Thursday, June 12, 2008
Hakaras HaTov
I’ll never forget when I was learning in Ner Yisroel Rabbinical College and my former Regional Director asked me to drive someone by whom I had spent many Shabbas meals to sit shiva for his father in Silver Springs. I asked, when he needed me to drive him and when told the time I proceeded to answer that I could not because I would miss shiur.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Nothing like a regional
Over the last two weeks NCSY held 14 regional Shabbatons throughout the US and Canada for thousands of Jewish teens. I was privileged to attend Atlantic Seaboards Regional held in the Wyndham Hotel in Princeton NJ. The All Star team of Bonnie Pollak, Rabbi Yitzchak Dinovitzer and Rocky Caine did an awesome job and the 175 participants definitely felt the magic of NCSY. Being that I am a former regional president of Atlantic Seaboard and went to Pikesville High, Bonnie asked me to be the speaker as Shabbas ebbs away and tell the story of how I became Shomer Torah and Mitzvos through NCSY.
Whenever you speak, you never know who is listening and what the effects will be. I was just afraid they would say, “I don’t want that to happen to me!”
Monday, April 28, 2008
Just another NCSY miracle
A few years ago I started a learning program at the NJ NCSY drop in center (later to be renamed Elana’s Place). The Hemshech program gave us funding to pair up mentors with public school students in Chavrusot and I was all over it!! That first year, we ended up attracted several wonderful girls (seven) who all fell in love with learning and each one is an individual miracle by themselves. One girl’s parents could not bring her so, I went to Dalia’s house to pick her up and therefore she was the last to arrive. We had many more girls come to learn than boys (big surprise) and I no longer had any girl Chavrusot so I asked her to learn with a Yeshiva Bochur who had came by that first week as an extra hand just in case and was also without a Chavrusa named Matis.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Failure is not an option
I’ve been taking personal training with a gold glove boxer and I brought him by the office for a visit this week. We were reminiscing about how I’ve been doing with him the past couple of months and I said that I really don’t notice much of a change. He asked me how many crunch sit-ups I could do on my own when I started and how many can I do now? I blurted out OH! Just like Rabbi Akiva and the water dripping on the stone! Needless to say he was totally lost but said exactly;)
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Who to vote for President
Anyways, enough of politics, let’s talk Torah! There have been lots of great developments for NCSY and OU Alumni to share. We right now have over 400 applicants for our Birthright Israel Trips (Twice last year at this point) www.israelfreespirit.com and we are recruiting Alumni to join YU for July in Jerusalem for the 2nd year and The OU JLIC Israel Fellowship. We are also announcing that we have successfully opened our alumni fund (Anyone interested in a dedication let me know) and are accepting applications for $500 grants to attend an Israel Program this summer for those aged 18-26 (College/Grad school age). We will hopefully expand the age bracket as our fund-raising success increases in future years! If you are interested in applying just send me an email as well as the name of the program. We send the grants directly to the program if accepted.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
The Answer to How Can I Do it All?
As Alumni director I want to service all those who attended any NCSY events ever. That’s over 200,00 people ranging in age from 18 to 120 including family status from single to great grandparent and both! The answer is the OU Alumni Commission. We have had two meetings already (I’d be glad to send a transcript to anyone who requests one) and have set up to sub committees which I hope you’ll participate in. To join the Singles Committee email Dassie Fuchs at and to join the reunion committee email Doodie Miller at
Thursday, November 29, 2007
My Favorite Time Of Year
This is my favorite time of the year in NCSY. The New Year jitters are behind us and the real NCSY magic is happening. There are 13 Winter Regional Shabbatons, there are two birthright trips, there are a few hundred public school students going on a fun trip/Shabbaton in NY from all over the country, The Ben Zakkai Reception, The New England 45 Year Celebration, the NY Region Chinese Auction and much more. However, my hands down favorite event is the Winter Break NCSY Yarchei Kallah. 200 public school students from all of North America give up their vacation time to study Torah with the best Rabbis, teachers and advisors in the NY area. It is the single most powerful and successful Jewish Education Outreach event in North America and I don’t say that lightly.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Jerusalem_Be_Proud
In NCSY we have always put Jerusalem in a special place within our hearts. Every region sings “V’lirushalayim Ircho” and “Im Eskacheich Yerushalayim” so often that it is the beat to which our lives march. I’ve always been proud (and you should to) that more NCSY’ers live in Israel than from any other International youth group. However, outside of the NCSY world we often keep these heart felt feelings hidden. We tell ourselves that we live outside of Israel (I assume those of you in Israel don’t have this issue) and it would be wrong to our current countries of choice to publically promote Yerushalayim as the true home of our hearts. We tell ourselves who are we to interfere in Israeli politics when we don’t live there. Well, we are as wrong as we could ever be....
