More Than 250 Teens Attend New York NCSY Spring Regional

07 Jun 2011

MORE THAN 250 TEENS ATTEND NEW YORK NCSY SPRING REGIONAL

Corrine Malachi, Junior at Shulamith School for Girls in Brooklyn, and Rosie Perper, Senior at Bronx Science High School, holding havdalah candles together.

Last week, New York NCSY region held its annual Spring Regional Convention from Friday, May 27 – Monday, May 30. More than 250 teens boarded the buses to Camp Romimu, located in Monticello, NY, for a weekend focused on Israel and Jewish unity.

NCSY | Jewish Youth Leadership is the international youth movement of the Orthodox Union.

NCSY Shabbatons inspire and educate teens in an atmosphere conducive to religious pride and growth. They provide opportunities for public school students and yeshiva day school students to interact together in a traditional Shabbat environment. “Spring Regional is the culmination of NCSY’s year, a time for the entire region to come together. Teens walked away with a new found appreciation for the Jewish people and the Jewish culture, as well as a renewed commitment to practice passionate Judaism,” says Rabbi Aryeh Lightstone, Regional Director of New York NCSY.

For many of these teens, this is their first Shabbat experience.

Teens from Long Island, Westchester, and the Five Boroughs were engaged in group discussions, skits, and one-on-one learning on topics such as Jewish Identity, the State of Israel, the Holocaust, Jewish Holidays, and insights into

Torah lessons. In addition to the educational component of the Shabbaton, teens participated in cardboard canoe racing, silly string capture the flag, paintball, letter writing to Israel soldiers, and outdoor movies and popcorn.

“The success behind all NCSY events, programs, and Shabbatons, stems from NCSY’s teen leaders,” says Rabbi Lightstone. Wrapping up this year’s Spring Regional Convention, Melissa Kramer and Allison Nitzky, both seniors at Edward R. Murrow High School in Brooklyn, along with Rebecca Tanzer, a senior at Oceanside High School, were recognized for their outstanding leadership, receiving “NCSYer of the Year” awards.

Rebecca Tanzer explained, “On top of helping me connect with Judaism, I have made some of my closest friends through NCSY. I’ve connected with advisors and peers who have helped me learn and grow by answering all of my questions along my journey.”

Lilach Gez, an NY NCSY advisor from Brooklyn, describes Spring Regional as, “a place where inspiration is born and fostered. I love being an advisor because I am able to learn from and teach the NCSYers.”

To get involved with NCSY, contact the New York NCSY office at (516) 569-6279 or go to www.nyncsy.com.