Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Our Responsibility
Last week I was in Israel lecturing at about 25 yeshivas and seminaries. Since the majority of these young men and women are about to return to the U.S. and gradually commence with the normal rhythm of their lives as they begin college I find this an opportune time to remind them of the wide realm of possibilities and opportunities that stand before them upon their return.
Read the whole storyTuesday, April 01, 2008
Redouble Efforts To Send Students Abroad to Israel
“Last month Princeton University announced plans for a year-abroad program to enable students to work overseas before ever setting foot on the college campus. The idea, according to the university’s president, is to give students an international perspective while adding maturity, giving them a break from academic pressures and “cleansing the palate of high school.” Those in favor of the program believe it will provide students with the opportunity to discover themselves and the world before they enter college.
Upon hearing the news, I could not help feeling amused that the Ivy League world is just beginning to pick up on a longstanding tradition in the Jewish community. For decades, Jewish parents have been sending their children to Israel for a year between high school and college.
Read the whole storyTuesday, March 18, 2008
Purim
As the Megillah takes place during Bnei Yisrael’s first bitter encounter with galut (exile) the story of Purim demonstrated to the Jews that even when they are removed from the kedusha of Eretz Yisrael and the Beis HaMikdash, they are not removed from Hashem or his providence.
Thursday, March 06, 2008
Always Learning
Recently I was addressing some NCSY advisors and as I tried to think of words of chizzuk to inspire them I could not help but remember one of the worst moments in my sixteen year history with NCSY.
Read the whole storyThursday, February 14, 2008
NCSY Expansion
Germany has seen an increase its Jewish population and the Lauder Foundation would like to establish NCSY in Germany to serve and inspire the teens there as we do here in North America. Whether it is in English, Spanish, German, or any other language the Emes of Torah and Mitzvos that NCSY seeks to spread cannot fail to inspire young lives.
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
YLC
Here stood over 70 young men and women who could have spent their Saturday night doing any other number of activities and yet they chose to convene to dedicate their time and money to their brothers and sisters in Israel. Despite the number of other personal priorities each one had- their careers, their families, their personal responsibilities, they managed to look outside of their own sphere and remember the importance of helping others.
Read the whole storyThursday, January 31, 2008
ZULA
Hearing this young man’s remark I couldn’t help but marvel at the many valuable lessons of Torah, mitzvot, and middot that someone failed to teach him, while someone had managed to ingrain in him an unfortunate sense of sinat chinam (baseless hatred) against someone who is Mizrachi and that this prejudice was presently preventing him from getting the assistance he so desperately needed.
Read the whole storyThursday, January 24, 2008
Setting Your Own Course
Kiruv professionals are not there to impose a Jewish lifestyle rather we are there to introduce individuals to the beauty and vitality of Jewish life. I believe this vigilant focus on personal choice and responsibility is one of the outstanding hallmarks of NCSY.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Anything Worth Attaining Can Only Be Had Through Striving
After my talk ended, one of the counselors came storming over, quite upset that I has ruined all the counselors’ hard work throughout the summer. She explained, “All summer we have been trying to convince these kids to be more religious by telling them that being observant isn’t difficult and you just told them that it is!” I responded that if the counselors have been telling their campers being observant is easy, they are performing a major disservice because becoming more observant and taking on more mitzvoth requires a great deal of hard work and sacrifice and it is vital to explain that to our teens.
Read the whole storyThursday, December 13, 2007
Chanukah at the White House
Among the various parties I attended, by far the most auspicious and surreal was the White House Chanukah Party which I had the privilege to attend. Aside from the immense honor of meeting President and First Lady Bush, it was an incredible sight to see so many prominent and influential Jewish leaders from all walks of life convened together.
Read the whole storyWednesday, December 05, 2007
Chanukah
Chanukah celebrates the salvation of the soul and is celebrated with light and songs of praise. In many ways, Chanukah is the “official holiday of NCSY.” NCSY celebrates victories in the battle for the Jewish soul every day.
Read the whole storyThursday, November 29, 2007
The Annapolis Summit
Like many, I am nervous about Israel’s negotiations for peace and what direction all these talks will truly lead to. As I watched all of the proceedings I was particularly bothered by the Saudi representatives’ refusal to shake the hands of the Israelis.
Read the whole storyThursday, November 15, 2007
Are the Jewish People a religion or are we a nation?
Rav Aviner proposed the following question; “Are the Jewish People a religion or are we a nation?” If we are a religion then each group of Jews around the globe has their own social group and merely has distant ties to the other groups of people practicing Judaism around the world. However, if we are a Nation then we have a common inseparable destiny. What happens to the Jews of Israel has a direct impact on the Jews of America and vice versa. I believe this to be true with all my heart. We are a nation and the fate of all Jews is linked and intertwined. Therefore it is our duty to raise our voices if we feel Jerusalem’s division will be catastrophic for the Jewish People.
Read the whole storyThursday, November 08, 2007
The Power of Conversation
I feel that teens in particular fail to understand the value of face to face communication where two people can truly grow through a conversation and exchange of ideas and understand a different perspective. I am worried that in the era of the internet and Wikipedia it may seem to many teenagers that talking to people in order to learn something is quaint and outdated; when often times the way to truly learn or internalize a new idea is through a discussion with another human being whose non-verbal communication adds layers and depth to their words which cannot be expressed over the internet.
Read the whole storyThursday, October 25, 2007
Equal Before G-d
Aside from the fact that this minyan provides such beautiful davening and a warm atmosphere, I was struck by how much tefilah is an equalizer. No matter if someone is a billionaire, penniless, a talmud chacham, or completely ignorant of Torah, each of these men stand together equal before Hashem.
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