Happy Chanukah
I have just returned from the OU Convention in Jerusalem, I wanted to share with you some of my recent experiences there. The OU Convention was an exciting, whirlwind event with incredible speakers from all areas of religious and political life. The convention also afforded me the opportunity to experience first hand the wonderful programming the OU Israel Center offers. I visited a public school in Tiberias named Nofrim where the OU Israel Center runs wonderful Jewish informal education for the entire school similar to our public school clubs in North America. When our group walked into the school we were greeted by an ovation from the appreciative students and staff.
This warm reception was due to all the psychological and educational assistance the OU Israel Center has provided during the recent bombings and afterwards. We also saw plays where the students acted out different scenes demonstrating how Jewish values can impact their life decisions with their parents and peers. After this inspirational play we met one on one with several students to get to know them better. The students seem to be recovering well from the trauma of leaving their homes to live in bomb shelters and I’m very proud of our continued efforts for their psychological well being and their Jewish identity. This program at the Nofrim School is just one of nearly 100 projects the OU Israel Center is currently running in Northern Israel.
Another personal highlight on my trip was the NCSY Alumni Reunion I ran on Saturday night with 600 former NCSY participants in attendance, ranging in age from 18 to 80! In my wildest dreams I never imagined such a turnout and I plan to follow up with more alumni programs in the future. This Israel reunion event gave me personal inspiration and demonstrated that NCSY’s programming is not just having an effect on our teenage students, but also has a lasting residual impact on their future lives, their children, and many generations to come.
I hope you can join me personally in reexperiencing this very powerful pleasure in the future at the upcoming Ben Zakkai Reception Sunday night and our 2nd NCSY Alumni Reunion Feb. 16-18th.
As Chanukah approaches I am mailing a gift to our donors (if you are net yet a NCSY donor I’d be glad to help rectify the oversight ;)) that clearly demonstrates both aspects of NCSY’s unique programming. It is a beautifully designed card that simultaneously displays two disparate pictures. The first picture depicts a boy listening to his ipod, oblivious to the synagogue he passes by. This boy exemplifies the students we encounter in our Jewish Student Union Public School Clubs and in whom we manage to ignite a spark by introducing them to their Jewish identity. When you tilt the card you can see a different picture of three teenagers inside the synagogue lighting Chanukah candles, personifying those teenagers whose inner passion for Judaism bursts forth in NCSY programs.
In both cases we are fulfilling our mission of Inspiring the Jewish Future. On the back of the card are the Chanukah candle lighting prayers with English instructions and transliteration of the main blessings.
Have a Happy Chanukah,
Rabbi Dave Felsenthal
Director NCSY Alumni
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