After 30 years it was like nothing has changed. Last month, Year Course 1994-1995 reunited in Chicago for a weekend of memories, laughs and good times. Over 50 people from all over the globe, including FZY participants from Israel and England gathered together for a weekend of nostalgia. As a group we managed to raise $16,000 for Year Course programming in honor of our reunion. As they say, Year Course never ends, and that is certainly true in our case. What a lovely weekend of seeing old faces.

Thank you to reunion committee co-chairs Dana Blitstein and Molli Tobin Monk and the dedicated reunion committee Marla Aistrope, Margo Alpert, Katy Burstein, Becca Katzman and Rachel Secore. A special thanks to Amit Weinberg; you know what you did! Xo

Want to plan your Year Course reunion? We can help! Email alumni@youngjudaea.org

By Nina Berkowitz

This past summer, I had the privilege of participating in the Business and

Marketing Program through Onward, and my experience was nothing short of

transformative. While I had visited Israel before, it was nothing compared to the

immersive experience I had this past summer. Living independently, I had the

opportunity to deeply connect with Israeli culture while gaining invaluable professional experience through my marketing internship.

I interned with Alike Health, a startup healthcare platform that uses AI technology to connect individuals with similar medical histories. The platform enables people to share their experiences, ideas, and offer emotional support, fostering a sense of community among users with common health conditions. As a marketing intern, I contributed to content creation for social media, assisted with the development of their new website, wrote blog posts, and created informative videos for a new feature on their app and website. This hands-on role gave me the chance to see my ideas come to life in a meaningful way.

Beyond gaining professional experience, I immersed myself in the Israeli work
environment, building lasting connections with the team at Alike Health. My background in content creation and video editing allowed me to contribute meaningfully to the company, while also expanding my skill set. Despite studying Psychology and Health Medicine & Society in college, I was eager to explore the business world, and this internship challenged me in ways that helped me grow both professionally and personally. It was thrilling to see my content brought to life on Alike’s platform, and I learned how to shape my ideas to better cater to users’ needs. This experience pushed me to become a more thoughtful, analytical thinker.

On a personal level, this program deepened my connection to Israel. Growing up
in a Conservative Jewish household and attending Jewish day schools, I’ve always had a strong Jewish identity. Being in Israel on my own terms allowed me to develop routines, explore Tel Aviv, and truly live the experience. It felt especially important being in Israel and supporting the country after October 7th as I began experiencing the ways hostility grew on my campus. I was longing to return to Israel and away from the antisemitism that’s been sweeping many universities. So, being in Israel this past summer felt that much more important.

In summary, the Onward program was a pivotal experience for me. It helped me
become more independent, gain valuable work experience, and further strengthen my Jewish identity. It was, without a doubt, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that shaped me both professionally and personally.

Hello, my name is Nomi Gedzelman and I am so excited to be the National Mazkirah of YJ Teens this year.

I have been part of Young Judaea since starting at Sprout Lake in 2017, continuing through my years at Tel Yehudah and this past summer on Gesher in Israel. I’ve also been on Regional Mazkirut in the Northeast for the last two years.

My strong love for the Young Judaea community inspires me every day, which is why I am grateful and excited to be in this position this year. I hope to spread this love and significantly increase nationwide engagement. We are starting off the 2024-2025 with more regional leaders in more places than in many years, and will be kicking off programming in NYC, Northern NJ, Chicago, Pittsburgh, LA, Atlanta, and Austin local areas, and planning for three regional conventions in the spring, following our annual National Convention in January!

This past weekend at Mazkirut Leadership Training, all Maz members had the ability to bond and share our excitement for the coming year. We spent the whole weekend developing meaningful programming dealing with Zionism and our relationships with Israel and more. Every Mazkirut member is extremely dedicated to the Young Judaea community and its core values. I am confident that this year will be extremely meaningful and so much fun.

As we dive into the year with our National Initiative being antisemitism, we will learn about its roots and how we can combat it as young Jewish leaders. Mazkirut leadership training weekend made it clear that our unique, inviting, and warm community has and will continue to be an extremely important driving value. Throughout the year we are going to have local Havdalah hangs, Friday night dinners, Rikud and more of our traditions which have always brought us together as a community.

I can’t wait to see you at a YJ Teens event this year!