By Becca Wolchok, NFTY/Kutz Program Associate and NFTY Northeast Alumna

I spent the most memorable summer of my life at the URJ Kutz Camp in 2006.  This was the major catalyst behind my decision, or mission rather, to attend NFTY Convention in 2007.  Even though I had been an active member of my region (NFTY Northeast), I was catapulted into the North American excitement after that fateful summer.  Upon leaving camp, no one said goodbye to one another.  It was only a mixture of “see you in February!” and “you better request me for housing!”  All of these departing words were, of course, in reference to Convention in Philadelphia that coming year.

In truth, my parents were not super appreciative when my camp homecoming carried yet another travel and financial request.  Furthermore, they were less than understanding of the nature of this seemingly social gathering.  After all of the parental support I received for prior NFTY events and years of camp, I was told that for this one, I was on my own.  In the end, the decision was resolute: I would be paying for it myself.

That fall I got my first real job.  Not that my babysitting jobs or cat-sitting gigs were fake, but this one was steady.  I was determined to reach my goal by January, and I needed to get serious about reaching it.  I diligently worked 10-15 hours a week at my local CVS Pharmacy.  I operated the cash register, restocked shelves and I even cleaned the bathroom.  The latter was probably my least favorite experience, but it was important part of my journey nonetheless.   My first job taught me so much about myself.  In this context, it taught me that I could indeed save for Convention by January.  It didn’t take me very long or impede much on social life and I learned to love the responsibility.

When I pulled up to Convention in February of 2007, I remember rushing off the bus to dozens of greetings and hugs from both Kutz and regional friends.  It felt like I was home again.  Standing on the pavement, an overwhelming sense of satisfaction washed over me.  I was exactly where I wanted to be.  No, needed to be.  It turns out, at 16 years old, you can accomplish quite a bit on your own.

This year, we’re slowly heading towards NFTY Convention 2013 in LA.  I am certain that you’re excitement and anticipation matches what mine was in high school.  All of your camp, TYG and NFTY friends in one place; it’s borderline mind blowing.  You have GOT to get there.  I mean it; it will be one of the most pivotal events of your life.  Please know that this is 100% possible.  Get creative: do extra chores around the house, organize a garage sale or have a bake sale!  There are so many ways you can make this dream a reality.  It is now the beginning of October; you have plenty of time to mobilize.  Show yourself, just as I was able to show myself, that you can take charge of your own destiny.

Can’t wait to see you in February!

—–
NFTY Convention is the biennial North American gathering of the North American Federation of Temple Youth. The only event of its kind, NFTY Convention brings together Reform Jewish teens from all of NFTY’s nineteen regions, our URJ Camps, alumni of our Israel and Mitzvah Corps programs, and teens committed to Reform Jewish life to laugh, learn, pray and sing together. NFTY Convention will take place in Los Angeles, CA from February 15-19, 2013.  

To learn more about making it happen, available scholarships and to register, visit www.nfty.org/convention.

By Gabe Davis, NFTY-NE

The amount to which I love NFTY is something I cannot accurately express in words. Every time I open my mouth, every time I utter even one syllable about NFTY Northeast, ten thousand adjectives clog my throat, all trying to wriggle their way out, but my throat isn’t that big. Such is the unfortunate limitation of language: I can choose only three or four words, and even then, I cannot possibly do NFTY justice. NFTY has given me unbridled motivation to the extreme. The people and the activities at every event incite in me a furious desire to succeed, matched in magnitude only by the belief that yes, I am strong enough to do all I have set forth. NFTY makes me feel better and more accomplished than I do at any other point in my life. It is due to these factors that words come with such difficulty. How can you find exactly the right words to describe something that changed your life? How can you confine the most important thing you’ve ever been a part of to just one description? Just as indoor cycling is only the most accurate approximation of riding a real bike, so, too, is describing NFTY only the most accurate approximation of the real NFTY. Words can, I think, take me so far, but the power of words holds no candle to the power of experience. You cannot merely hear about NFTY; you have to live it.

Photo Credit: Mitzi Young

It was this exact line of thought that brought me to write a rap song for Summer Institute. Thinking about NFTY is one of my favorite methods of procrastination. It was a weeknight in May; I had homework to do. As I aimlessly shuffled around papers in the library, glancing absentmindedly at every one without actually comprehending the information on any, I thought about Senior Kallah. I hadn’t been to Senior Kallah; I was a sophomore and therefore ineligible to go, but I saw the online aftermath. Pictures and status updates flooded Facebook, brimming with a happy sentimentality that could reduce even the hardest people to tears. So many incredible things were written about Senior Kallah, and I couldn’t help but envy the juniors who bade the Class of 2012 one last adieu. NFTY is so beautiful, I thought; I wonder how I would describe it to a friend. A couple of hypothetical scenarios later, I came to the conclusion that I would start with, “I can’t tell you what it really is.” Wait, I suddenly realized, isn’t that the first line of “Love the Way You Lie,” by Eminem? Doesn’t the second line go, “I can only tell you what it feels like”? It struck me like a cosmic thunderbolt, and immediately, I made note on my computer. It would be the perfect way to start a NFTY rap song. As soon as my thoughts turned to Summer Institute 5772, it all came together: a rap song. A talent show. Music about NFTY. I knew what I wanted to do.

