With camp around the corner, Young Judaea teens took the opportunity to get to know the Camp Directors a little better!

Frank Silberlicht, CYJ Texas

How did you get involved in Young Judaea?  I was living in St. Thomas and helping with youth programs at the synagogue and I decided on a career change into Camping. I wanted to live in Texas and Camp Young Judaea was where I got a start.

What is the best part about being a camp director?  The job is always changing.  Nothing about my job is redundant.  We are always innovating and trying new things.  I love the ability to run the Camp like a business with a heart!

Who is your hero?   I will go with Sandy Koufax.  He was pitching in the World Series in 1965 and Game 1 was on Yom Kippur.  He was not religious but he put his faith before his career.  I admire that!

What is your favorite camp tradition?   Coffee Cake at CYJ on Shabbat.  Those that have had it, understand.

What are your goals for camp this year?  Open and have a safe summer.  Show the first bit of normalcy to our campers and staff in 16 months!

Are there any surprises for camp this year?  Yes, but if I share it here it will not be much of a surprise.  Let me just say that we have a few new programs up our sleeves.

What kitchen utensil best relates to your job being a director? Why?  My job as Camp Director is to have vision and support our staff in doing their jobs. That means I am oven gloves to support what’s being done and to make sure nothing gets burnt.

What’s your favorite camp meal?  Every Sunday for lunch, we have hamburgers and fries.  That is my favorite meal!

 

Walter Synalovski, Camp Judaea

How did you get involved in Young Judaea? I grew up in Puerto Rico where YJ was the youth group for the kids in my synagogue. My brother, Manny, got me involved in Young Judaea while he was the madrich of our club and was the Mazkir of the Florida/PR region (Or Hadarom).

What is the best part about being a camp director? The best part of my job is to see our kids/staff participate in our camps and Israel programs, and develop a connection to Israel as they become the future leaders of the Jewish Communities.

Who is your hero? Pedro Martinez. He was a major league pitcher and was inducted to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2015. He was a great baseball player and is a genuine and awesome person.

What is your favorite camp tradition? Misdar Boker. It is great to see the whole camp start the day together.

What are your goals for camp this year? My goal is for the chanichim and tzevet to have a great time and for us to have a healthy community.

Are there any surprises for camp this year? Yes, we have many new special programs planned for the chanichim. The kids will have a blast.

What kitchen utensil best relates to your job being a director? Why? I don’t have a kitchen utensil that comes to mind. However, I am a fan of the large mixers in the bakery. (I know that the mixer is an appliance and not a utensil). When I hear the mixers churning, I know that we will have fresh brownies and cookies later that day!

What’s your favorite camp meal? Shabbat Dinner is the greatest meal at camp. No doubt! Its the meal that I look forward to all week!

Helene Drobenare, CYJ Sprout Lake

How did you get involved in Young Judaea?  I did not grow up in YJ, I grew up in BBYO. I started as the director of CYJ Sprout Lake in 1999.

What is the best part about being a camp director?  The best part of my job is being part of change. Every day is different and the Sprout team gets to be part of empowering the next generation of Jews.

Who is your hero?  It’s a mix of Golda Meir and RBG

What is your favorite camp tradition?  Siyum- without a doubt. It is the one moment where the whole world stops for us to just say thank you.

What are your goals for camp this year? To open! We are so excited to get back to camp after 2020.

Are there any surprises for camp this year?  Yes there are- but I can’t tell you because it’s a surprise!

What kitchen utensil best relates to your job being a director? Why? The Fire Extinguisher- the big red one that hangs in the Sprout kitchen. As a camp director we are always putting out fires on some level.

What’s your favorite camp meal? BBQ

David Weinstein, Camp Tel Yehudah

 How did you get involved in Young Judaea? I was 11 years old and I was flipping through my mom’s Hadassah magazine and saw an ad for a brand new camp opening – Sprout Lake.  I was tired of my old camp and I said to my mom, that I wanted to go to Sprout Lake.  That was 1976.  The rest is history.

