NEW ENGLAND E DITION
THE NCSY NEWSLETTER
CHANUKAH 2012
176
Active Jewish teens in New England NCSY
152 New England NCSYers and staff at Bromley Mountain for the kickoff “One Big Shack” Shabbaton.
NCSY’s “One Big Shack” Shabbaton The mountains were hidden by rain and fog when more than 150 high school students and NCSY staff arrived at Bromley Mountain in Vermont on Friday afternoon. However, when we awoke on Shabbat morning, the sky had cleared and the beauty of New England’s Vermont surrounded us. It was a great sight for the NCSYers who traveled from New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts to spend Shabbat together. From the moment the sweet words of Lecha Dodi were sung, we transformed from a room of individuals into a family. With singing, divrei
Torah by the teens, interactive workshops and the trademark NCSY Havdalah, Shabbat truly came alive. The theme of the Shabbaton was the “Art of the Start”. Through activities and Torah sources, we discussed the challenges of creating and maintaining good habits. A Saturday night mountainside scavenger hunt and bonfire rounded out the weekend. The NCSYers came away with a renewed energy and commitment towards their own Judaism. All are looking forward to being together again at the upcoming NCSY Roadshows and Winter Regional.
AN INTERVIEW WITH
Davida Zimble Davida Zimble has been involved with NCSY for over a decade. She contributes with her time, talent and financial resources and together with her family has enjoyed developing relationships with the NCSY leadership that extend beyond the boundaries of NCSY programs. How did you first get involved with NCSY? I became involved when our four children were very young. The former NCSY Regional Director, Ari Solomont, invited our family Continued on next page...
New England NCSY alumni who have spent a year studying in Israel in the past decade
31
Public school teens enrolled in the Jewish Student Leaders (JSL) accelerated educational and leadership program
SY can be in New England NC . This past decade up g o words: growin summarized in tw to ensure that region has taken The direction our and unaf filiated t an rv se both ob Jewish teens from nce Judaism a place to experie our growing backgrounds have to led s ha l eaningfu ndreds of teens as positive and m Hu . nts and events pa ici rt pa of r be num Torah values. We choices based on strengthening are making more an Jewish roots d eir th g in en ep de are tion. th deed and associa their wings in bo grow. We need plent y of room to families who And there is still ish ach those Jew re to rs ne rt pa e mor being part of nce the beauty of have ye t to experie Klal Yisrael. inued suppor t. ur faith and cont eye and open us Thank you for yo r ou h tc ca ah Chanuk May the light of is to be Hashem’s it g in ss ble e th r to further discove Chosen People. bbi Shmue l Mille r
- Ra
... Donor Spotlight continued to attend a Spring Regional. We got to see firsthand the work of NCSY. We also loved the annual NCSY Chanukah Concert. It was a great community event that brought people together. How has NCSY involvement benefited your own family? We raised our children with a love of Israel! They have been to Israel many times; however their NCSY summer experiences were unlike any prior visits. Our youngest children, Ezra and Jacob, 9th and 11th graders respectively at Maimonides School, went on NCSY Summer BILT this past summer. They loved BILT! While many Israel summer programs focus on touring the country and learning, BILT went above and beyond the average summer tour. They had the opportunity on BILT to experience, work and volunteer in Israeli communities that they would otherwise never have had. My boys have already had reunions with the teens they met on BILT. They have made lifelong friendships with Jewish teens from California and Paris and many cities in between.