Writing the rap song took three months. First, I had to nail the beat of the original. Day after day, be it early in the morning or late at night, I would mill about empty rooms, listening to “Love the Way You Lie” on endless repeat and repeating the words as best I could. Soon enough, I could rap the song so fluidly that I could freestyle about NFTY to only the beat. That was when the real writing started. It was difficult: finding words that sounded right, rolled off the tongue, and fit into the beat of the original rap was a taxing job, and I went through several periods of writer’s block. But I kept pushing on; I did it for NFTY. I finished writing at 4:30 AM on August 20—two days before Summer Institute.

The date of this writing is August 29. Summer Institute concluded just three days ago, and I am still in awe at how amazing everything was. Every program was thought provoking and significant, every service fantastically organized and terrifically executed. However, one of the Summer Institute memories I will treasure most was actually performing the rap. I was terrifically nervous walking up to the stage, my hands shaking so rapidly that I could barely read the lyrics off the paper between my fingers. Still, I started and proceeded to sing for four minutes. Four minutes scared into me all the fear and anxiety in the world, yet I never could have predicted what happened next. By the second chorus, the audience was singing along, pumping their hands up and down in a rhythmic gesticulation on par with the tempo of the song. The motions continued into the third chorus, by which time the entire audience was singing along. As I sang the final lines, my heart swelled at the unbelievable response. The last note died, and I said my thanks. The room exploded in cheering, wrapping me in an uproarious standing ovation. Hugs cluttered me from every direction, and compliments zipped through the air. Even our Regional Advisor, Rachel Mersky Woda (whom we call “Merskoda”) congratulated me and asked me for a copy of the rap. I have never felt quite so honored or thankful to be in this community, this kehilah kedoshah. NFTY Northeast truly is where dreams come true.

Following Summer Institute, I have received so many requests for the lyrics that I have posted the song on the NFTY Northeast Facebook page. The sheer volume of everyone’s response has left me immeasurably touched. I even get to write for the NFTY Blog, a huge honor in and of itself. It feels so incredible to write about this rap song, and more than that, it feels incredible to think that every rhyme I spat was 100% true. I love NFTY to a point where I cannot accurately express it in words, and that rap song was just another way to channel my gratitude.

What a way to begin NFTY Northeast 2012-2013! For the incoming freshmen reading this blog, you have to believe me when I say that NFTY is a force beyond anything you can imagine, and if you don’t believe that already, you will soon see. For the sophomores reading this blog, welcome to NFTY and welcome back. For the juniors reading this blog, THE BIG YEAR IS HERE! Let’s get hyped, and let’s be role models for the freshmen and sophomores. We’re all in this together, 2014. Just hold on and you’ll be okay. For the seniors reading this blog, congratulations on your already excellent leadership, and I can’t wait to see how you go about it in the coming months.

Summer Institute was a blast, and I couldn’t have wished for a better way to end my summer. With the new regional board and the wonderful uniqueness in NFTY that I have come to expect and love, I’m not worried. I’m excited. I can already tell it’s going to be a great year.

L’shalom,

Gabe Davis, SALTY
Temple Beth Tikvah, Madison, CT

—–

“NFTY Rap” – LYRICS:
(To the tune of “Love the Way You Lie,” by Eminem feat. Rihanna)

(Spoken) So, I was talking with my friend the other day, and I said, “I’m in NFTY.” He said, “What’s NFTY?” So I said, “It’s the North American Federation of Temple Youth,” and he said, “Well, that doesn’t really tell me anything.” I said, “There’s so much to say! What do you want to know?” He said, “Well, what is it?” So I thought for a moment, and then I said:

I can’t tell you what it really is
I can only tell you what it feels like
And right now I’m all right by the candlelight
I can see this Jewish pride yeah it’s out of sight
As long as I’m with Northeast I just feel so right
Right off the bus, back in Eisner
I can’t forget this place and I love it the more I come here
I celebrate
And Merskoda is looking around now she registrates me
She liberates me and I love it
Wait! Is it over? I’m leaving here. No you ain’t.
Come back, it ended too fast let’s do that again
It’s so insane cause when it’s going good it’s going great
I’m mitzvah prone and not on my own, my friends relate
But when it’s done, there’s withdrawal
Real life feels so plain I feel so welcomed here
Our song says, “say what’s your name?”
I respond, “NFTY;” I hope that this won’t ever change
I guess I just love this too much

