United Synagogue Youth

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United Synagogue Youth (USY) is the youth movement of the USCJ (United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism). The organization's mission is to empower Jewish youth to develop friendships, leadership skills, a sense of belonging to the Jewish People, a deep engagement with and love for Israel, and a commitment to inspired Jewish living through meaningful and fun experiences based on the ideology of Conservative Judaism.

Through year-round programming and domestic and international travel opportunities, they engage teens, grades 9-12, in compelling experiences rooted in Conservative Judaism's approach to learning, spiritual expression and social responsibility. It inspires in them a deep sense of pride in and love for their Jewish identity.

The organization was founded in 1951, under the auspices of the Youth Commission of what was then the United Synagogue of America.

USY operates in the United States and Canada, with 350 chapters across 16 regions. Kadima (Hebrew for "Forward") is USY's program for pre-teens grades 5-8 (varies by region).

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History

The First USY Chapter

Under the leadership of both Rabbi David Aronson and Rabbi Kassel Abelson, the first USY chapter was founded at Beth El Synagogue in Minneapolis in 1948 to provide for the social and spiritual needs of its teens. Soon, other synagogues began following suit.

Founding the National Organization

"The Youth Commission unanimously agrees that the teenage groups come under the general supervision of the Youth Commission. Teenage groups should include boys and girls of high school level, 13 to 17 years inclusive...The Youth Commission shall concern itself with non-scholastic group work for teenagers."

With these words, on March 19, 1951 USY was formed nationally at its first convention, bringing together delegates from synagogues and other youth groups across the country, along with lay and professional youth workers of USCJ.

All told, more than 500 people, representing 65 communities from 14 states and Canada attended the first official meeting of USY.

At that convening, under the leadership of the newly elected national president, Paul Freedman, the two basic documents of the organization, Aims and Objectives and the USY Constitution, were adopted.

USY's Tzedakah Program

In 1956, the Two-o-Nine tzedakah (charity) project began (later revamped to become Tikun Olam (Repairing the World), the social action/charity project that all contemporary USYers recognize).

Summer Travel for Teens

That same summer, twelve USYers went on the first organization sponsored trip to Israel. Known as the USY Israel Summer Pilgrimage, it became the first of the USY summer programs.

Two years later, Pilgrimage enrollment had already increased to 100 teens. In 1961, USY further expanded its summer programs when two staff members took four USYers on their "Schlep and Pray Across the USA," the first USY on Wheels trip.

PreTeen Programming

In 1969, the Youth Commission created Kadima, the youth group for middle school and junior high students.

USY Today

Today USY has 350 local chapters in 16 regions across North America and continues to teach young Jews the values and skills they need to become exceptional leaders in their religious and secular communities..

Maps United Synagogue Youth

Structure

USY has three main levels of entry into the organization, the chapter level, the regional level, and the international level. The HaNegev and METNY regions are also split into sub-regions and divisions, respectively.

Chapter

Chapter, typically run out of local USCJ congregations, provide programming on the local level. This includes social, religious, educational, and community service-based programming. Social programming ranges from lounge and movie nights to pool parties and paintballing. Religious, educational, and community service-based programming include mock-seders, Israel education, and volunteering.

All programming is planned by the Chapter Board with the assistance of a professional advisor. Typically, a given chapter's name is an acronym of the synagogue or city in which the chapter is based followed by the letters "USY". For example, the "Moriah Congregation in Deerfield" chapter is shortened to "MCDUSY". Chapters are associated with a USCJ-affiliated synagogue.

Regional

Regions consist of chapters in the same geographical area. Regions gather for bi-monthly, quarterly, and annual regional events, such as weekend-long kinnusim (conventions) and week-long encampments. There are 16 USY regions.

Sub-Regional/Divisional

Larger USY regions are occasionally split into sub-regions or divisions. The sub-regions and divisions act much like regions, overseeing their respective chapters, and holding their own conventions and elections. Currently, there are two regions, HaNegev and METNY, with sub-regions or divisions. HaNegev's sub-regions are each led by a three-person executive board, and METNY's divisions are each led by a six-person executive board. HaNegev's three sub-regions are Arvot (South Florida), Mercaz (North and Central Florida), and Ein Gedi (Florida Panhandle, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, North Carolina, and South Carolina). METNY's three (previously four) divisions are Emek (Hudson Valley), Sababa (Manhattan, Queens, and Brooklyn), and Ruach (Long Island).

International

On the International level, USY holds an International Convention, the largest gathering of Conservative Jewish teens in North America, and runs summer trips across the United State, Canada, Israel, and Europe.

The International Board is composed of the 6-person Executive board and their committees. These boards are elected at the International Convention, which takes place every December, and the members serve for 1 calendar year, unlike chapter and regional boards which are elected in mid to late spring and serve through an academic year.