What is the best part about being a camp director? Watching campers grow into amazing staff members.  It reminds me that we truly are developing future Jewish leaders every summer at TY.

Who is your hero?  Nelson Mandela.

What is your favorite camp tradition?  Hadracha kids leading of gazal on the last Shabbat.

What are your goals for camp this year? This summer is all about re-opening safely and being incredibly creative in how we go beyond expectations of how great camp can be even with some restrictions.

Are there any surprises for camp this year?  Ummm..yeah!

What kitchen utensil best relates to your job being a director? Why? The huge Hobart mixing machine in the back of the kitchen.  It’s been there since I worked in the kitchen and is still doing the job of mixing it all together to make an incredible summer.

What’s your favorite camp meal? Oh Bagels doo doo doo! Every summer I get to say a few words to the chanichim about the history and importance of bagels to our people.  And, they are so so yummy!

Robin Anderson, CYJ Midwest

How did you get involved in Young Judaea?  I participated in a Young Judaea program called Sharsheret when I was a junior in college (my sister was on Year Course at the same time). After that semester, I worked at Kibbutz Ketura for the summer. When I graduated from college, I accepted a position as the assistant regional director for Midwest Young Judaea (and besides a few years), I have been here since 2000.

What is the best part about being a camp director? I love seeing when a group of campers start the session as individuals and end the session as a family. Also getting the entire camp to see Pizza Man at Shabbat lunch shira.

Who is your hero? Golda Meir

What is your favorite camp tradition? When the entire camp sings Shalom Alecheim together on Friday night/Midwest’s special ice cream truck on the last day of camp

What are your goals for camp this year? For campers and staff to have fun and not worry about all of the stress and anxiety of the past year

Are there any surprises for camp this year? Can’t share – they wouldn’t be a surprise! 🙂

What kitchen utensil best relates to your job being a director? Why? a rubber spatula because it is literally the most versatile utensil‍

What’s your favorite camp meal? Oven Fried Chicken & Challah on Friday Night

Recently, Young Judaea Year-Round finished up Bechirot – a four-part virtual series where teens chose one of four topics to discuss with their peers and leading experts.

The ADL (Anti-Defamation League) led an important discussion of Antisemitism and how it manifests itself today – in the United States and globally. The Bechira in this track took a deep dive into the origins of Antisemitism and its connection and distinction from Anti-Zionism. The ADL encouraged the group to become the catalysts for change and challenge Antisemitism whenever it is seen.

 

Challenges of Antisemitism Today

“The experience was interactive and educational without being difficult to understand or follow. I was able to take away a lot of tools and information that are useful in combating Antisemitism.” -Bechirot Participant

Be’chol Lashon led a fascinating workshop on Racial and Cultural Diversity of Jewish Identity and Experience. Participants learned about the ethnic and racial diversity of the global Jewish community and discussed how to create more inclusive spaces for all Jews within Young Judaea and their local communities.

Racial and Cultural Diversity of Jewish Identity and Experience

“I learned a lot about diversity in the Jewish community. And I will take my knowledge and what I have learned from the leader and my peers with me.” -Bechirot Participant

“I’m taking away, not only learning more about racial justice, but also learning ways that I can be a better advocate.” -Bechirot Participant

In Issues of Sex, Sexuality, and Gender in Jewish Communities led by Moving Traditions, participants had the opportunity to learn with leaders from a team of rabbis, social workers, and sex education specialists who brought Jewish wisdom into conversation with topics such as peer pressure, friendship, popularity, desire, love, relationships, consent, sex and sexuality. Questions asked included: “How does a person know who they are and what risks do they want to take?”, “What does it mean to resist pressure?” “When do you choose to ‘fit in’ and why?”