CHORUS:
My life is spelled like N-F-T-Y
At least I’ll be with Northeast till the day I die
My heart is set on N-F-T-Y
If I said anything else it’d be a lie
It would be a lie
It would be a lie

You ever love a youth group so much
You can barely breathe when you’re with them you join
And now you’re in NFTY, peulahs and siyyum
Got those nice holy feelings
On shabbat used to get em
Now it’s summer institute you’re craving for em
You swore you’d love the PCs Overalls and all the programs
Even mandatory optionals going with your friends when you pick em
You run to the gaga pit hit balls win em
Tether ball spin em so lost in the moments when you’re in em
It’s the love for this program it controls you so
So they say your unit has to do the meltz
Guessin they don’t realize that the meltz
That was yesterday
Yesterday is over it’s a different day
Sound like kitchen staffers yelling over but you promised them
Next time you’d scrub the plates
You don’t get another chance
Summer insty’s just five days
But you love to play
Now you’re doing color war in the beit am
Guess that’s why there’s such a happy haze

CHORUS

Now I know there’s singing, dancing, learning Jewishly
And we go meet with all our favorite rabbis, the same routine
Those discussions really get us going, it’s the same with me
Beauty in our prayers we’ll always find it, NFTY please
Don’t end, another week, you’re too good to leave
Maybe with a talent show I want more than my wildest dreams
Maybe that’s what happens when a pipe dream bo meets NFTY Nemo
All I know is I love you too much to pack and then go
Come inside, put back your bags in the camp bunk
Don’t you come to relish all our ruach and our spunk?
Tell me this just starts it, long way till departs it
Next when we’re sad, we’re throwing all of our hearts in
Next time, there will be a next time
I won’t compromise till I know it isn’t lies
I’m wired for the game, so glad to be back
I’m not even tired
I won’t ever try to leave NFTY behind,
I would sooner go to insty and have fun entire

CHORUS

by Susan Klau
Originally posted on RJ.org

I believe every person has a passion in life. Whether it’s collecting baseball cards or singing on stage, everyone has something they love to do. It happens that my love was – and still is – Jewish youth programming. Judaism was incorporated into my life from a very young age, and going to temple was a regular activity for my family. I used to spend Fridays in the back row of the synagogue playing cards or board games, and though I had the mission of board game victory in mind, it was there in the back of the room that I started learning all of the words and tunes to every single prayer. Eventually, I didn’t come to temple to play games but to be with my community.

When I was 8 years old, my parents sent me to the URJ Crane Lake Camp for an entire month. That single decision, in my opinion, was the best one my parents could have made for me. If it weren’t for that little plot of land in the Berkshires, or the 300 people who lived on it for the summer, I wouldn’t be the person I am today. That camp and those people taught me valuable lessons I will carry forever, like how to get along with other people and how to be away from my parents – everything from making my own bed to learning how to be a better listener. I even led prayer and read from the Torah at camp, two activities that are extremely special to me. For me, Crane Lake has always been a safe zone, where I can be the person I want to be – and the Jew I want to be.

As I grew older, I felt a void during the 10 months of the year when I wasn’t at camp. It was incredibly difficult for me to not have that safe place where I could be with my friends who knew me so well. Fortunately, when I became a freshman in high school, I to joined SCOOBY, Temple Sinai’s youth group, of which I am now president, as well as NFTY-NE. My involvement in Jewish life sprang from two months a year to 12.

I’ve since traveled the world with my camp and NFTY family. I went to Dallas with NFTY in 2011, and to D.C. with them this past December; next year, I’m planning on going to Los Angeles with them, as well. With my camp friends, I’ve visited Montreal, Prague, Poland, and Israel. We ate falafel in the streets of Jerusalem and touched the wall like our ancestors before us; we cried at Auschwitz and touched the barbed wired fence that kept our ancestors in. In Israel with my Crane Lake friends, I was able to push myself to do things I wouldn’t normally do, like hike through the Negev, endure a four-day army training, and float in the Red Sea holding my best friend’s hand, even though I’m afraid to swim. Because of my Jewish involvement, I am constantly growing as a person.

One example of how much I’ve learned from Jewish youth engagement is from this past March. Because of how passionate I am for NFTY, I was nominated by to be on next year’s NFTY executive regional board, a huge honor. I began preparing for my role and learned about what it meant to lead on an executive level. In NFTY, however, if someone isn’t nominated but still wants a chance to serve on board, they can choose to challenge – pick a position they’re interested in and run against the person nominated for that position in an election. That’s what happened to me: I had to run against someone for my position, and I presented a speech to the entire region on my behalf. Unfortunately, I lost to the person who challenged me for the position.

