A Fresh Start: A YJ Teen Reflects on the Year Ahead
A chat with Camilla Wisse, Sprout Lake 2017-2023, Tel Yehudah 2024-25, and current Chavurah Programmer on the Northeast Mazkirut
What’s something you’re excited to try, learn, or experience this year?
This year I am so excited because I am fortunate enough to be on the Northeast Mazkirut as the Chavurah programmer. I was involved in year round YJ from a young age and I really feel that it has shaped me as a person. As the Chavurah programmer my main role is recruitment, so it is my privilege to bring young Jewish teens into year round YJ and give them the formative experience I had.
The high holidays and Rosh Hashanah are about New Beginnings–- what feels like a “fresh start” for you right now?
A fresh start to me feels like letting go of all of my grudges and impressions and looking at everything and everyone as brand new. People change and situations change, so it is important to look at everything as new so you don’t let your previous impressions get in the way when someone or something has changed for the better.
What’s your biggest hope for your YJ friends, the Jewish people, or the world this year? What’s the most meaningful thing you learned from YJ moment?
During a Peulah at TY this summer that was centred around debating I learned a very valuable lesson. The activity was extremely engaging and all the campers were participating. There was one question that people were particularly divided on and after the peulah ended me and my friends continued to discuss it. One person became upset because they thought that when someone disagreed with them that it meant that person hated them. This was a crazy moment for me because at both my school and camp peaceful debate is a very important value and I had never encountered someone that didn’t have the skill of participating in a peaceful debate. I hope that everyone in the world is able to have peaceful and heated conversations, because it is one of the best ways to learn about yourself and the world.
If you could write one short message to all of your YJ alumni, campers, teens, staff, what would you say?
שנה טובה ומתוקה!
May you walk with YJ in your year to come
