November, 2005

Newton Synagogue Raises More than $60,000 in Minutes to Launch OU Israel Center Program for At-Risk Gaza Teen Evacuees

NEWTON, MASS. – Responding to a need made known to them by the Orthodox Union, and following a stirring appeal by their rabbi at the Yizkor memorial service for the departed, congregants at Congregation Beth El–Atereth Israel in Newton raised more than $60,000 in minutes recently to help at-risk teenagers in Israel whose support systems have been disrupted by the country’s disengagement from the Gaza strip.

The 250-family congregation is a member of the Orthodox Union. Through its Gaza/Shomron Fund, the OU is collecting contributions for a variety of other humanitarian needs resulting from the disengagement.

The money raised by Beth El-Atereth Israel will launch a program that enlists “flying squads” of counselors and youth workers who will travel around Israel to counsel young men and women as part of the Orthodox Union’s ZULA program -- officially known as the Pearl and Harold M. Jacobs Jerusalem Outreach Center – of the OU’s Seymour J. Abrams Jerusalem World Center.

For several years, ZULA (a Turkish word used as Israeli slang as a place to hang out with friends) has operated a highly successful youth drop-in center in Jerusalem that opens its doors at the conclusion of each Sabbath and throughout the night serves up social and educational activities, as well as a lifeline to Judaism. The downtown Jerusalem facility bustles with music and discussions, as ZULA staff members bring in from the streets vulnerable teens and post-teens, sheltering them from drugs and other threats to their safety.

This summer’s disengagement scattered large numbers of teens across the country. ZULA started to get referrals, as well as walk-ins, to their program – youths already exhibiting signs of vulnerability as a result of their uprooting.

Since many of these adolescents can’t come to ZULA, the Israel Center decided, then ZULA would go to them. But the Center needed substantial funding to initiate a program that would require additional staff and their transportation around Israel. Enter Rabbi Gershon Segal and Congregation Beth El–Atereth Israel, under the direction of synagogue leader Sy Kraut.

“Regardless of one’s political position, one has to be sympathetic toward the Jewish families who have been uprooted from their homes, schools, synagogues and communities and appreciate the traumatic effect of this displacement on the teenage population, whose entire sense of security and belonging has been shaken,” Rabbi Segal said. “Many evacuees are living in cramped temporary quarters, making these youngsters even more vulnerable to despair.”

For the past two years, the congregation has used the occasion of Yizkor during the Shemini Atzeret festival, which follows Sukkot, to raise funds for its Israel Solidarity Tzedakah Fund, under Mr. Kraut’s chairmanship. The Yizkor service brings with it the obligation to give tzedakah, or charity. The congregation previously raised money for bulletproof vans for Israel’s dangerous roads. Mr. Kraut also was at the helm of this year’s campaign. As the Newton synagogue researched ways to help Israel and consulted with the Orthodox Union, the synagogue was made aware of the Jerusalem Center’s eagerness to launch the flying squads program.

Rabbi Segal, who came to Beth El–Atereth Israel in 1988, “addressed congregants passionately about the need to embrace these youth,” synagogue president Ronald Ellis said. The rabbi was greatly assisted by a philanthropic couple (who have asked to remain anonymous), who pledged to match up to $25,000 in contributions. For their gift to kick in, the rest of the congregation had to do their part. “Matching grants inspire people,” Mr. Ellis said.

“We are extremely grateful for Congregation Beth El–Atereth Israel’s gift to ZULA and for Rabbi Segal’s extraordinary effort on behalf of the youth of Israel,” declared the Jerusalem Center’s President Yitzchak Fund. “We were overwhelmed upon receiving the news as to what had been accomplished there.”

“This was a phenomenal effort,” declared Howard Tzvi Friedman, Chairman of the OU Development Committee.

OU President Stephen J. Savitsky agreed. “The magnificent performance of Congregation Beth El–Atereth Israel, its rabbi and congregation, not only demonstrates the meaning of tzedakah and how deeply engrained the concept is in Jewish life, but also shows the enormous concern of the congregation for the people in Israel whose lives have been seriously disrupted by the disengagement,” Mr. Savitsky said. “The OU extends its deepest appreciation to the donors of the matching grant and to everyone responsible for this achievement. Beth El–Atereth Israel is truly a model of how a synagogue should respond to Jewish needs.”

OU Executive Vice President Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb lauded Rabbi Segal for his efforts. “Rabbi Gershon Segal is amazing! Besides his significant scholarly and pastoral accomplishments, he is obviously a master at inspiring his constituency with his passion and compassion. Now a group of especially needy Israeli citizens will benefit from his leadership and his congregation’s admirable generosity.”

The Orthodox Union Development Department has many specialized projects suitable for funding from synagogues and individuals. For further information, contact Andrew Goldsmith, Director of Development, at 212-613-8132.

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The Orthodox Union, now in its second century of service to the Jewish community of North America and beyond, is a world leader in community and synagogue services, adult education, youth work through NCSY, political action through the IPA, and advocacy for persons with disabilities through Yachad and Our Way. Its kosher supervision label, the , is the world’s most recognized kosher symbol and can be found on over 409,000 products manufactured in 83 countries around the globe.

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