Issues of Sex, Sexuality, and Gender in Jewish Communities

“I’ve been attending the Bechirot seminars on Sex and Sexuality where we’ve talked about gender norms, thinking beyond the binary, and the significance of touch in our society. I’ve learned so many things like the ways in which men and women act differently, what it means to be non-binary, how gender can be expressed, and how important touch is in connecting with people. These sessions and conversations have been so great and always leave me thinking and wanting more, and I always get something out of them. Would highly recommend!” -Bechirot Participant

“I really enjoyed working with the Tel Yehudah teens. They were smart, engaged, and eager to delve into the issues we explored together. It was a pleasure to learn from their experiences and to help them make sense of and build their knowledge around issues of gender in their lives and at camp.” -Bechirot Contractor

“I thoroughly enjoyed speaking with the TY teens. I had 4 from various points throughout the US.  They were engaged and gave insight into risk taking in their peer group and what they felt was the norm in their community – especially as it related to Covid. Thanks for allowing me to be part of this.” -Bechirot Contractor

In the Israeli Culture: TV/ Film, Food, Music and Language track, each session was led by a different expert in their field including Israeli screenwriter, cinema lecturer, and YJ alum, Galit Roichman, who gave a glimpse into modern Israel through television. Israel’s leading culinary tourism provider, Delicious Israel, talked about all things Israeli food. Bechira even got to rock out with Grammy award-winning record producer and YJ alum, Steve Greenberg for a lesson on Israeli pop music!

Israeli Culture: TV/Film, Food, Music, Language

“In the second session, our facilitator shared a “story:” when she visited England, she would take the train. There, if you wanted to avoid conversation, all you had to do was read a newspaper. However, in Israel, everyone is more like a family, and a newspaper actually becomes an invitation for others to talk to you.” – Bechirot Participant

“One of our last stops was a popular bakery with legendary rugelach. After seeing lots of pictures, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it ever since! I hope to be able to try some of this highly recommended rugelach this Summer during my trip to Israel with the Gesher program!” – Bechirot Participant

 Want to hear about all of the amazing Young Judaea Year-Round Programming events? Make sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram!

Humans of YJ Feature: Eli Saper

I remember the moment that I discovered that I could make a difference in the world by growing organic food. I had just finished exploring and connecting with the people of Israel during Year Course. Surging with a renewed connection to Judaism and Israel through its nature, I found myself out of place starting university in a strange land. I knew that I needed to take action to do something deeper that would change the world. My years in Young Judaea taught me that we need to care for our land and for each other. I made the decision to leave school and learn sustainable agriculture in Israel. That year changed my life forever.

 

My wife and I officially made Aliyah in 2012 to reconnect with our Jewish agricultural roots and fulfill our dream as pioneers.  Six months ago our family garden expanded into a small local farm, Havat Iyar.  By using organic and permaculture techniques, we are respecting and caring for the natural ecology of the land.  We started selling vegetables to neighboring communities and we are expanding to plant a large medicinal herbal tea section.

 

Our goal is to promote healthy lifestyles and spiritual growth by enriching people’s connection to the land.  It is not enough to just come here (to Israel); we are meant to heal the land and to allow ourselves to be healed through it.  We are creating a space where people can grow by working together and experience first-hand the incredible life force manifesting through the earth.

 

Young Judaea instilled the values that made me who I am today.  Growing up in the movement taught me to be who I am and go for my dreams.  It is up to us as individuals and as a collective soul, to deepen our connection to the land and in turn, discover who we are and who we can become.

 

Eli Saper is a former CYJ Midwest (2001-2003) and Tel Yehudah (2004-2005) camper and attended Machon (2006) and Year Course (2007-2008). 

It is 1975. I am 18 years old and having Shabbat dinner in the home of a lively Moroccan family in Nazareth Illit, Israel. I have just completed the first two months of Young Judaea’s Year Course (Machon section) and my ability to speak Hebrew is minimal. We had just finished studying the differences between Mizrahi and Ashkenazi communities in the classroom, and now each member of our program went to stay for a weekend with Mizrachi families in development towns. Spending an immersive weekend with a non-English speaking Moroccan/Israeli family was an experience I recall and reflect on to this day, 46 years later.

