RJ Blog

Allison recently wrote this heartfelt letter to her daughter, Logan, after dropping her off at her first Spring Kallah. She speaks of the gratitude she feels and retells her own NFTY experience over 25 years ago in the same region.

Exciting news from NFTY! The North American Federation of Temple Youth has elected new North American board members for the 2013-2014 term, who will be formally installed on June 22, 2013, during Mechina, a five-day leadership training event and general board meeting at URJ Kutz Camp. Newly elected board members must be incoming college freshmen and are expected to be excellent role models. As peer advocates, they represent NFTY and its values at regional and North American events. Board members help plan and facilitate a five-day long workshop to teach and prepare regional board members how to be effective leaders [...]

I have recently been quoted for saying “Mom and Dad, I want to go on an adventure!” This past February, along with fellow BNTY member Adam, I represented our temple at NFTY Convention, where over 860 Jewish teens shared their love for Judaism.

With summer quickly approaching, I have many asking me what I will be doing for the next 2 months. Summer is often associated with relaxing on the beach, spending quality time with family, and kicking back with old friends. However, my answer is different.

Today is Yom Hashoah, the remembrance day for the Holocaust. This day is a very emotional and heart wrenching time for Israelis, as many have family members who were in the Holocaust or are survivors.

Two weeks ago, I was at the Knesset, Israel’s legislative parliament, wearing Noar Telem’s uniform, and I couldn’t feel any prouder that we are making our voice abundantly clear in front of our elected representatives.

Each year, as the grocery stores begin to display their Pesach foods, I, without fail, think to myself “Passover time already?!” Each year, we are commanded to “regard ourselves as if we ourselves went forth from the land of Egypt.” (Exodus 13:8) so that we can feel how sweet freedom is.

Walking into PARTY’s BART Shabbat event last Friday, I had no idea what to expect. Little did I know, I was about to witness the coming-together of seven Broward Country reform congregations in food, in song, in prayer, and in welcoming a very special guest.

At NFTY Convention, we presented a program about inclusion of teens on the Autism Spectrum in our NFTY community. We take a moment to reflect on the program and our ongoing initiative.

This weekend, still only beginning, is a transformation for each and every one of us fortunate enough to attend the 2013 Convention.

Growing up in the 21st century, it is hard for me to believe that the first woman rabbi was ordained only 40 short years ago. Three out of four rabbis at my temple are women, one of whom was ordained within the first year that women were allowed to do so.

This d’var Torah is the winner of the Wendy Blickstein Memorial D’var Torah Competition, which was established in memory of Wendy Blickstein, a former member of NFTY’s Mid-Atlantic Region whose years were cut far too short because of cancer. The Blickstein family established this competition for aspiring teen writers to share their words of Torah with our NFTY Convention community and beyond.

This essay is the winner of Women of Reform Judaism’s Centennial Essay Competition. Women of Reform Judaism established this essay contest in honor of their Centennial celebration. Teens were asked to write about the influence of women’s leadership in Reform congregations.

Everything started with Twitter. Actor Joshua Malina (Scandal, The West Wing, Big Bang Theory) turned to Twitter to celebrate his Birthday, asking people to donate on his behalf to MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger. He offered to follow anybody on Twitter if they donated at least $10 in honor of his birthday.