senator Mark Kirk, a leading voice for American-Israel issues and namesake of NCSY’s new Senator Mark Israel Scholars Program.
The New Teen Scene for Scholars As the calendar turns to 2012, a new program is about to be launched in the Chicago area. The SenatorMarkKirkIsraelScholarsProgramengages studentsbypairingthemwithlocallay-leadersfor aseriesof12 learningsessionsrelatedtoIsrael,its ethics and values and the practical implications of those concepts for them as Jewish decisionmakers.Participantswillalsohaveanopportunity to meet with a variety of experts including the Illinois U.S. Senator Mark Kirk.
TheIsrael Scholars willearnacontinuingeducation stipendof$150ora$500scholarshiptowardsThe JerusalemJourney(TJJ)-NCSYs4weeksummer trip in Israel. Sessions meet Tuesday nights from 7:30-9:00 pm beginning in February at the Wilmette Community Recreation Center. TheSenatorMarkKirkIsraelScholarsProgramwas createdinpartnershipwithMIETorahHigh,ajoint program of the ATT and NCSY. Contact:polsteiny@ncsy.org.|www.IsraelScholars.com
David and Miri Rosenwasser DavidandMiriRosenwasserhavebeeninvolved withNCSYforthepastdecade,frequentlyopening theirhometohostNCSYersandNCSYprograms. They contribute to NCSY with their time, effort, andfinancialresourcesandtogetherwiththeirsix children,haveenjoyeddevelopingrelationships with NCSY teenagers that extend beyond the boundaries of NCSY programs. Thanks so much for your time, David and Miri. Can you tell us how you first became involved in NCSY and why you support it? OurinvolvementreallybeganwiththefirstNCSY Shabbatonweattended:WinterConclavein2004. Forme(David),NCSYhasprovidedanopportunity Continuedonnextpage...
34
Number of public school clubs that meet each week around the region faciliated by Midwest NCSY
185+
Number of teens who attended Fall Senior NCSY Convention in Memphis, TN this past November
NCSY is the largest Jewish teen organization in the Midwest
ily, ds and Fam Dear Frien y you so man share with are going to d te ci We are ex nding things that ta as only of the outs ion. Even though it h began, g re the year on in our onths since endous growth. m w fe a been trem eady seen hing you we have alr side and enjoy! Wis ! in ah ok uk lo n a a h Take py C mily a hap and your fa reenland
– Rabbi M
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... Donor Spotlight continued to experience something I never had when I was growing up in Chicago’s north suburbs. Shabbatons,Fridaynightonegsandinformaland fun learning programs were all things I would haveenjoyedandbenefitedfromimmensely.Our involvementtodaygivesusthechancetobenefit teenagers in the way I would have appreciated back in my own teenage years. And if that’s true for me, we know it’s the case for countless kids that NCSY is working with right now. What do you wish other people knew about NCSY’s teen outreach? Theimpactthatcommunitymemberscanhave throughNCSYoneachteenagerisimmeasurable. In our view, each child that you are able to help is a world in their own, with generations of future Jewishchildrenaffectedjustbyinfluencingone Jewish teenager! It’s so fulfilling to us to play evenasmallpartinanNCSYer’sspiritualgrowth. It re-energizes us in our own lives and we’d love it if others reading this would want to give of themselvesandjoinNCSYinreachingouttoteens wholackadeepandmeaningfulconnectionwith their Judaism.