During that weekend, the family took me in as one of their own. My Hebrew improved more in three days than in an entire semester of Ulpan. Over the weekend, I found myself comparing this family’s Judaism and Zionism with my own. My 18-year-old understanding of Israel, Judaism, and community were challenged in fundamental ways (my host family was adamantly anti-Golda Meir), and reinforced in other ways, (their love of Israel was deep and their warmth was overflowing). I was way out of my comfort zone, which is where profound learning takes place. To me, this experience is at the core of Young Judaea’s educational philosophy. Young Judaea is built on placing kids in experiential situations where they can learn, explore, and push the boundaries of who they are as Jews, and as people.

I, along with my two brothers, became involved with Young Judaea in high school. We were originally encouraged to join by our parents as a way to explore our Jewish identity and make friends, and I quickly found myself enjoying the program. The experiences gave me the feeling of being part of something larger than myself. Eventually, I became regional Mazkir of the Upper NY Region, a leadership role within Young Judaea that involves planning local events for teens. After that I then went on to attend Camp Tel Yehudah for three summers and later traveled to Israel on Year Course.

After college my girlfriend (now wife) and I made Aliyah and moved to Rehovot, Israel. Five years later we moved back to the States for career and family reasons and settled in Minneapolis where I pursued a career in the Medical Device field. In Minneapolis, I was actively involved in the Jewish community but my involvement with Young Judaea was mainly through my children, nieces and nephews who each attended Young Judaea’s summer camps and went on Year Course in Israel. I remained on the outskirts of the organization, only observing its impact through the next generation.

It wasn’t until 2011, 25 years later, that my personal involvement with Young Judaea picked back up. The organization was moving towards independence from Hadassah at the time, and I joined a group of Judaean alumni to envision what the Young Judaea of the future would look like. During those early gatherings I found myself being transported back to my time as regional Mazkir, my summers at camp, and my time exploring Israel as an 18 year old. I found myself asking, why is Young Judaea so special and how do we need to shape it to be relevant and impactful in the decades to come?

As Young Judaea adapts to the rapidly changing world, our core values are more important than ever; Clal Yisrael (engaging all Jews regardless of background), Pluralism, Social Action and Love of Israel. These are the values that bind us and are cemented through the immersive educational experiences that encourage our youth to wrestle with the real challenges facing the Jewish world. As a result, Young Judaeans develop a passion for and a lifelong connection with Israel and Judaism. Experiences like the one I had in Nazareth Illit in 1975 are still happening today for thousands of kids on Young Judaea’s Israel programs and our summer camps. In today’s hyper partisan world, our 110-year-old movement is more relevant than ever.

Mike Berman is the Chair of the Board Of Young Judaea Global and resides in Tel Aviv

In Young Judaea, our chanichim, campers and program participants, develop a lifelong personal connection to Israel. Many maintain their connection by integrating Israel intro their everyday lives, wherever they may be. This lifelong connection manifests itself in the choice or our professions, where we volunteer or lead, how we allocate our tzedakah, what we read, watch and listen to, and in what we transmit to our children and grandchildren.  And some choose to make Israel their home. In fact, according to a recent study, 12% of surveyed alumni across all Young Judaea programs, currently live in Israel.

Brenna Hymowitz, a recent Year Course participant, is currently in the process of making Aliyah.  

Here is her story.

Being a part of Young Judaea since I was eight years old, Zionism has always been an important aspect of my Jewish identity. It was the highlight of my year to return as a camper each year to Camp Young Judaea Texas and be a part of a Jewish community that kept me safe, educated, and happy to be a Jewish girl from Katy, Texas.