Youth Group & Summer Trips For Jewish Teens | USY

src: usy.org

Programs

International USY provides the following programming:

USY Summer Experience

USY runs simultaneous four-to-seven-week summer programs across North America and Europe. The trips through Europe culminate in Israel.

USY on Wheels is a six-week bus tour throughout the continental United States, Canada, and Alaska. Participants spend the summer visiting America's greatest landmarks, including the Grand Canyon and Pier 39, as well as the country's more obscure destinations including the Corn Palace and Wall Drug. The program's goal is giving teens the opportunity to understand what it means to live Jewishly no matter where you go. Participants stay in both hotels and home hospitality. Participants keep Kosher and pause to celebrate Shabbat throughout the summer. In addition to the "Classic" Wheels trip, other travel options incle:

Wheels East, a four-week east coast trip exclusively for 7th and 8th grades
Wheels West, a four-week west coast trip exclusively for 7th and 8th graders
Pacific Northwest, a three-week trip that includes two-weeks on the West Coast and a one-week Alaskan cruise

USY's trips to Israel, USY Israel Pilgrimage, consist of an optional week in Poland or Eastern Europe followed by a month in Israel, learning about Jewish communities and the Shoah (Holocaust). Pilgrimage trips visit every major city and region, including Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa, Tiberias, Beersheba, and Eilat. In addition to city life, the program incorporates many hiking opportunities and outdoor experiences, in areas including the Golan Heights, the Jordan River, the Galilee the Mediterranean Sea, Masada, the Dead Sea, the Negev, the Red Sea, and archaeological digs of ancient Jewish civilization, all led by professional tour guides.

USY also partners with the DREAM Project for DREAM USY, a two-week social action trip in the Dominican Republic.

International Convention

USY's International Convention, commonly referred to as IC, is the largest gathering of Conservative Jewish teens.

Held annually the last full week in December, the convention moves to a different North American city each year and convenes hundreds of Jewish teens for five days of celebration, friendship, Jewish learning, and giving back to the local community.

The location changes from year to year, covering several USY regions over a period of a few years.

The 2016 International Convention was held in Dallas, Texas (SWUSY Region) on December 25-29, 2016. During the week of the Convention, USYers participated in community service, leadership, religious, educational, cultural, and social programming. The 2017 International Convention will be held in Chicago, Illinois.

Past International Conventions _{please note that prior to 1963, International Convention was a faction of EMTZA Region USY. It was not until the creation of other monetary regions in 1963 that International Convention took the form it holds today. For purposes of this table, International Convention's location and chairpeople will start from 1963 although the first convention was held in 1950.}

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Interest Clubs

USY offers three interest clubs for USY members the Abraham Joshua Heschel Honor Society, Chalutzim, and the 613 Mitzvah Corps.

Abraham Joshua Heschel Honor Society

The Abraham Joshua Heschel Honor Society is a club for USY members of secular and religious academic excellence. The club is named after prominent theologian and activist Abraham Joshua Heschel. Members meet during regional conventions to discuss topics that Heschel wrote about. The Heschel Honor society holds an annual three-day, text-focused convention every March.

The Heschel Honor Society recognizes USYers committed to the study of Torah, prayer, and performance of G'milut Chasadim (acts of loving kindness).

Chalutzim

Chalutzim is our Israel advocacy club, helping you build and develop your relationship with the Jewish homeland through programming, workshops, and fun activities.

In Hebrew, Chalutzim means "pioneers," referring to the original settlers in modern-day Israel.

613 Mitzvah Corps

613 Mitzvah Corps (commonly referred to as 613) is USY's Social Action/Tikun Olam (Repairing the World) or SA/TO club.

The club was designed for USYers who wish to be more involved in social action and learn more about social activism within the context of Judaism.

There is an annual fee of $6.13 to be a member of 613 Mitzvah Corps. You can also donate a generous $61.30 to become a lifetime member.

Kadima (and USY) Lingo - New Frontier USY and Kadima

src: www.newfrousy.org

List of Regions

United Synagogue (@UnitedSynagogue) | Twitter

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Leadership

USY strives to foster the next generation of passionate, committed Jewish leaders. USY leadership is both elected and appointed, signifying that there are many on-ramps to serve in the organization.