Thursday, November 01, 2007
What it means to be a family
People are always knocking Jewish organizations because the only time they get their act together is in times of tragedy and danger. But as I reflect on the Bar Mitzva weekend of my son Tzvi this past Shabbos, I realize that it is not only a false accusation; but, especially so in the greater NCSY family!
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Let's get together sometime soon!
I love being reacquainted with old friends! Now that the chagim are over, it is time to plan some alumni reunions. As usual, I have some ideas as to what I’d like to see BUT I really would rather the reunions come from you all out there in alumni land! In the past two years we have had reunion events in Israel (2), New Jersey (3), Kansas City (1), Seaboard (1) that I know of. I’ve had inquiries from Chicago, Toronto and Las Angeles but only one or two. If any of you would love to sink your teeth into planning a reunion or have any great reunion ideas, please let me know - now!!!
Monday, September 17, 2007
New Beginnings
New Beginnings. Its a new year for the world and its a new beginning for NCSY alumni. Our third year marks the first where we finally start following up with our recent High school grads. Welcome to all of you and I hope you make the most of all the OU wants to offer you as alumni! Over 160 12th grade grads who were alumni of OU programs in high school have now volunteered to be OU Ambassadors on campus. This new project has tremendous potential and I’m sure we’ll see this new group accomplish great things in the year to come. Any college age alumni who want to become our Ambassadors on campus and earn great prizes while doing so please email Ambassador Coordinator Josh Einstein at einsteinj@ou.org
Thursday, July 26, 2007
An Example For Us All
I hope everyone is enjoying the summer. I love hearing about all the great experiences our summer program participants are having and I’d like to share one story related to our summer programs that is a great lesson for us all. I can’t count how many realatives have called me in a panic that their cousin, niece, nephew etc. is off the path of Judaism in one of many different ways and can I help save the day. We do our best and sometimes can help; but, usually it is too late to make an immediate impact and we just pray that Hashem help them find their way eventually.
When I became a Rabbi, Rabbi Noah Weinberg made us each write a family tree and commit to do our best to reach out to them with the beauties of Judaism. This was an eye opening experience because while we are out there trying to save the world we quite often forget to start at home in our backyard.
This summer
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Just Another NCSY Hall Of Fame Story
Just another NCSY Hall of Fame story. Two winters and several months ago we had 200 students on our NCSY birthright trips. One of those participants was Jake Freedman. We heard the first part of this story in a previous edition where I shared how Jake and I first talked at length after a speaker gave a touchy feely class on love and marriage. Jake was very disturbed by the class as it did not connect with his tough and logical “just the facts” personality. That would be no big deal; but, as Jake questioned the Teacher quite loudly, everyone in the class became very aware of Jake’s take!
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
One Step At A Time
Once at a Shabbaton in Columbus Ohio I heard an NCSY’er ask Rabbi Efraim Buchwald, “Who is greater someone who has been religious all their life or someone who is relatively new to Jewish involvement in their life?” He answered “It is not on what rung of the ladder you stand but whether you are climbing up or down!” The real question was - How can I ever catch up to where I want to be? The real answer was one step at a time in the right direction!
Well, NCSY Alumni has taken another couple steps in the right direction!
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
What can be better
With all the craziness going on with the killings, prisoners, floods etc. this week, what can be better then an old friend reaching out to remind you just how lucky we are!