Page 84 - issue
P. 84
NCSY second year as NCSY’s JSU coordina-
OPENING tor in Baltimore, oversees JSU pro-
“TJEWISH DOORShanks to NCSY, I went to gramming at public and private high
the Kotel and prayed public and secular private schools, schools in the area. Over the past
and connected to G-d in offering something for the body and year and a half, Mordi has expanded
a way I never had the soul. With a slice of pizza and into eight different schools: Franklin,
before,” says Jasmine, ansome Jewish learning, teens find a Owings Mills, Towson, Pikesville,
NCSY alumnus in way to connect at their level and at Park School of Baltimore, McDonogh
Baltimore. “I strength- their pace. Clubs are only the begin- School, Boys’ Latin School of
ning. These students are provided a Maryland, and Calvert Hall.
ened my love and con- myriad of programming, from hang- “The goal of JSU programming in
Baltimore is to connect every Jewish
nection to Judaism. I walked into ing out and learning with staff in teen to Judaism, however they’re able
to connect,” said Spero. “Whether
NCSY knowing almost nothing about local coffee shops to lobbying on that means a love for Israel, whether
that means just a strong Jewish iden-
Israel and feeling close to no connec- Capitol Hill or spending summers in tity, or whether that means being
able to identify as a Jew in school.”
tion, and I walked away a more Jerusalem.
As NCSYers continue to grow, they
inspired Jew and incredibly excited to “We view ourselves as opening need more support than ever. There
are thousands of teens who have yet
continue to follow my Jewish calling Jewish doors,” says Rabbi Jonah to be connected to Judaism in any
real way. One way to help NCSY
in life.” Lerner, Atlantic Seaboard NCSY reach them and enjoy a special time
is to join 2,000 others who come out
Jasmine is one of the many teens Regional Director. “Each teen is dif- each year to support NCSY at the
annual Isaac H. Taylor Jewish Music
who connected to both their fellow ferent, so we need to show the end- Festival. At this year’s concert, NCSY
will present Sam and Donna Wach
Jews and their personal Judaism less array of opportunity that with the Lifetime Dedication Award,
giving our community another rea-
through NCSY. NCSY has been Judaism offers. For some it’s the son to attend.
addressing the challenge of “inspir- Shabbat table, for others it’s Israel Sam and Donna have NCSY in
their blood. Sam grew up in the
ing the Jewish future” for decades, Advocacy, and for others it’s just a Catskill Region of NCSY and Donna
grew up in New Jersey. During the
including right here in Baltimore, shmooze with a staff member that mid-80s, while in Ner Israel, Sam
became an advisor in Seaboard.
where it is entering its 56th year. empowers them to take an active Donna says she didn’t marry Sam
because of his NCSY background,
NCSY takes on the twin challenges role in their Jewish destiny.” “but it helped!”
of Jewish assimilation and apathy Over 1,300 Jewish teens went to In the 70’s, most students of the
Hebrew Day School of Sullivan
head on, adapting throughout the Israel last year with NCSY, falling in Ulster Counties did not continue
their Jewish education past eighth
years to reflect a changing Jewish love with the land and becoming grade. Sam’s rebbes encouraged him
to continue learning at Manhattan
landscape. more committed to its people. Of Hebrew High School, run by Rabbi
Shlomo Riskin, although he always
Many of today’s teens are not those, over 130 were local Atlantic returned to the Catskills for
Shabbatonim. The region was small
found in traditional Jewish spaces Seaboard teens, showcasing how a but active, connecting small towns
around the area to the larger Jewish
like synagogues and JCCs. NCSY, large portion of NCSY’s reach and community. Sam served on the
Regional Board as education chair-
through its signature Jewish Student impact is right here in our backyard. man, leading sessions and coordinat-
Union (JSU) culture clubs, goes into NCSY’s Mordi Spero, now in his
80 u www.wherewhatwhen.com u
OPENING tor in Baltimore, oversees JSU pro-
“TJEWISH DOORShanks to NCSY, I went to gramming at public and private high
the Kotel and prayed public and secular private schools, schools in the area. Over the past
and connected to G-d in offering something for the body and year and a half, Mordi has expanded
a way I never had the soul. With a slice of pizza and into eight different schools: Franklin,
before,” says Jasmine, ansome Jewish learning, teens find a Owings Mills, Towson, Pikesville,
NCSY alumnus in way to connect at their level and at Park School of Baltimore, McDonogh
Baltimore. “I strength- their pace. Clubs are only the begin- School, Boys’ Latin School of
ning. These students are provided a Maryland, and Calvert Hall.
ened my love and con- myriad of programming, from hang- “The goal of JSU programming in
Baltimore is to connect every Jewish
nection to Judaism. I walked into ing out and learning with staff in teen to Judaism, however they’re able
to connect,” said Spero. “Whether
NCSY knowing almost nothing about local coffee shops to lobbying on that means a love for Israel, whether
that means just a strong Jewish iden-
Israel and feeling close to no connec- Capitol Hill or spending summers in tity, or whether that means being
able to identify as a Jew in school.”
tion, and I walked away a more Jerusalem.
As NCSYers continue to grow, they
inspired Jew and incredibly excited to “We view ourselves as opening need more support than ever. There
are thousands of teens who have yet
continue to follow my Jewish calling Jewish doors,” says Rabbi Jonah to be connected to Judaism in any
real way. One way to help NCSY
in life.” Lerner, Atlantic Seaboard NCSY reach them and enjoy a special time
is to join 2,000 others who come out
Jasmine is one of the many teens Regional Director. “Each teen is dif- each year to support NCSY at the
annual Isaac H. Taylor Jewish Music
who connected to both their fellow ferent, so we need to show the end- Festival. At this year’s concert, NCSY
will present Sam and Donna Wach
Jews and their personal Judaism less array of opportunity that with the Lifetime Dedication Award,
giving our community another rea-
through NCSY. NCSY has been Judaism offers. For some it’s the son to attend.
addressing the challenge of “inspir- Shabbat table, for others it’s Israel Sam and Donna have NCSY in
their blood. Sam grew up in the
ing the Jewish future” for decades, Advocacy, and for others it’s just a Catskill Region of NCSY and Donna
grew up in New Jersey. During the
including right here in Baltimore, shmooze with a staff member that mid-80s, while in Ner Israel, Sam
became an advisor in Seaboard.
where it is entering its 56th year. empowers them to take an active Donna says she didn’t marry Sam
because of his NCSY background,
NCSY takes on the twin challenges role in their Jewish destiny.” “but it helped!”
of Jewish assimilation and apathy Over 1,300 Jewish teens went to In the 70’s, most students of the
Hebrew Day School of Sullivan
head on, adapting throughout the Israel last year with NCSY, falling in Ulster Counties did not continue
their Jewish education past eighth
years to reflect a changing Jewish love with the land and becoming grade. Sam’s rebbes encouraged him
to continue learning at Manhattan
landscape. more committed to its people. Of Hebrew High School, run by Rabbi
Shlomo Riskin, although he always
Many of today’s teens are not those, over 130 were local Atlantic returned to the Catskills for
Shabbatonim. The region was small
found in traditional Jewish spaces Seaboard teens, showcasing how a but active, connecting small towns
around the area to the larger Jewish
like synagogues and JCCs. NCSY, large portion of NCSY’s reach and community. Sam served on the
Regional Board as education chair-
through its signature Jewish Student impact is right here in our backyard. man, leading sessions and coordinat-
Union (JSU) culture clubs, goes into NCSY’s Mordi Spero, now in his
80 u www.wherewhatwhen.com u