Though I was initially disappointed, I’ve since come to terms with the loss. Throughout my Jewish journey, I’ve learned that I don’t need to be on board or to be a leader in my NFTY region. It’s not the title that makes you love something. No matter what, I’m going to love NFTY. That acceptance is sometimes very hard to find, but Judaism taught me that, and I’m going to continue to come back to NFTY and be the same person who’s inclusive of others and just likes to have fun – like I was before elections. And I’m going to be back working at Crane Lake this summer, helping children to have the same experiences that I did as a young girl. I can still be a leader, without having a title. Even without board, I know I’m going to be a role model to the younger kids, and that is incredibly important to me.

It makes me so sad to know that many kids aren’t able to have the same Jewish experiences I’ve had. Eighty percent of Jewish kids don’t continue with Jewish life after their b’nai mitzvah; that means that only 20% of Jewish kids do NFTY or go to Israel, the very experiences that changed my life. Judaism is so incredibly special to me, not only because of the religion itself but because of the people it allows us to meet and the experiences is allows us to have. The memories I’ve made from Jewish events will be the stories I tell my children some day.

My synagogue, Temple Sinai in Brookline, Mass., recently held a service themed “One Day,” focused on what we would like to see in the future. In this spirit, I ask a favor of Jewish parents, parents-to-be, and anyone who has any influence in a child’s life: Next time a Jewish kid is thinking about going to a sports camp, tell them about the URJ 6 Points Sports Academy, a Reform camp that specializes in sports advancement. Next time a Jewish teenager wants to go on a trip, send them to Israel wish KESHER, the URJ’s Birthright Israel trip organizer. Next time a Jewish high schooler is feeling down or alone, send them to temple youth group or to a NFTY event; this will not only show them a Jewish option but will make them a friend along the way. Together, we can help change that 20% to 100%.

My parents just thought sending me to Crane Lake would be important for me. They had no idea that it would change my life.

Susan Klau is a junior at Brookline High School and was the president of her Temple Youth Group SCOOBY (Temple Sinai, Brookline MA). This summer will be Susan’s fourth year participating in NFTY. After seven years at camp and one summer in Israel with NFTY in Israel, Susan will return to the URJ Crane Lake Camp as a Machon (counselor in training).

By Joy Nemerson, NFTY Social Action Vice-President

Everyone is from somewhere. Where we’re from helps to shape who we are, and who we become. In every NFTY name game, we mention, without fail, our own TYG.  These individual youth groups are the building blocks of NFTY. I come from Congregation Mishkan Israel. Even though I thought I arrived at social action on my own, I’m not so sure I had a choice in the matter. I think I was led in this direction over 150 years of Mishkan Israel History. In 1858, my synagogue joined the international protest against the kidnapping and baptizing of Jewish children in Italy. During the Civil War, congregants volunteered at the local military hospital. In the 1870s, the temple stood up for interfaith activities and established the “no unfriendly words” policy. Rabbi Goldburg, vigorously opposed the Vietnam war and was arrested in Georgia for marching with the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. My current Rabbi, Rabbi Herbert Brokman, strongly believes in listening to every side of a story and hearing what others have to offer whether or not he agrees with it which it extremely admirable trait for a leader to have. So, I suppose social action is in my DNA. This laid the foundations for my journey in Judaism.

My first NFTY event was in December of 2008. NFTY Northeast region gathers twice a year at URJ Camp Eisner for our five daylong events called institutes. December Institute began with shouts and hugs and I, only knowing a few kids from my Temple Youth Group stuck to the corner. I was alone in a room packed with people and it was a scary feeling. As the first day ended and I made my way to my bunk I was intimidated. I cried in my bed that night on the phone with my mom begging her to pick me up, she told me to stick it out. Its funny how moms always know everything, that next day I was introduced to Zoe Summit and she became by first NFTY friend. Zoe welcomed me into her group and I am forever thankful for that. By the end of the event I was crying fir a totally different reason then I had before, I didn’t want to leave.

From that event on I have tried to be at every event I could. My junior year I had the opportunity to be a Prayer Coordinator. In NFTY Northeast the regional board picks ten juniors to lead services at Institutes in order to spread leadership thought the region. After months of planning my service finally arrived on a sunny Saturday morning in the end of august. The theme of my service was Winnie the Pooh and the lessons we can take from it. I not only got to construct a service with readings and tunes but I also got to give a D’var Torah in front of my entire region. That process of writing that D’var influenced my Judaism more then any other event in my life; as reform Jews we are able and even encouraged to make Torah relatable to our lives by making connections to pop culture, new books, current events and much more. Connecting Pooh Bear to the Torah may seem far-fetched to some people but with a true understanding for both connections are easily drawn.

In February of 2011 I received a phone call from Northeast president Ethan Wise. He told me I had been nominated to the slate of candidates for the 2011-2012 NFTY-NE Social Action Vice President and I, for the first time in my life, cried tears of joy. It was, and still is, one of the biggest honors I have ever received. Although I had my heart set on being Religious and Cultural Vice President I am so glad that that board saw my potential on the social action side of both NFTY and life. My regional board experience began at Newark airport where I met SAVP’s from various regions as we were preparing to depart on our trip to DC to spend time at the Religious Action Center to learn about the action theme for the year. It was the most motivating part of my regional board experience and really set into motion my initiatives for the year. Over the course of the year I ensured the presence of an action based program at every event and also made sure to have a mitzvah project as well. Social Action became a prevalent part of the Northeast region and having Avra Bossov, NFTY SAVP 2011-2012, at our December institute really brought those action initiatives to light.