CAROLINE NUNBERG An interview by Regional Administrator, Dianne Needle, with NCSYer Caroline Nunberg
Tell us a little about yourself? I am a senior at Newton North High School in Massachusetts. I am the Captain of the Varsity Dance Team at my school, and I am a competitive international Latin ballroom dancer, ranked second in the nation. I dance about 20 hours a week, and maintain an honor roll student level of achievement. How long have you been involved in NCSY? How and why did you get involved? I have been involved since I was a freshman in high school. One of my friends from dance told me about the event Spring Regional and made sure that I came with her, along with a bunch of other kids that I knew. I had the best time, and kept coming back. How have you grown from NCSY? NCSY has taught me how to be a Jewish leader. The leaders in NCSY inspire all of the teens to want to learn more and be a part of a fabulous Jewish community. Would you recommend NCSY to others? Definitely! If they would like to be part of a Jewish community and if they are interested in exploring Judaism
and learning all they can, NCSY is the place to do it. You can create your own Jewish identity while being surrounded by people who are constantly doing the same. Q. Tell me about your favorite NCSY event. It was the 2010 Spring Regional. Each activity that we did was so touching to me. Each person I encountered had a glowing neshama, which I really think they got from NCSY. It was unlike any other Shabbaton I had been on before. I realized that I had so much more to learn. That’s why I keep coming back! Q. How is NCSY unique? NCSY is unique for me because it’s not just another social teen organization. Of course, everyone is interested in the social aspect, but at NCSY, you get that and so much more. Everyone wants to learn and everyone wants to be part of the NCSY community. NCSYers want to be there for the Judaism. Q. Do you have plans after high school? After high school, I plan to go to college and study to become a doctor. I’m planning on becoming either an ophthalmologist or a plastic surgeon. Hopefully afterwards I will be married with a wonderful Jewish family!
In addition, our eldest son Eli attended NCSY Summer Kollel when he was in 10th grade and went on to study at Shalavim before starting college. After attending Maimonides and Lev Hatorah, our son Asher decided to make Aliyah and join the IDF. Describe your community involvement? I am very active in the local Jewish community. My husband David and I have been members of Young Israel of Brookline since we were both single. We have raised our children in the YI community. Local Jewish organizations close to my heart are Eim Chai, which I co-founded this year with Sharon Jacobson. Eim Chai’s mission is to empower Jewish women across all streams of observance with Jewish Torah values and wisdom to ignite their homes with greater spirituality. I am also involved as a volunteer for Rofeh Boston, an organization run by the Bostoner Rebbe which helps people who come to Boston for medical reasons. When these people visit, I provide them with private housing and meals. I feel I have received so much more from these people than I have given, and my family and I have forged lifelong friendships. I am also a supporter of the Chai Center of Brookline. Like NCSY, all of these organizations strengthen the learning and continuity of the Boston Jewish community and that, along with Israel, is what is important to me. Why do you support NCSY? NCSY works. NCSY runs quality programs that effectively engage young people. It’s local, educational and Jewish! I believe in the mission of NCSY and its leadership and cherish my family’s friendship with Rabbi and D’vorah Miller.
The Local News You Need to Know
FIRST EVER NCSY ROADSHOW EVENT HELD IN SIX NEW ENGLAND COMMUNITIES
MORE THAN 30 TEENS ATTENDED INTENSIVE LEADERSHIP COURSE
RABBI MILLER ADDRESSES MAIMONIDES SCHOOL IN BROOKLINE
NCSY advisors ran programming all weekend for NCSY teens to provide them with positive Jewish experiences. From a Friday night oneg to a Saturday night Havdalah, our teens came together with our host families in each community.
Jewish public school teens in the Greater Boston area attended their first Jewish Student Leaders (JSL) class. JSL is an innovative program that teaches students about their heritage, foundations of Judaism, public speaking skills and how to be a more passionate, articulate and knowledgeable Jew. JSL Coordinator Jordy Meisler stated, “I am so impressed with the dedication and drive these students have to be more involved in Jewish learning and leadership.“
More than 250 high school students and teachers attended a lecture given by Rabbi Shmuel Miller at the S. Joseph Solomon Synagogue at the Maimonides School. Through humor and drawing on Torah sources, Rabbi Miller spoke about how the Yamim Tovim, High Holidays, are opportunities to consciously write our own names in the Books of Life, Goodness and Blessings.