AARON KURTZMAN In Chicago, New York, Los Angeles or any other “big” city, it may not be a big deal for a boy to choose to go to NCSY Kollel for the summer. But in a town where there is only one small community day school that goes up to sixth grade, producing a boy who has both the capability and the desire to attend an intensive learning summer program—the Harvard of Jewish summer programs—was indeed a great accomplishment for the Omaha Jewish community. We have all heard the stories of the great sages that grew up in small rural communities in pre-war Poland: when they saw great potential in a young boy, they did whatever it took to raise enough money to send him to a high-level Torah learning center like Volozin. When the day finally came to send the boy off to study, the entire community came together in celebration, knowing that the boy was embarking on a journey that would bring them all great pride. That sense of pride and anticipation was the same feeling the Omaha community felt when they sent Aaron Kurtzman on NCSY Kollel. Aaron has been attending Beth Israel Synagogue since he was a little boy. They’ve watched him grow up and listened to him read the Torah at his bar mitzvah. To this day, they are privileged to watch him daven, learn and give divrei Torah to other people in the synagogue on a regular basis. This past summer, Rabbi Jonathan Gross, rabbi of Beth Israel, approached Aaron about attending one of two NCSY Summer programs. The first was The Jerusalem Journey (TJJ), an Israel-based touring program designed specifically for public school students. The second,
How has your NCSY involvement benefited your own family? Aaron Kurtzman (left) and a friend get ready to depart for a life changing summer at NCSY Summer Kollel in Israel.
NCSY Kollel, is another Israel program but is geared mostly towards yeshiva day school students and focuses on Torah learning and intensive sports. Without hesitation, Aaron immediately chose to attend Kollel, despite lacking a strong Jewish education. Aaron had the best summer of his life! He made friends from all over the world. In a short six weeks, his level of learning had broken into new stratospheres that he did not even know existed. He was introduced to gemara learning and developed an appreciation for learning Torah for its own sake. He encountered great rabbis from Yeshiva University and says that they are “mamash awesome!” Aaron continues to maintain ongoing relationships with his madrichim and Kollel rabbis. Aaron came back to Omaha passionate about learning and is even inspiring others, including Rabbi Gross himself, with whom Aaron has a weekly chavrusa. Rabbi Gross’s next dream for Aaron: “I hope that he chooses to go to learn in Yeshiva for a year after high school.” Thanks to NCSY Kollel, Aaron will not be limited to the few yeshivot that cater to public school kids with limited backgrounds. He can have his pick of all of the top yeshivot in Israel. Aaron plans on returning to NCSY Kollel this coming summer and Rabbi Gross hopes this is only the beginning of a wave of boys and girls choosing NCSY Summer Programs. Thanks to what NCSY offers and provides for all youth, Jewish teens all over have a bright Jewish future ahead.
NCSY has given our children the opportunity to relate to Jews of diverse backgrounds. It also has helped them truly appreciate their own upbringing in a Torah observant world as well as develop a genuine love and respect for other Jews. By hosting NCSY kids at our home, our children are in the position to help others in their Jewishgrowthandthatinturnhasenhancedour children’sJewishidentities.Becauseofthis,our oldest daughters were inspired to spend their summerswithNCSYonGIVEandMichlelet.There, they grew tremendously by coming together in Israel with other Jewish girls from a variety of backgrounds and engaging in life changing chesed activities and uplifting learning. Their perspectiveontheJewishcommunityandmaking it a priority to reach out to others are forever part of them because of their NCSY involvement.
The impact that community members can have through NCSY on each teenager is immeasurable. In our view, each child that you are able to help is a world in their own, with generations of future Jewish children affected just by influencing one Jewish teenager!
Bringing to Light the Innovative Programs That Connect Teens to Their Judaism
Skokie
Kansas City
Skokie NCSY, in partnership with ATT, has been running an amazingly successful Dinner & Learn program. Every Thursday night at Sandwich Club, teenagers from varying Jewish backgrounds come together to eat dinner and learn Torah in an open and welcoming environment. A wide variety of Rabbis and professionals in the community have attended and spoken to the teens about topics ranging from the weekly parsha to the Jewish view on business ethics. The discussions that develop open the door for teens to ask questions and hear the opinions of others. We look forward to many more Jewish teens from the Chicagoland area participating in the future!
We have successfully started another year of the JUMP challenge in collaboration with NCSY and HBHA. JUMP offers yeshiva day school students leadership opportunities while broadening their understanding of global issues facing the Jewish community. The challenge began with a kickoff seminar in NYC on October 30-31 which was attended by two of NCSY JUMP team members and the Kansas City NCSY director, Hillel Goldstein. The teens spent time learning leadership skills and participating in team building exercises.