Avra not only inspired my entire region in December but also inspired me throughout all of last year. She is a large part of why I decided to run for North American Board. She made such an impact from embracing the true spirit of last years action theme, to speaking on behalf of the Religious Action Center in front of 5,000 people at URJ Biennial, and by simply being one of the most passionate people I have ever encountered she is the definition of youth leadership to me. Life is about pushing to new heights and pursuing what your heart truly desires. NFTY is something that as enhanced my life in such an enormous way over the past four years that I am doing whatever I can to make certain that Jewish youth for generations to come can have just as amazing an experience as I did.

Being on North American Board is such certainly an accomplishment. Being the leader of a youth movement however we have to always always always remember where we are from. I began my Jewish journey at Congregation Mishkan Israel. Without my involvement and my families in involvement in that community I would most certainly not be who I am today. The strong presence of social action and justice within my synagogues history could be only be a coincidence… if so it is certainly a serendipitous one and a presence I hope to keep with my whole life.

Every part of NFTY is so amazing. I haven’t even been in NFTY-NE for a full year yet, and I already love it more than anything in the world. From the friends, to the programs, to the services; everything is so great. But there is one time during any event that I love more than others: the Friendship Circle.

The Friendship Circle is a very special time at the end of all events. Everyone begins realizing that the event is sadly almost over, and have one last hurrah. We all sit in a circle and hold hands, put our arms around each other, or lie in each other’s laps. Then the song leaders begin playing and singing songs with us that completely define us as a group. Songs like Firework, Wonderwall, and I’ll Be There For You are just the beginning.

I didn’t really get it until my last event, MANTY’s Winter Wonderland, but these few songs of togetherness are just so powerful. Looking around the circle and seeing all my friends singing in unison, swaying back and forth with each other, made me feel like I was part of something bigger than myself. In this circle I saw freshmen singing with seniors, kids who at home are jocks singing with kids who are seen as nerds, and partiers singing with the shy kids. Our unity as Jewish teens brought us together in song to show how truly magnificent NFTY is. I would sometimes lose myself in the song, but then pull myself back and look behind me to see my friend Molly, a senior on NFTY-NE board, and wonder how this happened. I was a freshman from tiny Cheshire, CT, and yet I was surrounded by amazing people from all over the northeast who were all like me.

The Friendship Circle is a truly special event of togetherness, love, and happiness.

By Beth Avner, NFTY Director of Education and Special Projects

Friends of NFTY,

On behalf of the NFTY Board and staff, we are delighted to share highlights from NFTY’s recent mid-year board meeting (NFTY Veida) at Henry S Jacobs Camp in Utica, MS.  Additional information will be posted online at www.nfty.org later this week.

Constitutional Selection of NFTY Study Theme and Action Theme for 5772-5773 Academic Year

• NFTY Study Theme – Hashomer Achi Anochi – Am I My Brother’s Keeper? NFTY Studies Our Responsibilities Toward Others
• NFTY Action Theme – R’Fuat Hanefesh – Caring for the Soul: NFTY Addresses Mental Health

Additional pieces of new business adopted include:

• Recommendation that each NFTY Region Create a Special Needs Inclusion Task Force
• Recommendation for Reducing NFTY’s Use of Polystyrene Foam
• Resolution to make NFTY Mitzvah Day an Annual Occurrence
• Resolution to Amend the Preamble to the NFTY Constitution changing the principle of Kol Yehudim – Pluralism to Kol Yoshvei Tevel – Acceptance

And finally, it is with great pleasure that we announce the 2012-2013 NFTY North American Board.

• Their terms will formally begin on June 23, when they are installed at Mechina, which will take place at the URJ Kutz Camp, June 20-24, 2012.

Evan Traylor, President
TOR-President@nfty.org

Evan is the current president of NFTY’s Texas-Oklahoma Region (TOR) and a member of Temple B’nai Israel in Oklahoma City, OK. Evan served NFTY-TOR last year as the Membership Vice President and is an alum of the URJ Greene Family camp and NFTY in Israel’s L’Dor VaDor Trip to Prague, Poland and Israel.  Recently, Evan spoke at the URJ Biennial in Washington DC as a teen representative of the Campaign for Youth Engagement.  Evan is the son of Ann Baumgarten and Eddie Traylor.