Contact your community’s Roadshow Team Leader for more information on upcoming Roadshows. Sharon, MA — Yehuda Cohn; cohn.yehuda@gmail.com Newton, MA — Ora Laufer; orashaina@gmail.com Brookline, MA — Rena Blechner; rablechner@gmail.com Providence, RI — Sonia Felder; soniafelder@gmail.com West Hartford, CT —Nachi Friedman; nachif71@gmail.com Stamford, CT — Josh Munk; jyoshimunk@gmail.com
NEW DIRECTOR OF OUTREACH IN CONNECTICUT Welcome aboard Rabbi Uri Grosberg! A dynamic teacher at Hebrew High School of New England in West Hartford, Rabbi Grosberg brings his experience and talents to the team to engage Jewish teens in the West Hartford and New Haven communities. Contact him at grosbergu@ncsy.org
ANNUAL VISIT WITH NCSY ALUMNI STUDYING IN ISRAEL Staying connected to alumni is necessary if we hope the impact of NCSY will continue to make a difference in their lives. As the number of graduating NCSYers choosing to spend a year in Israel grows, every year Rabbi Shmuel and D’vorah Miller spend an intensive week visiting with individual students and speaking at various yeshivas and Israel programs. Many NCSY alumni come back to our region and serve as advisors and staff, sharing their Israel experiences with the NCSYers.
MAZEL TOVS IN THE NCSY FAMILY! This year, we are very happy to announce the engagement of our NCSY Advisors:
Teens are deeply engaged as Rabbi Miller teaches them about their Jewish heritage.
Nachi Friedman & Jennifer Becker Yosef Hoffman & Sonia Felder Shmuel Saklad & Perel Lubel Moshe Dulitz & Tikki Yudin
Students and NCSYers stand with Rabbi Miller, NCSY Regional Director, and Nathan Katz, Maimonides Executive Director.
JSU LAUNCHED IN RHODE ISLAND Our newest JSU club at Classical High School in Providence, RI, was attended by 19 Jewish teens. Rabbi Aaron Lapin is leading the club and draws on his years of informal Jewish education to engage the teens in experiential Jewish programs.
May you merit to build a Bayit Ne’eman BeYisrael!
March 14 @ 7:00pm
Thursdays @ 10:00pm
Hampton Inn Executive Conference Center, Natick, MA
Parenting Evening: Bringing the Passover Seder to Life for Your Kids”
GPS Learning conference call with Nachi Friedman
Join more than 180 NCSYers and staff on our Winter Regional Convention!
Sifriyah Zone at Temple Israel, 125 Pond St, Sharon, MA
Feb. 15-16, March 15-16, April 19-20, May 14-15
NCSY is proud to present an evening for parents featuring Rabbi Shmuel Miller.
Jan. 31-Feb. 3
Winter Regional
Roadshow Shabbat
May 30-June 2
Sharon, Newton, Brookline, Providence, Stamford and West Hartford
Camp Ramah, Palmer, MA
Join your NCSY advisors for Shabbat in your community — a Friday night oneg, NCSY Havdalah and Saturday night Latte & Learning!
Spring Regional The final Shabbaton of the year including sports, workshops, bonfires, kumzits and our awards banquet
Weekly Events Thursdays @ 8-9:30pm
Jewish Student Leaders (JSL) New England NCSY, Newton, MA
Want more info on these events? Call Dianne Needle at 617-332-6279 Don’t forget to LIKE US on Facebook! www.facebook.com/newenglandncsy
212 Sumner Street Newton, MA 02459 617-332-6279
An NCSY Shabbaton is an incredible opportunity to experience Judaism in its purest form — through community, a sense of oneness and a love for every Jew. — Josh Rosenbaum, NCSY Regional Board President and Student Council President at Maimonides School.
Visit newengland.ncsy.org
Regional Leadership Rabbi Shmuel Miller Regional Director
Dianne Needle Regional Administrator
Uri Grosberg Director of Outreach, CT
Devora Weinstock Regional Coordinator
BEST R E M M U S EVER.
SA GIVE GIVE U t le le TJJ Mich orts p S p TJJA Cam el Kollel ICE Isra E IC T o BIL Eur T L JO
Jordy Meisler JSL Coordinator
D’vorah Miller Alumni Coordinator
www.ncsy.org
NCSY is the international youth movement of the OU.
t $2,699 s ju r fo l rae OW! Go to Is ISTER N
REG .COM R E M M U NCSYS
SUMMER