Alumni Spotlight
Alumnus of the Month - Jennifer Proper
Jennifer Proper is the Director of Employment Services for Project Ezrah which provides critical support to many families in the Bergen County community by helping alleviate the stress of unemployment with personalized job search assistance, financial support, tuition assistance and counseling services. Jennifer grew up in Bergen County NCSY in the 60’s. She writes “When does a child start to connect to Judaism? It can be through family, school or shul or it can be through the enjoyment of activities that are shared with other children. NCSY provided that connection back in the 60’s. Growing up in Teaneck in the 60’s was a challenge. Our town was nothing like the Teaneck we know today. There were limited options for eating out and only one kosher bakery. The kosher butcher closed in town, and the Ft. Lee butcher was the only one around except for making weekly trips into New York. NCSY provided a lifelong bond to Judaism.”
A What? Oh, A Dvar Torah - by Rabbi Pinchas Avruch -
“Parshas Toldos"
Keeping The Flame Alive – 13th Annual Ben Zakkai Reception
Mazal Tov/Yizkor Corner
New Job Board
What's Nu
NCSY Summer
NCSY Summer Programs Offer New Additions and Old Favorites, and Make a Great Chanukah Gift
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 . For more information on these programs, and to register, visit NCSY's website at http://www.ncsysummer.com, call 1-888-TOUR-4-YOU, or e-mail David Cutler, NCSY Director of Summer Programs at .
Jewish youth help Oak Island residents get back on their feet
Shira Kandel heads into the new year with new ideas for NCSY
A Grateful Bocher Thanks OU Kosher for ASKOU 9
Rabbi Dave's Column
There are so many things I could write about this issue. I lost two of my dearest life long friends who group up in NCSY with me in Seaboard (Hirsch Ribakow and Beth Silber Koesterich). Two of my closest NCSY’ers are engaged (Tzivia Arnow and Rachel Howitt). Yet what is on my mind are the dozens of alumni who have recently lost their jobs and the hundreds about to. Here is a very simple thing you can start doing today to help them…
Read On
A What? Oh, A Dvar Torah
Parshas Toldos - Rabbi Pinchus Avruch
As Yaakov approached his father Yitzchak for the Divine blessings for material sustenance, he did so dressed as his coarse twin, Esav. This scheme was undertaken in accordance with the prophecy of his mother Rivka that Yaakov - who was already destined to receive the Divine blessings for the spiritual and national providence promised to their grandfather, Avraham (see Beraishis 28:3-4) – would also need this blessing if he was to survive.
Rabbi Pinchus Avruch - “Toldos – Removing The Shackles"
Alumni and NCSY Keeping The Flame Alive
The Ben Zakkai Honor Society Scholarship Reception will be held Sunday, January 11, 2009 at The Prince George Ballroom. Ben Zakkai, founded in 1965, is NCSY's Alumni Honor Society, whose members raise scholarship funds to enable a new generation of Jewish teens to share in the NCSY experience.
Honoring:
Kreindel and Paul Pinkus - Chicago
Enid and Harold H. Boxer a"h Memorial Award
Malka Stolper Kaweblum a"h - Lakewood
Ezra Ben Tzion Lightman a"h Memorial Award
Rabbi Avi Berman - Jerusalem
Rebbetzin Elaine and Rabbi Pinchas Stolper Alumni Service Award
Inaugurating the
Julia Macy a"h Memorial Scholarship
And presenting Ben Zakkai's newest members:
Behnam Dayanim - Silver Spring
Raizel Garfinkel - East Brunswick
Rebecca Greene - Philadelphia
Jonah Lerner - Cherry Hill
Mazal Tov Corner
Jonathan Mell (Board of Directors) on his marriage to Allison Schecter
Yehudis and Rabbi Bezalel Freedman (NCSY Regional Director Central East) on the marriage of their daughter Miriam to Sruli Greenwald
Sandy and Rabbi Alan Kalinsky (Director, OU West Coast) upon the birth of a granddaughter, born to their children, Elissa and Elly Slomnicki
Linda and Dr. Michael Elman (National Vice President) upon the birth of a grandson, born to their children, Ari and Inbal Elman
Judy and Harvey Blitz (Chairman, Board of Directors) upon the birth of a grandson, born to their children, Shira and Avi Rubin
Phyllis Ribakow on the marriage of daughter Shoshana to Shlomo Guggenheim of Los Angeles
Esther (Simons) Koppel (Atlantic Seaboard) is being honored as an Aishes Chayil by the National Council of Young Israel
Yerachmiel (Ross) Shapiro (Greater Midwest) and his wife Helene on the birth of a baby girl named Lila
Engagement of Elianna Lader (Staten Island ,NY) and Baruch Bazian (Passaic ,NJ)
Eliyahu and Michelle Roufa Teitz (Seaboard), on the birth of a son
Yizkor Corner
Condolences on the passing of Chicago NCSY founder and former youth commission chairman Mr. Sy Okner
Condolences on the passing of Mr. David Altabe a”h, father of Mr. Richard Altabe, former Chair of the NCSY Long Island Youth Commission
Condolences on the passing of Mrs. Randi Fishman (Rivkah Leah bas Nosson) of Philadelphia, the mother of Ashrei Region alumni (Jennifer) Charna (Fishman) Crystal of Queens, Ahuvah (Fishman) Freud of Eretz Yisrael and Ben Fishman of Eretz Yisrael.