Jordan Rodnizki, Programming Vice President
STR-pvp@nfty.org

Jordan is the current Programming Vice President of NFTY’s Southern Tropical Region (STR) and a member of Temple B’nai Israel in Clearwater, FL.  Jordan spent the summer of 2011 at the URJ’s Kutz Camp as a member of the Regional Board Leadership Track and has been a student leader at Camp Jenny, NFTY SAR and STR’s annual four-day camp for elementary school students from inner-city Atlanta. Jordan is the son of Irene and Jorge Rodnizki.

Joy Nemerson, Social Action Vice President
NE-savp@nfty.org

Joy is currently serving as regional Social Action Vice President of NFTY’s Northeast Region (NE) and is a member of Congregation Mishkan Israel in Hamden, CT.  Joy has spent summers at both URJ Eisner and URJ Crane Lake Camps.  She has also participated in Camp Chazak, Eisner and Crane Lake’s camp experience for teens whose special needs prevent them from attending a typical camp environment. Joy is the daughter of Marian Chertow and Matthew Nemerson.

Jacob Georginow, Religious & Cultural Vice President
STR-rcvp@nfty.org

Jacob is currently serving his second term as the Religious and Cultural Vice President of NFTY’s Southern Tropical Region (STR). He is a member of Temple Beth Torah in Wellington, FL.   Jacob spent the summer of 2009 at the URJ Kutz Camp and attended again in 2010, participating in the Regional Board Leadership Track. Jacob most recently served on staff at Henry S Jacobs Camp in the summer of 2011.  Jacob was also a member on the inaugural meeting of the Coalition for Jewish Teen Leaders which included representatives of NFTY, BBYO and Young Judaea. Jacob is the son of Linda and Dimitri Georginow.

Marlee Ribnick, Membership & Communications Vice President
NO-cvp@nfty.org

Marlee is the Communication Vice President of NFTY’s Northern Region (NO). She is a member of Temple Israel in Minneapolis, MN. Marlee is an alumna of the Regional Board Leadership Track at the Kutz Camp in 2011 as well as a former participant on NFTY in Israel’s L’Dor VaDor trip in the summer of 2010. Marlee is the daughter of Marni and Daniel Ribnick.

It has been three and one-half weeks since NFTY-NE December Institute 5772, but that is not long enough to forget the incredible friends and lessons that I cannot wait to rejoin at NFTY-NE’s next event (MANTY’s Winter Wonderland is only three weeks away!).

This Institute’s theme was “Takes and Mistakes.”  The event included several programs teaching the participants how mistakes are important because they are the best learning opportunities.  One program that I found especially enlightening was the faculty led program, or Shiur.  The focus of the Shiur was biblical mistakes: each faculty member prepared a discussion of a different story from the Torah that involved a mistake that we as Jews can learn from.

I was in group 4 for this program, along with my friend Zoe Summit, who happens to be the NFTY-NE regional president.  One of our faculty group leaders led a discussion of the story of Adam and Eve.  Our group leader briefed us on the story: God told Adam not to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, and then God created Eve, whom the serpent persuaded to eat from the Tree, and as punishment God banished them from the Garden of Eden.

At the end of the story, our group leader asked us, “What is the mistake?”

The obvious answer is Eve’s choice to eat the apple from the Tree.  However, whose word did Eve have to go on?  Not God’s.  Since God created Eve after warning Adam about the Tree, Eve had no way of knowing that any Divine Being commanded Adam not to eat the Forbidden Fruit.  Therefore, she simply had to choose between Adam’s word and the serpent’s.  And how could she have known whose word was better if, having not yet eaten from the tree, she could not yet discern good from evil?!  Our awesome Shiur group just brought this program to a whole new level, and “my mind,” as Zoe put it, “was just blown.”

So if Eve’s decision was not a mistake, then what was?  Our group leader suggested that maybe there was no mistake.  God was simply testing Eve—not a pass-or-fail test, but an experiment.  God wanted to see how Eve would respond so that God could deal with humanity accordingly.  And it is because of Eve’s decision to have Knowledge of Good and Evil that humankind left the Garden, became fruitful, and multiplied; the human race has grown beyond those first two people because of Eve’s decision.

After we finished this discussion, the group leaders all rotated.  Our next group leader led a discussion about the story of Cain and Abel, the two brothers whose competition for God’s favorite sacrificial offering led to Cain killing his brother in a fit of jealously.  After our group came to the consensus that the mistake of the story was Cain’s impulsive murder, our group leader posed another question:

“What would have happened if Cain had controlled his anger and not killed Abel?”

This really got group 4 thinking.  First, what were the consequences of Cain’s actions?  Adam and Eve’s last remaining son was cursed by God as punishment for the murder of his brother.  Next, we wondered how that affected what would become the human race.  We then remembered that God flooded the earth, sparing Noah, because the entire world was evil.  Could this be because the entire world descended from a man who was cursed by God?  And does that mean that, had Cain not killed his brother and received the curse, Noah would have lived among a world made up only of righteous people?  Had that been the case, would God not have sent a flood to destroy humanity?  Our group leader’s one hypothetical question opened up a whole new can of worms that our awesome, insightful group was dying to explore.