JUMP–JewishUnityMentoringProgram
Dinner and Learn at Sandwich Club
Indianapolis
Challahween
South Bend
NCSY Lounge Night On the first Wednesday of every month, the NCSY Lounge is open. It’s the one night a month that South Bend NCSYers have time to chill and jam as they will. With two floors of electronic excitement and a pool and a ping-pong table, it’s a night to remember. If that wasn’t enough to sell you, there is also pizza, pop and all sorts of snacks. Of course, there is a dvar Torah, the centerpiece of the evening, as well as a magic trick performed by our very own illusionist, Yehuda Lindow. As we like to say in South Bend, “This night is for you!”
Memphis
It all happened over Sukkot… Over Sukkot, Memphis hosted several exciting events for their teens, including an Edible sukkah building contest, a movie in the sukkah and a very heated Gilad Shalit release debate in which 17 kids participated and had their voices heard.
Fall convention leaves a lasting impression in memphis Over 185 NCSYers, along with dozens of advisors and staff, converged in Baron Hirsch Congregation in Memphis for an inspiration-packed weekend in November. From the moment the buses pulled in on Friday morning until the band played its last note on Sunday, energy and excitement filled the air.
December 22-26
Jake Frankovitz, Sammy Katz and Aaron Welcher from Indianapolis NCSY showing off their entry in the edible sukkah competition.
Buffalo Grove
A Dose of Frappatorah Gives BG NCSYersEnergyLongIntotheNight Frappatorah go-ers stay after hours to chat, hang out, sip their warm Starbucks drinks and continue the Torah-inspired discussion long after the guest speaker leaves. For these public school teens, Frappatorah is an extra weekly dose of friendship and inspiration that is not part of their daily curriculum. Sponsored in partnership with the ATT.
Milwaukee
Saturday night Kumzits
Milwaukee chapter had an amazing teen-led kumzits with free pizza and a performance by the NCSY teen band at the Karan’s sukkah in Glendale. Coincidentally, they were also “the band” at the Fall Convention in Memphis. The NCSYers had a blast eating home made pizza while listening to live music.
Mondays @ 7:30-8:30pm
Grades 9-12
Mizrahi Grill
January 13-15
Mondays @ 7:30-8:30pm
Junior NCSY Winter Shabbaton
Some of the Frappatorah attendees enjoying a Latte & Learning with their Buffalo Grove chapter.
Chicago Area Weekly Happenings
Okner Winter Conclave Eaglewood Resort
NCSYers gathered together at the end of October for a learning and nosh filled evening. All NCSYers participated in the preparation, mixing, kneading and ultimately baking of a pumpkin flavored challah. A large enough quantity of dough was prepared to allow for the mitzvah of hafrashat challah (separation of challah) to be done and there was a discussion of the mitzvah as well as the importance of bread in Jewish daily life.
Dinner and Learn Frappatorah
Starbucks in Buffalo Grove
Milwaukee Grades 5-8
February 17-20
NCSY Yarchei Kallah Illinois
Grades 9-12
Wednesdays @ 7:30-8:30pm
Latte and Learning Starbucks in Lakeview
Thursdays @ 7:45-8:45pm
Dinner and Learn Sandwich Club
Want more info on these events? Call 847-677-6279
3200 W Touhy Ave Chicago, IL 60645
Midwest NCSY Rabbi Micah Greenland Regional Director/CEO greenlandm@ncsy.org
Chief Communications Officer isenbergm@ncsy.org
Rabbi Donny Schwartz Associate Regional Director rabbidonny@ncsy.org
Executive Leadership Rabbi Steven Burg International Director, NCSY
Mr. Keevy Fried Assoc. International Director, NCSY
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Rabbi Moshe Isenberg
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Mr. Joseph Stechler
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Youth Commission Chairman, OU
Rabbi Dr. Simcha Katz President, OU
Midwest mesorah 3200 W Touhy Ave Chicago, IL 60645 847-677-NCSY www.midwestncsy.org
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