Following the footsteps of Young Judaeans before me, I spent my first real time in Israel through Year Course. The experience opened my eyes to a place that I had only dreamt of and yearned for in my heart. I was able to soak up what it means to be an Israeli through adventures to visit with various communities and conversations with the people I met there. In addition, living with Israeli’s gave me an extended family and granted me a new perspective on Jews from around the world.

I am so lucky to have been a part of a movement that pushed me to strengthen and learn more about my Jewish identity than I had ever done before. Year Course gave me the opportunity to create lifetime friendships, make incredible memories, and tangibly understand and experience the land of Israel. I fell in love with the culture, the people, the language, and the land itself. Young Judaea and Israel helped me bring out the best version of myself and follow my heart with the decision to make Aliyah. My heart and soul is drawn to serving and protecting the miracle that is this country. With that said, I plan to draft in the fall as I finish my first year as a student at IDC Herzliya. I am so grateful for the clarity my experiences have given me in making the most important and meaningful decision of my life.

This year, for me, Yom Ha’atzmaut will feel different. This year I will dance in the streets and sing alongside the waving flag of a country that is now my home. I will feel the land beneath my feet, I will smile with its people, and I will celebrate the freedom of being a Jew in the land of Israel.

Young Judaea helped me to pave the path of my Zionism, bring depth to my Jewish identity, and make Israel my home, as it was always meant to be. I believe in Young Judaea and its power to allow people to explore who they are as a Jews, and as people. This Yom Ha’atzmaut, I encourage everyone to pause and reflect. Embrace your freedom to be a Jew and reflect on what Israel truly means and serves to you and your Jewish identity.

Chag Sameach!

Brenna Hymowitz, Year Course 2019-2020

Humans of Young Judaea Feature: Sindy Wayne

 

When COVID-19 hit and I witnessed the economic impact and the corresponding rise of people facing food insecurity, I began volunteering at the Newton Food Pantry, helping to prepare bags of produce for distribution to clients. Despite Newton’s image as an affluent suburb, too many of our neighbors struggle to put food on their tables. During that time volunteering, I learned about Newton Food Pantry’s desire to start a supplemental food resource for the community. In January, I agreed to take on the role of volunteer coordinator.

The Newton Community Freedge, a free outdoor refrigerator and pantry is open 24/7 for all and is a collaborative effort between individuals, organizations, and businesses in Newton, MA. Based on the operating principle of “take what you need, leave what you can”, this volunteer-run initiative opened on 3/14/21 and is being led by the Newton Food Pantry (an all-volunteer run organization) in collaboration with teams of volunteers from organizations across Newton.

As the volunteer coordinator, I set up and manage all of the processes and procedures for volunteer teams to monitor, clean, and stock the Freedge, including picking up donations from local restaurants and businesses. In addition, I manage social media and marketing to encourage individuals in the community to contribute food to the Freedge and to encourage users to take advantage of this new supplemental food resource.

My lifelong passion for social justice and activism and the skills that I use to lead and mobilize others in both my volunteer and professional life are a direct result of having grown up in Young Judaea (Central States participant and Mazkirut, camper and staff-member at CYJ Midwest and Tel Yehudah, and year in Israel with my Young Judaea kvutzah on Machon L’Madrichai Chu’l). In particular, my high school summers at Tel Yehudah fueled my desire to “repair the world” and helped me gain the knowledge and skills to put my desire into action. I am honored to “pay this experience forward” by currently serving on the Tel Yehudah Board of Directors.

Sindy Wayne is a former Central States Mazkirut (1977-81), CYJ Michigan Camper (1976-78), Tel Yehudah Camper (1978-80) and has served on the Tel Yehudah Board of Directors since 2015.