But at this point, we were stuck, so Zoe and I approached Rabbi Matt Cutler, a long time NFTY-NE faculty member, to see how much further he could take us in our hypothetical biblical rewrite.  Immediately Rabbi Matt brought up an important point, something Zoe and I had not considered: we had forgotten the influence of God in the situation.

We as Jews essentially believe that God is all-powerful.  We also believe, especially as Reform Jews, that the Torah is not to be taken simply at face value; the stories in it have important moral lessons to be learned.  Therefore, Rabbi Matt suggested that if Cain had not killed his brother, God would have tugged humanity’s fate in a different direction, so that somewhere some other biblical character could teach us that killing is immoral and that it is important to control our anger and jealousy.

Rabbi Matt then brought up a moment in biblical history that our group had not reached yet: enslavement in Egypt.  Maybe, if God had never sent a flood as Zoe and I previously hypothesized, the Hebrews would never have become slaves in Egypt.  However, God would have manipulated the fates of the descendants of Abraham so that they wound up as slaves in Egypt some other way.  This slavery was important to God because without slavery, the Hebrews would never have known or appreciated freedom.  God wanted the Hebrews to experience this freedom because God wanted to give us a reason to renew our faith, in a renewal that was so holy and awesome that it would carry the Jewish people for millennia: all the way to December Institute 5772 and beyond.

Shiur is always one of the major programs that I look forward to every Institute.  And I think that it is because of the incredible people leading the program groups.  Faculty members like Rabbi Matt do this stuff for a living; they teach Jewish values at home as well as in NFTY.  I love Shiur because of the intellectual, eye-opening, enlightening discussions that members of NFTY-NE faculty bring to the table.

I haven’t been to every event since my freshman year, but every event I’ve been to was only possible through this scholarship fund. I come from a very low-income household, which has been the biggest struggle in my life. It’s come with food stamps, low-income housing, visits to food pantries, and the daily struggles of living in an upper-middle class suburb.

But I’ve been forever grateful for the community that NFTY has been for me. NFTY has allowed me to escape the chores of my daily life and just exist in a community of people who doesn’t know or care about my background and also supports me when I need it. I cannot repeat enough how amazing and important these few short events can be to a person like me.

And it’s because of the generosity and commitment of the region that I am able to have these amazing experiences. Because of you, I can experience an incredible service where everyone is blindfolded, but by the end we learn that we are never isolated and we really have a whole group of loving people around us. Because of you, I can get in a circle of girls and scream Miriam’s Song at the top of my lungs without a care in the world.

At the talent show, there’s a tradition of two girls singing “For Good” from the musical Wicked, and it always makes me cry. This year, as I sat crying at this emotional song, a person who I had only briefly met before came over to me and hugged me through half of the song. This is the kind of thing that I love about NFTY, and I am forever grateful for what you do to make this community possible for me, and for so many others.

NFTY-NE December Institute Says Happy Channukah!

Just over two weeks ago, I had the pleasure of attending and participating in URJ Biennial.

Throughout that weekend, NFTY created our own campaign that was displayed on our event t-shirts; submitted entries for the NFTY book in line with the study theme of personal expression; learned about the Campaign for Youth Engagement; and – of course – heard President Obama speak. He even mentioned NFTY twice! I even had the opportunity to shake his hand! Directly preceding his speech, we celebrated the Religious Action Center’s 50th anniversary, during which I spoke alongside Rabbi David Saperstein, Mark Pelavin, Jennifer Kaufman, Rabbi Al Vorspan, Wendy Wallach-Delucia, Rabbi David Stern, Allison Grossman, and Julie Silver, each of us sharing our perspectives on how the RAC makes a difference.

All throughout Biennial, I thought to myself: “This is what it’s all about.”

And then last week, I traveled to NFTY Northeast’s December Institute at URJ Eisner Camp, where I once again found myself thinking: “This is what it’s all about.”

During the course of five days I had the utmost pleasure of being immersed into the NE community—a true kehillah k’doshah. The event’s theme was “mistakes,” and the programming covered all aspects: the difference between accidents and mistakes; the importance of perspective; taking responsibility for our mistakes; the Jewish perspective of how to make decisions in difficult situations; the power of the positive; and understanding the power in a word, examining the social action aspects of choices we make on a day-to-day basis. We also learned about decision-making in the Torah, led by our outstanding faculty of TYG advisors; understood NFTY and NE terms through the lens of Nemo, the mascot, through skits from “Finding Nemo”; and made the best of friends during hofesh (free time) and the talent show.