Several leadership opportunities are offered on the local, regional, and international levels. The teens devoted to serving their Jewish peers:

Commit to a very high standard of Jewish living and are role models within their kehillot (Jewish communities inside and outside the walls of a synagogue)
Plan and implement high quality, impactful programming in their regions and beyond
Channel their passion to inspire thousands of teens to seek meaning together

Regional Executive Board

Each region has a Regional Executive Board (REB), which serves as the region's cabinet, tending to its needs across the year. An REB typically consists of a President, and five Vice Presidents: Israel Affairs VP (IA), Religion/Education VP (Rel/Ed), Social Action/Tikun Olam VP (SA/TO), Membership/Kadima VP (Mem/Kad), and Communications VP (Comm). Some regions incorporate an Executive Vice President and/or Parliamentarian position. In regions that have Divisions or Sub-Regions, Divisional or Sub-Regional Presidents are automatically granted REB member status.

International Executive Board

On December 26, 2017, International USY Voting Delegates at the 67th USY International Convention voted the following 6 members onto the 2018 International Executive Board (IEB) into office:

President - Zachary Zabib (METNY)
Israel Affairs Vice President - Aaron Schwartz (METNY)
Religion/Education Vice President - Sawyer Goldsmith (CHUSY)
Social Action/Tikun Olam Vice President - Emily Rosenberg (METNY)
Membership/Kadima Vice President - Ilan Cohen (Seaboard)
Communications Vice President - Bayle Goldman (SWUSY)

International General Board

The International General Board (IGB) is a group of committee members selected and appointed by the International Executive Board in the first month of the new year. To be considered for a position on the International General Executive Board, an applicant must agree to keep standards and fill out an application. The 2017 IGB is:

IC Co-Chairs:

Jeffrey Gold (Far West)
Sami Lynn Ronik (HaNegev)

NOAM Olami Partnership Coordinators:

Alan Imar (HaNegev)
Gabrielle Zwi (Seaboard)

Summer Experience Outreach Co-Chairs:

Dina Doctoroff (Hagalil)
Matan Kogen (Hagalil)

Israel Affairs Committee:

Libby Fern (Emtza)
Eitan Goldmeer (Tzafon)
Maya Wassermann (Hagalil)
Zach Zabib (METNY)

Religion/Education Committee:

Mira Berenbaum (Far West)
Jacob Deane (METNY)
Sophie Libow (HaNegev)
Juliana Sherer (Pinwheel)

Social Action/Tikun Olam Committee:

Gabriella Cooperman (CHUSY)
Rachel Coskey (Pinwheel)
Kira Seelig (SWUSY)
Joey Wolpert (NERUSY)

Membership/Kadima Committee:

Hannah Eiger (Hagalil)
Shawn Konichowsky (Hagalil)
Murray Lebovitz (HaNegev)
Molly Pascoe (ECRUSY)

Communications Committee:

Bayle Goldman (SWUSY)
Julius Sheinman (HaNegev)
Jonathan Silverman (Hagalil)
Lily Smith (Emtza)
Dalia Tabibian (New Frontier)

Alumni Outreach Chair:

Mikayla Golub (METNY)

Chapter Engagement Chair:

Ilan Cohen (Seaboard)

Immediate Past President:

Noah Lee (Far West)

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Famous Alumni

USY has produced over 250,000 alumni, many of which have gone on to be doctors, lawyers, rabbis, synagogue presidents, and Jewish educators.

Norton Schwartz - retired general who served as the 19th Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force
Michael Oren - member of Knesset, and former Israeli ambassador to the United States
Howie Mandel - comedian, actor, and host of the former NBC game show Deal or No Deal
Bruce Vilanch - comedy writer, songwriter, actor, and six-time Emmy Award-winner
Drake - Grammy Award-winning Rapper
Monica Lewinsky - former White House staffer
Debra Winger - award-winning actress and producer
Bryan Greenberg - television and movie actor, and musician
Robert Freedman - four-time Tony Award-winning screenwriter and dramatist
Alexander Gould - movie actor and voice artist
Paul Friedman - Israeli Author
Danny Siegel - best-selling author, lecturer, poet, Jewish educator, social activist, and founder of the Ziv Tzedakah Fund
Joe Purdy - folk singer and songwriter
Jonathan Rifkind - Sports Broadcaster (University of Oregon and Semi-Pro Baseball)
Andy Fickman - film, television, and theatre director
Michael Levin - fallen lone soldier and Israeli national hero
Kelly Gould - television and movie actress
Yossi Katz - author and former Israeli National Boxing Champion
Jessica Abo - award-winning television journalist and news anchor, actress, and philanthropist
David Stern - writer and producer for over a dozen movies, television series, and Broadway productions, including Geppetto, Open Season 2 and 3, and Free Birds
Aaron Jacobs - screenwriter and production assistant for Girl Meets World
Jeff Dachis - co-founder of Razorfish
Rachel Shukert - author
Kyra Schuster- Curator, Author, and Historian
Eric Osovsky - Disney Chanel actor

src: seaboardusy.org

References

src: www.newfrousy.org

Source of article : Wikipedia

United Synagogue Youth

Sunday, January 14, 2018