IN MEMORY OF MEL REISFIELD Z”L

This Seder Supplement is dedicated to the memory of my teacher, our teacher, my friend, our friend, Mel Reisfield z”l. Mel loved to say “Education is Repetition” — Repetition not repetitious and certainly not redundant. Mel was famous for using the same phrasing, recycling the same shticks, telling the same jokes. And yet, he also made it fresh each time. He also spoke with passion and sincerity. He always did his homework by reading, studying, preparing – off camera, and then making it look easy, spontaneous, unstudied. And he also kept riffing, adding, updating, keeping it fresh for him as well as us, his devoted students. So, too, with the Seder. We often gather with the same people and certainly follow the same text with the same rituals and the same songs. But, when it works, it feels completely fresh and exciting…with the framework indeed having the familiarity that comes from repetition – but certainly not feeling repetitious or redundant. Wishing everyone a safe, happy, healthy, and non-repetitive Pesach…

With love from Jerusalem,

Gil Troy

David Weinstein
Director, Camp Tel Yehudah
Chug Yo-Ya 1978

Growing up in New Jersey Young Judaea and attending Tel Yehudah in the 1970s and 80’s, I was raised on Mel Reisfield. In Alumim. I took copious pages of notes in those little spiral notebooks while sitting on the floor of the Machon moadon as Mel taught us about the moral code the Jewish people introduced to the world.  We learned about “not holding back the wages of the worker” and “not to put a stumbling block in front of the blind.” At 13 years old, this was our introduction to social justice and social activism.  And he taught us a love of Jewish history, Jewish peoplehood and Israel.  His sichot were bombastic, passionate, irreverent and unforgettable to this day.

These days I am often baffled when I hear so many Jews talk about a tension or dichotomy between loving Israel (people, land and state) and caring about the rest of the world, as if we can only contain one of these truths at a time.  That’s not what we learned from Mel and in Young Judaea.

In his speech at Tel Yehudah for the 100^th anniversary of Young Judaea, Mel said:

“We are inner directed Soviet Jewry, Ethiopian Jewry. But we’re outer directed also. We care about others. And when those people came to me and said Mel, look at what you guys are doing. You’re activists. Social Action. Can you help us? This is the March of Dimes. There are kids with Polio….How are we going to get more people to give us money?  This is before the vaccine for polio. How about a walkathon? One of the first walkathons in the history of walkathons….Started by the Young Judaeans from this camp, Tel Yehudah.”

In these times, may we take Mel’s strength and wisdom to be both inner and outer directed.

Kate Nachman
Director of Year Course

In the zoom waiting room at Mel’s funeral, it did not say “please wait for host” it said, (translated from Hebrew) “wait to be let into the classroom by the teacher.” Among his many contributions to Young Judaea both in the US and Israel, Mel led field trips and taught Hebrew classes on Year Course. He would have approved of the waiting room message being in Hebrew and would have loved for his funeral to be considered a classroom. It is just like him to not let even death be a reason to miss a teachable moment.

It was never quiet in Mel’s classroom. Between his boisterous teaching style and the inevitable laughter around the occasionally unorthodox vocabulary in both his Hebrew and other classes, students not in his classes were frequently jealous of those who got to learn with Mel. I once snuck in to Mel’s Hebrew class to watch him teach.  I’d heard him drop some words my mother didn’t like on the occasional field trip and I’d been told it was mild in comparison to his Hebrew classes. My Hebrew wasn’t quite good enough back then but I had to know what all the fuss was about. He let me stay there for about half an hour before sending me back to my own classroom. I definitely learned some new words.

If the classroom was quiet it probably meant that Mel was out back on the basketball court. Winning more often than not and teaching life lessons, Zionism and Hebrew in those moments as well. Mel walked back and forth from his home in French Hill to Beit Riklis every day and did not indulge the occasional bouts of laziness from the students. Throughout his teaching career with Year Course he expected his students and colleagues to show up prepared with a firm handshake, a thick skin, and a curious mind. In return he was always ready with an invitation to dinner in his home, a provocative question, and an off-color joke.