Since it is difficult to encompass the richness of this event, I’d like to highlight some of the most meaningful moments…

LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE

• One of the most unique parts of this event for me was getting to know the region’s leadership structure. Before each Institute, the overalls, officers, and PCs meet at camp a day before the event to go over programs, materials needed, and the general schedule of the event. Overalls are the 5 or 6 seniors chosen for each institute to help the officers write and execute the programming; the 10 PCs – short for ‘prayer coordinators’ – work with the RCVP to plan all of the services throughout the event. Part of the behind the scenes work includes making up program packs for each program’s group leaders so all the materials are already split up and ready to go. I saw for myself, in being a group leader for most programs, how the beforehand meetings culminated into running such a seamless event.

• As many of you know, NFTY-NE has a nominations process as opposed to a direct election. Basically, during the nominations process, the regional board and the advisor create a team of ten individuals to be next year’s officers. The process is lengthy and goes through many stages: examining characteristics desirable for a leader; considering each and every junior, since all officers are seniors; and making sure there is a geographical and gender balance among those chosen. Once that year’s officers compile a slate of ten individuals, the candidates are notified and asked if they would like the position. If one of those people decide they would not like the position, the board considers the team in choosing a replacement. When the slate is released to the region, any junior can challenge the slate and run for a position. Then, the region considers all candidates – slated and those that challenge – and elect NE’s regional board at Spring Conclavette, and installed at their Senior Kallah where the torch is then passed from the seniors to the juniors—quite a #generationalleadership moment!

• NFTY-NE was happy to welcome Beth Avner, NFTY’s Director of Education and Special Projects, as a visitor at December Institute. Part of Beth’s visit consisted of starting conversations about the nominations process, in seeing how it affects candidates, the region, and all of NFTY. As a result of starting the conversation, for the first time in Northeast’s history, the juniors who attended Insty compiled a list of characteristics of leaders in a meeting ran by NE regional board alumni. Yet another moment of #generationalleadership! Having the juniors help to compile the list of traits the board will look at in deciding next year’s leaders ensured their participation in having their peers assume those leadership roles.

• Understanding the nominations process helps me realize how important it is to recognize and respect that each region has its own traditions and traits that, together, make all nineteen into the NFTY we know and love.

T’FILAH—ONE JEWISH COMMUNITY

• At Institute, each of the 10 PCs write and lead a service, meaning we pray twice each day. This aspect of a NFTY was new to me personally; in doing so, I could sense how much more meaningful the programming and even being together as one Jewish community seemed. Throughout Institute, we sang our favorite prayer melodies and listened to significant readings. I will never forget how we were asked to take off our watches in order to live in the moment. Nor will I forget how we were blindfolded and felt lost, accentuating what it means to be transient, be lost, to lose, be found, or to find. I will always remember how incredible it was to visually see our glowsticks, symbolizing our own sparks, in addition to the candles we lit in memory of various demographics in need, gradually fill the space with a light that I know will never go out, as the words of “Firework” echoed in our ears.

• Each night of Institute, the region gathered for siyuum, where we sang the bedtime shema, along with songs like “Song for the Divine Mother of the Universe” and “Lord Prepare Me.” Intermittently, we had the chance to reflect on the day through reading aloud mitzvah notes, recounting all the mitzvot our friends performed. The energy flowing throughout the room every night reminded me of how powerful it is to be a part of any NFTY community. Knowing that regions all over North America sing the same songs and feel the same emotions by experiencing them in a brand new region with people whom I had only known for five days—that was remarkable.

CONNECTIONS

• Part of the magic of NFTY is coming to an event knowing about 15 people, and leaving the event with 150 new friends, as I did during this experience. Getting to know people on a personal level was definitely one of my favorite parts of this event, from living with three junior girls to leading conversations in programs that led to pertinent applications of Judaism to our every day lives. I really felt like I rediscovered that magic, as the awkward introductions of name, TYG, and a silly fact, turned into hugs of see you later over the course of just those five days.

• The new friendships created are just as meaningful to me as reuniting with old friends, like seeing the NE regional board all together for the first time since Mechina. Roey Schiff, NFTY’s shaliach, also visited NE and gave a shpiel about URJ Israel programs. There were several URJ Kutz Camp alumni I got to see. There were a few NE board alumni with whom it was great to catch up, especially someone I went on the SAVP trip with two years ago. I even ran into a former URJ Camp Coleman counselor who is now a NE TYG advisor!

The reflections I shared above are only some of the fantastic memories created at URJ Eisner Camp with NFTY-NE. I would like to sincerely thank everyone at NE that welcomed me; I look forward to our friendships blossoming. Thank you especially to Rachel Mersky Woda, Brett Lubarsky, and the board—keep working to foster NE as an extraordinary community. As we move in to this new year, and head back to work and school after the holidays, let us keep in mind the importance of the event’s theme: mistakes. Living with them, taking responsibility, and learning from them. But make no mistake…it was hardly a mistake that I attended Insty and remembered: “This is what it’s all about.”

To see pictures from the event, Click Here!

Avra Bossov is the NFTY North American Social Action Vice President  and a freshman at George Washington University.  You can follow her  on Facebook and Twitter.