THE NEWSLETTER OF THE NORTH AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEMPLE YOUTH NFTY CONVENTION EDITION. FEBRUARY 2011. ,

NFTY is not only our programs or events or meetings. NFTY is a community of individuals – teens, staff, FROM THE EDITOR, ALY PAVELA friends, volunteers, and teachers, each with a NFTY Membership and Communications story and a life and a spirit. Vice-President NFTY is a place where teens hang out with teens; Convention is a lot to handle. Hundreds of And NFTY is a place where do Jewish. foreign teens, a new city, crazy programming and various different NFTY strives to understand multiple points of view demoninations of Reform . And, of even if we disagree. course, all the different accents. NFTY strives to take stands in concert with But instead of being overwhelmed, I hope Reform Jewish values and to take action based you were open. I hope you opened your on those stands. mind to different points of view, to different NFTY strives to live within the flow of Reform kinds of people and ways of being a Reform Jewish values and text. Jew. I hope you turned the the person next NFTY strives to develop leaders and mentors to you at dinner and extended your hand. If beginning when teens walk in our doors. you didn’t, there’s still time. You have a whole bus ride to the airport. You still have NFTY Evolves. the rest of your NFTY career. So I challenge So? How are you going to help NFTY evolve? you to open yourselves up. Read this Ani V’atah in the way that you And NFTY gives thanks. hopefully handled convention. Be open. Who are you going to thank? Regional NFTY Expand your horizons. And enjoy! Staff? Your camp leaders? Teachers? TYG Advisor? ? Cantor? Educator? Parent? NFTY Friend? God? By Mike Mellen, Director of NFTY NFTY is the Reform Jewish Youth Movement. I give thanks too. Truly. Thanks NFTY. NFTY is not a stopping point or a social club or a It’s been fantastic. clique. NFTY is part of our journeys; it’s social, And fun. educational, spiritual, prayerful and fun.

NFTY is not all about “me”. At the same time NFTY strives to be a place where our members say, “I can truly be myself.”

NFTY is not just our regions and North American programs. Rather, NFTY is a network of Temple Youth Groups supported by and part of a regional and North American structure.

Bye NFTY! We miss you already! Join the Campaign for Teen Engagement implementation of the NFTY Strategic Plan, By Rabbi Laura Novak Winer, RJE increasing funding for NFTY staffing and training URJ Director, Teen Engagement and helping congregations promote teen engagement.

I am sure that all of you have friends that you wish The Campaign for Teen Engagement is about would get involved in NFTY. Maybe you have had changing the conversation we have about being a conversation with them that went something like an involved teen. No longer do we want to view this: bar/bat as an end point to one’s active “Why don’t you come to the next NFTY event?” participation in Jewish life. Rather we should view “NFTY? Oh, I don’t do NFTY.” it as a launching pad to new conversations, to “How come?” new ways of thinking about and acting as a Jew. “Because I’m sick of that Jewish stuff. Religious The time after b’nai mitzvah is about making School was so boring, and this would be too. conscious decisions about how one wants to Besides, I didn’t make any friends in Religious shape his/her Jewish life and frame his/her School, so why would I want to hang out with ongoing Jewish learning and development. We those people again?” need to work together as a Movement to make this the tenor of our conversation. Sound familiar? Think for a moment about why some of your Jewish friends aren’t involved in The Campaign for Teen Engagement is about NFTY, or even in Jewish life, for that matter. listening. We are encouraging congregations to They thought Religious School was boring and talk, to listen, to learn from the teens in their irrelevant. They didn’t make friends at the communities about what ongoing engagement synagogue. Other activities like sports or music would mean to them. Why is Judaism important have taken a higher priority in their extra- to you? How do you want to learn and grow as a curricular lives. These are all valid reasons for Jewish teen? What kinds of friendships would loosing interest or not being actively involved in you like to form? How can we help you make that Jewish life. But that doesn’t mean we have to happen in your own life? Think about these settle for this status quo. Right now, only 20% of questions for yourself. Ask these questions of our post b’nai mitzvah teens in the Movement stay your friends. Then share your answers with your involved through their 12th grade year. That is clergy, educator, youth director or parents! They you! Yet, you know what the benefits of your want to hear. They need to hear. Only through ongoing involvement in Jewish life have been in dialogue on this level will we move forward in our your life. We need to think seriously about how efforts to meet you and your friends where you we can keep everyone else involved as well! are.