Long after retiring, when we’d ask Mel to tell his story to incoming Year Coursers, be honored at a ceremony of some kind, or even if he was available for a friendly visit, he was always willing.  The price of his participation in the educational or social visit?  A meal out at his favorite Jerusalem restaurant, Dolphin Yam, where a lesson in pluralism was waiting for anyone who might raise an eyebrow at the choice.

Words like “giant” and “legend” are not too big, they are too small to truly capture the influence that Mel had as an educator and mentor to so many of us in Young Judaea both in Israel and abroad. Those of us like Moshik Toledano, Adam Jenshil and myself who were his students or his colleagues (or both), Joel Srebrenick who grew up at TY and then Young Judaea Israel with Mel as an influence, Orit Segal who taught Hebrew on the same faculty with him, we all strive to carry his legacy forward.

Mike Berman
YJG Board Chair

On Wednesday I attended Mel Reisfield’s funeral in Jerusalem.  It was difficult and emotional for everyone to say goodbye to Mel.  Were it not for COVID restrictions, there would have been hundreds joining me in paying our last respects.  I felt like I was a Shaliach Tzibur for the entire Young Judaea Community.

The outpouring of condolences and sadness at the funeral and in our community conveys how deeply indebted we all are to Mel.  He was a giant and had a profound impact on thousands of young people over decades of dedicated work as an educator, leader and activist.  He was a role model for all of us.  The last gift that we can give to Mel is our resolve to continue on his path of working for Clal Yisrael, Zionism and Tikun Olam.  We are his life’s work.  May he live on through our continued dedication, hard work and accomplishments.  I am quite certain that he would be pleased and thank us for this this gift…and then he would shout a profanity, punch someone in the arm, and get back to work.

Yehi Zichro Baruch יהי זכרו ברוך

O beautiful, her spirit dimmed

As dawn was in our sight

With hatred near, we take our fear

And bend it toward the light

America, America, let’s live up to our creed

For equity, and people free

In work and soul and deed.

These are words from rising young songwriters Eliana Light, Eric Hunker, and Debra Winter written in the aftermath of Thursday’s events and posted on Facebook.

Reading these words closely, I hear deep disappointment tinged with steadfast hopefulness. It is a soulful plea by a generation growing up in a constant state of attack. An attack on their safety, an attack on their sense of justice, and an attack on their idealism. This is the world in which our young people are growing up.  And yet, they plead. When will we hear their cries? Or as we read in this week’s Parshat Shemot, when will Gcd hear their cries?

So, what is our responsibility as a pluralistic youth movement in this moment? We aim to create safe spaces for empathic dialogue and conversation. We listen and we teach them how to truly listen with open minds and hearts. Yesterday, we brought together the advisors and shlichim who work with our teens, to prepare them as they convene their teens around the country and plan the right peulah, activity, for this moment.

Together, they grappled with what it means to be a pluralistic movement at this moment of extreme polarization. Can we model what it means to honor many different perspectives under one tent? Are there any boundaries or limitations to how big the tent can be? Are there things that are clearly outside of the tent? Who decides?

They also grappled with how exhausting it is to constantly weigh competing values. As a movement committed to Israel and social justice, there are times when we find ourselves in a state of cognitive dissonance. The current political climate contributes to this as we are often forced to choose a single allegiance. Do we need to resolve the dissonance? Push away one value for another? Is it hypocritical not to live our competing truths?

In our daily work, whether in our year-round programming, camps, or Israel experiences, we have the privilege and responsibility of asking these difficult questions and creating emotionally safe spaces where the next generation can answer them for themselves.

As we step into 2021, we wish to thank all of you who support Young Judaea’s mission driven work and who made gift in 2020. If you did not have a chance and are now inspired to support our important work of building the next generation, support us here.

Praying for peaceful times ahead.

Shabbat Shalom,

Adina

Adina H. Frydman
CEO | Young Judaea Global