NEW YORK NCSY HOLDS ITS FIFTH ANNUAL COMMUNITY-WIDE BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT, MAY 1, AT SITES IN FIVE TOWNS
The New York NCSY Basketball Tournament has become ‘the place for elite Jewish basketball teams for ages 16 and up.’
Once again this spring, the New York Region of NCSY | Jewish Youth Leadership, the Orthodox Union’s international youth movement, will hold a Community-Wide Basketball Tournament for players ages 16 and above. It will take place in a variety of locations around the Five Towns on Sunday, May 1. Now in its fifth year, the games will start off early in the morning at different gyms, playing intense basketball, coming together for lunch and the “Sweet Sixteen” (the remaining 16 teams in the tournament) at Lawrence High School, starting at 12:00 pm.
The purpose of the tournament, says New York NCSY Regional Director Rabbi Aryeh Lightstone, is “to build awareness and community support,” for the work of NCSY. Funds raised by the tournament will be used to support the programs of New York NCSY, including sending teens to Israel for the first time.
Chairmen of the event include New York NCSY Board Members Avi Esses, Jeremy Frenkel, Charlie Harary, Kenny Sicklick, Elliot Steinmetz, and Hillel Olshin of Woodmere; and Ephraim Lowy of Lawrence.
This competitive basketball tournament is a highlight for many ballplayers. There will be two levels of competition going on simultaneously: a 5-on-5 full-court tournament for those ages 16+; and 3-on-3 half-court tournament for those ages 30+.
Declared Elliot Steinmetz, “The annual NCSY Basketball Tournament has become the place for elite Jewish basketball teams to test their mettle and see how they rank in the most competitive tournament in the Jewish world for ages 16+.”
“Win or lose,” added Kenny Sicklick, the players and their sponsors know that
the day’s proceeds have gone to help more than 120 teens get to Israel for their first time this summer, and for many it will be the most impactful Jewish experience of their lives.”
According to the Tournament’s coordinator Carol Rhine, New York NCSY Chief Operating Officer, “NCSY here in New York has been growing exponentially over the past five years. It is our job at NCSY, in partnership with the community, to ensure that we provide for Jewish teens not a ‘once in a lifetime experience,’ but rather, a ‘first in a lifetime experience.’”
“In order to continue our growth, as well as appropriately service our existing teen programming, we are beginning our first-ever $100K fundraising campaign,” stated Board Member Jeremy Frenkel. “Our Fifth Annual Community-Wide Basketball Tournament will be the kick-off event for this campaign.”
NCSY has made sponsorship opportunities available: $360 for a Friend of NCSY sponsorship; $500 for family sponsorship; $720 for a Tournament sponsorship; $1,000 for a Team Sponsorship; $3,600 for a Court Sponsorship. Sponsors will be announced as the tournament approaches.
The entire community is invited to join New York NCSY from 3:00 pm-6:00 pm for children’s entertainment, arts and crafts, and a family BBQ at Lawrence High School, 2 Reilly Road, in Cedarhurst. A raffle will also be drawn at the event featuring two round-trip tickets to Israel. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at the door.
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