NCSY, the Orthodox Union’s international youth program, features a variety of summer programs, including instantly recognizable, annual ones like JOLT and ICE, and a new addition that wasn’t on the menu last year: JV Elite, where boys and girls (grades 5-11) develop, mold and showcase their basketball skills while being trained by top NCAA coaches and university players. Boys train at Camp Seneca Lake in Honesdale, PA while girls develop their skills at Camp Lavi in Lakewood, PA.
Registration for the programs is now open. An early registration discount of $150 is available by applying online using the coupon code “early-bird” before December 31. Past participants may inquire about an additional discount at summer@ncsy.org. Scholarship assistance is also available.
NCSY provides educational and fun events for both observant and non-observant teenagers. At the forefront in the battle against assimilation, NCSY offers innovative programming which helps Jewish teens see the beauty of their heritage and a Torah-lifestyle.
“This past summer was just incredible,” declared Rabbi Steven Burg, International Director of NCSY. “Over 1,000 teens attended our NCSY Summer Programs and we expect these numbers to increase yet again this year. We are anxiously anticipating the summer to connect Jewish teens to their heritage in an inspiring and meaningful way.”
The summer programs featured in 2009 will be:
EUROPE
•EuroIsrael – combining popular sightseeing visits in Europe, such as Budapest, Vienna, and Rome, and Israel in one all-inclusive trip.
•JOLT (Jewish Overseas Leadership Training) Ukraine – With a special focus on serving as counselors and advisors in day or overnight camps run by the OU Joseph K. Miller Torah Center in Kharkov, Ukraine, boys and girls in grades 10-12 holding NCSY leadership positions will also travel to Poland with the trip culminating in Israel.
• JOLT Central Europe – For students in grades 10-12 with strong leadership skills, this program will begin in Israel followed by a journey to Berlin, Leipzig, and Hamburg where teens will learn about Jewish leadership, Jewish history on German soil, the Holocaust and celebrate with the revived community.
ISRAEL
۠•Shakespeare in Jerusalem – a four-week course in English literature combined with intense touring of Israel.
•ICE: Israel Create your Experience – This co-ed program (grades 10 and 11) will enable teenagers to experience Israel, from the mountains of the Galilee to the canyons of the Negev Desert.
•TJJ (The Jerusalem Journey) – Public school co-ed students (grades 9-12) will explore Israel by participating in activities such as archeological digs, hiking up Masada, visiting the Kotel, and swimming in the Kineret.
•GIVE (Girls Israel Volunteer Experience) – This program will provide girls (grades 9-12) with the opportunity to volunteer at Israeli food banks, hospitals, and camps for child victims of terror; collect clothing for the poor; as well as tour Israel and participate in outdoor activities.
•Kollel – Boys (grades 9-12) will intensify their commitment to Judaism through beginners through advanced learning classes, while playing sports, engaging in recreational activities and touring Israel.
•Michlelet – Girls (grades 9-12) will learn Torah on beginners through advanced levels, while touring Israel and participating in recreational and volunteer activities.
•NCSY Birthright – NCSY partners with “Taglit-birthright Israel” on a special ten-day tour of Israel for high school boys and girls in a program that is usually open only to ages 18-26.
UNITED STATES
•JV Elite.
•Summer at YU – Boys and girls in grades 11 and 12 will spend the summer at Yeshiva University in New York, where they will experience dorm life, learn in a Beit Medrash program, and choose classes from a variety of subjects such as law, international affairs, medicine, scientific research, finance and marketing.
•Camp Sports – Located in a Baltimore suburb, boys (grades 8-12) at all levels of learning will play sports and participate in other camp activities, while studying and growing in Torah.
•SEG (Summer Experience for Girls) – Located in New York’s Catskill Mountains, SEG gives girls (grades 8-12) an opportunity to travel to Hershey Park and other attractions, tour New York City and even go to a minor league baseball game. They will be able to choose their own activities from a variety of possibilities, including swimming, sports, art, horseback riding, and aerobics. At the same time, they will explore different concepts of Judaism by participating in interactive classes given by rabbis and teachers, as well as experienced advisors.
For more information on these programs, and to register, visit NCSY’s website at www.ncsysummer.com , call 1-888-TOUR-4-YOU, or e-mail David Cutler, NCSY Director of Summer Programs at summer@ncsy.org.