Dear everyone,

This is me Nate Joseph.  If you are new person that I have sent this too.  I have been e-mailing people that i met in NCSY and this time I decided to include my friends in NFTY, since I think it will me a way to get a chance for you to meet new people and to see what I have learned this year with the other youth groip. 

JUST FOR WARNING THIS STORY IS REAL, BUT THE NAMES HAVE BEEN CHANGED TO PROTECT THOSE PEOPLE!!!

There was this kid name Bob. You see Bob just moved from Chicago, where he been atteding a Jewish school.  He had to move because his father got a new job in Ohio.  In Ohio there is not a very known jewish school, so he has to attend public school, which he is not happy about.  He kept of thinking what are these kids going to think of me wearing a kipa and tiztiz.  They might try to grab them or try to take my kipa off of my head.  OF course, as you can imagine Bob had very valid concerns

So the day came when he had to go to the first day of school.  Of course he sees all these people going up to people that they know and he is there sitting a corner.  Of course people looked at him and started laughing at him, as if they were talking about him.  He wanted to go back to the Jewish school where he is excepted.  BUt he couldn’t, so he was always sitting in the corner in the lunch room. 

Then one day kid name Josh decided to sit with him and to talk to him.  Of corse Bob didn’t know that Josh was Jewish and most of the children didn’t know that Josh was either.  Josh sat by him everyday at lunch and made sure his friends got to know him. As the years went on Bob became one of the guys in Josh’s group and he felt comfortable . 

The start of the yeat Bob put the kipa in his pocket, since he felt uncomfortable. One day Josh found a kipa and pulled Bob to the side to show it.  He said to him “ if you wear yours, I will mine” SO from that on people didn’t look at them oddly, they exually repected them.


As we all know we have all been there starting a new school, moving to a differnetn school, or chaning youth group. And we know how nervous it is and how scary it can be. 

So this story should teach us that we all should be like Josh and sit by person that we don’t know, even if people don’t like him or say things.  It is like we have learned in NCSY that we all are a LINK IN THE CHAIN , and if one person falls then we all suffer. 

SO what I want you to all of you to do next year and all of ur lives is to meet someone new, talk to someone, or just to sit with someone, no matter how strange, or how wiered that they could be. 

It is like my parents have always told me you never know how important that person could be in your life later on.

HAve a GREAT SHABBOT

Nate-that is a very touching story.
In my personal opinion, people should not be afraid to show the religious/national identity wherever they are.

you know… im not sure if that story is just a link in the chain story but it also will help those of us who are a) in public schools and need some encouragement everyonce in a while or for people who b) are going to a new school

I agree with the post above me.  It could be used as encouragement for lots of people.  Even people in Jewish institutions and in familiar schools.

thanks for the ideas everyone it should and it will. Thanks for the input

> Hi, I had a College Professor who began every class with a
> point to ponder. Most were very humorous and just little
> things that made his students think. For example: If you
> put juice in a coffee cup can you still call it a coffee
> cup? I would love it if you would send me any points that
> you might be able to come up with for me to use in my
> classroom. Once I have a list I will gladly pass them on.
>
> Thanks
If a white person is born in Africa and moves to the US is he
or she an African American?