WEST COAST NCSY NAMES SOLLY HESS ASSOCIATE REGIONAL DIRECTOR
Solly Hess, West Coast NCSY’s new Associate Regional Director.
After witnessing 400 teens singing together during his first NCSY Havdalah ceremony in 2007, Los Angeles native and resident Solly Hess, NCSY City Director for Los Angeles, knew that joining NCSY was “meant to be.” Four years later, Rabbi Effie Goldberg, Executive Director of West Coast NCSY, announced Solly’s new role as Associate Regional Director at Havdalah at this years’ Spring Regional Convention.
NCSY | Jewish Youth Leadership is the international youth program of the Orthodox Union.
West Coast NCSY covers cities from Seattle to Chula Vista. More than 4,000 teens are involved in the Region’s programs and experience the love for Torah and Judaism on a daily basis.
Over the last four years, Solly has revitalized the Los Angeles NCSY chapter — running numerous Shabbatons and chapter activities, in addition to developing and implementing programming.
According to Rabbi Goldberg, “Solly is an unstoppable force. His chapter board was always busy with chessed events; recruiting; and best of all, studying Torah together. This strong combination emphasizing leadership and Torah study was both critical and necessary for the optimal growth of our teens. Solly embraces his new role with vigor and excitement, ready to bring West Coast NCSY to greater heights. In the midst of a fast growing region, Solly is ready to face the challenges that arise. No task is too difficult, and Solly has already implemented programs to begin this coming school year.”
Solly instituted City Dinner Learning Program, which has become a Monday night NCSY staple, designed for public school and yeshiva/day school teens to meet and engage in Jewish philosophical discussions. One of his other greatest accomplishments was creating LEAD, Leadership, Advocacy, Training, and Development, an extraordinary leadership initiative training teens to be the future Jewish communal leaders.
A graduate of Valley Torah High School, he holds a BA in Psychology from Queens College in New York, and he received his MBA from Pepperdine University in Los Angeles. Taking advantage of his educational background, Solly has developed marketing campaigns and directed West Coast NCSY’s famous multimedia — an educational presentation combining live action and inspiring film clips.
Enthusiastically, Solly stated, “As Rabbi Effie and I embark on our team’s new challenges, our emphasis will be to take our Region from good to great.”