From the Desk of the Director

Dear TT reader,

Parshat Bo affords us an excellent opportunity to follow the demise of evil and the dawn of redemption. 

The demise of evil is indicated by the hardening of Pharoah’s heart after he has done all in his power to resist the word of G-d. And the onset of salvation is the gradual response to Man’s supreme and prolonged struggle to make himself worthy of this triumph. As R. Chiya bar Abba said: “When I sit in darkness, G-d is a light to me. At first there is a soft glow, then its radiance begins to spread, and then it grows more and more powerful.” 
Then, after all human effort has been expended, the final concrete stage of the redemptive process will be the spontaneous work of G-d himself. This is reflected in the rabbinic maxim - “The salvation of G-d is as sudden as the blinking of the eyelid.”

The rejection of G-d is often matched by the search for G-d. And so it was precisely at the point that Pharoah reached the the lowest rung of iniquity that Hashem intervened and released a slave people from deepest depths of impurity. 

And so may it be in our days.

Sincerely yours,
Menachem Persoff, Director, Israel Center

NCSY B'Yisrael

All over the country, NCSY is becoming a household name. In different parts of the country, batim, or chapters, are popping up. 

Soon after Chanuka, our bayit in Lod reshaped itself. Every Sunday, 7th-9th grade girls meet for group discussions on Jewish topics and a chug in dance. Mondays are boys’ night out, also with some of that NCSY schmoozing, but a chug in soccer and basketball. Wednesday nights are for an older - high school - co-ed group. Along with discussion groups, this group enjoys movies, dance, and martial arts. Chapter coordinator David Katz, anticipates for the future performances and a regional Shabbaton in Lod. Some 80 kids are participating in these activities.

This week also sees the opening of a new MAKOM BALEV or bayit in Nahariya for all 7th & 8th graders. We wish them lots of hatzlacha! 
Nitzotz, the group that matches overseas students with chesed projects, celebrated Rosh Chodesh with Kav L’Chaim in Hadassah Ein Karem and with Gan Harmony. A group of guys from Yeshivat Hakotel went to the children’s ward to play and sing with the sick kids, and to generally lift their spirits. Thank you, Ben, Meir, Dani, Tzvi, Josh and Mike.

The girls from MMY once again came through with their visit to Gan Harmony, playing and visiting with those special kids. Thank you, Karen, Rachel G., Tali, Devorah F., Rachel H., and Devorah S.

We know you received at least as much as you gave. Tizku l’mitzvot!
HOMEWORK HELPERS Tutoring and homework help available for all 4th-7th graders, on Mondays and Wednesdays, from 4:00- 6:00, at the Center.Call Sarah for more info: 5667787 We welcome all new volunteers able to tutor.

NCSY’s new Gesharim program is up and running. We invite anyone who knows Russian olim in need of bar/bat mitzva preparation to contact us. The program organizes fun-filled activities for youth and their families to introduce them to basic concepts in Judaism.

For more information, please contact Sarah, 5667787. x245.
Hey, you in Raanana! How old are you? What are you doing Wednesday evenings? If you are 13-14 years old, Makom BaLev Raanana is waiting for you at Beit Knesset Shivtei Yisrael, at 6:00pm for lots of fun and interesting activities Questions? Call Shlomit at 054-578-937

Rabbi Michael Fredman, Director• Daniella, Ilana, Sara, B'not Sherut 22 Keren Ha'Yesod, POB 37015, Jerusalem (02) 566-7787 ext. 242 • fax: (02) 566-0156 ncsy_isr@netvision.net

NESTO

Drama and Drunkenness formed the theme for the evening as NESTOers came together for a session of Fiddlin'&Food. Continuing the discussion from two weeks ago on Jews and their Drink, the kids heard a presentation by Mrs. Esti Gross, an administrator from the Ministry of Education who organizes seminars in schools on alcohol and drugs concerning the type of work she is involved with in Israel, and then we watched a video.

The video depicted three typical dilemmas that teenagers might find themselves in concerning alcohol. Before offering a solution to the dilemma, the scene ends and requests the viewers to offer a solution. After viewing all three dilemmas the NESTOers, in their groups of four, had to act out for the rest of the group the solution they decided would be most appropriate. 
Each scene also included myths about alcohol that Mrs. Gross helped to dispel. 

On February 6 we will have a rousing introduction to NESTO Chesed Projects. Chesed has never been this fun… or this crazy!!! Zula opens at 7:00pm with drinks and snacks- program begins at 7:45.

A reminder that it’s never too late to become a member of NESTO.

70-shekel membership gives you a discount at all NESTO events, plus a 10% discount at 16 stores and eateries in downtown J'lem
Shabbat Shalom, Rabbi Avi, Daniel, Ilana

NESTO is the Center's youth program for Anglo-Israelis 
tel. 566-7787 ext. 245 • fax: 561-7432 silvera@mail.biu.ac.il • www.zyworld.com/nesto Rabbi Avi Silverman, director
Daniel Stambler, asst. dir. • Ilana Milo, Bat Sherut 

A Closer Look

Hi guys, it's me. Your one and only Bat Sherut that you haven't seen in a while. This week, it's my turn to be revealed...

Q: When did you make Aliya and why? 
A: I was 2 years old when I made Aliya from Dayton, Ohio. I decided to make my parents' lives easy and join them on the flight to Israel. (HA, HA, HA)

Q: What is the biggest challenge being here?
A: The hardest thing for me was that I never felt fully fit in. Even though I've been in Israel since I was young, other kids always saw me as the American, the Outsider. I still feel that way sometimes, but less..

Q: Where have you been in the past 3 months? 
A: STUDYING!!! For those of you who don't know, in 2 weeks my nightmare (Psychometric) is over and I will be seen in NESTO once again..

Q: And finally, if you were a vegetable, which one would you be, and why?
A: I sat and I thought what I could be? But what one vegetable could ever be me? So I guess I'm a salad, it's plain to see. I have a bit of every vegetable in me. Cherry tomato sweet, full of life A bit of onion to add some spice. A piece of carrot down to earth and strong, Mix them all together – you can't go wrong.