Teen engagement is one of the Union for Reform The Campaign for Teen Engagement is about Judaism’s highest priorities. This fall, the Union taking action and trying new things. We want and partners around the Reform Movement congregations to think about how to create new launched the Campaign for Teen Engagement. opportunities and avenues of engagement. We Working in partnership with the Commission on want congregations to consider how their youth Lifelong Learning, Just Congregations, NFTY, the program can look and do differently. TYGs should URJ Camping and Programs system, the try this too! CCAR, WRJ, HUC-JIR and other Movement affiliates, the goal is to improve the ability of NFTY is a central partner in this Campaign. The Reform institutions to involve young people in Union is committed to increasing the resources meaningful Jewish life and strengthen post-b’nai and training for our NFTY regional staff, in order mitzvah retention and engagement in to support congregations more directly with synagogues, day schools, camps, and youth building and strengthening their TYGs and youth programs throughout . With regard programs. Our hope is that in strengthening the to NFTY, these efforts include furthering the NFTY infrastructure we will: UPDATES FROM YOUR NORTH AMERICAN BOARD - see more teens reaping the benefits of the friendship and the learning you get PRESIDENT BOARD REPORT out of NFTY DANIEL LANDESBERG - see more teens exploring their own Jewish connection and involvement This year has been one of connections. From - see more teens making an impact on the those within the world through their leadership and action NFTY Regional - and, with more teens involved in our Presidents’ Network youth movement, NFTY will have a to larger, stronger voice on the issues you interdenominational care about as Reform Jewish teens meetings of Jewish youth leaders. Right To learn more about the Campaign for Teen off the bat this year I Engagement go to www.urj.org/teen. If you want set up a pairing to get your congregation involved, talk with your initiative which clergy, educator or temple president about how assigned each NFTY they’d like to partner with you in getting more Regional President teens involved in Jewish life. How could they one other person with refuse?! If you have specific questions or ideas whom they talk to at you would like to share, I want to hear them! least before and after Please be in touch with me at [email protected]. every event. This networking fosters growth of ideas, leadership abilities, and friendships among the Presidents. In fact I would encourage every NFTYite to reach out to someone else- whether in their TYG, their region, or across the country- that has a similar job or aspirations as their own and talk to them regularly. I found that some of my most valuable lessons as a NFTYite came from the experiences of others. I also connected with the North American and International Presidents of other major Jewish youth movements such as BBYO, USY, NCSY, and Young Judea. We dubbed ourselves the Coalition of Jewish Teen Leaders (or CJTL) and held conference calls, exchanged emails, and even wrote a letter on behalf of our organizations taking a stance against bullying. Regardless of our differences (which there are less of than you might think) there are certain issues that we stand as a united front on. Through the rest of the year, Ani v’atah neshaneh et ha’olam. Together, and and hopefully for years to come, the Coalition of only together, will we change the world. Please Jewish Teen Leaders will continue to be in touch join me. and learn from one another while working together to better our society. NFTY went even further on our stance against bullying and created an entire NFTY E- source titled “Living NFTY” which deals with all kinds of bullying, teasing, and harassment. The E- source provides helpful websites, articles and resources, videos, books, and more that help us to abolish bullying from our communities. UPDATES FROM YOUR NORTH AMERICAN BOARD

From the East coast to the West coast and While what’s in my room begins to sum up in between I have been doing some traveling for my life before entering college as well as who I NFTY this year too. I attended the URJ Winter have grown to be these past few months, it is board meeting in Henderson, NV where I spent what’s hanging outside of my room that speaks some quality time with the leaders of our volumes about my experiences as a college movement. It is always a pleasure to see how freshman. A giant piece of yellow butcher paper much the board truly cares about the youth and encompasses about three quarters of the wall recognize that we are not only the leaders of directly across from my room. At the very top, in tomorrow, but the leaders of today as well. I also bold black sharpie is written WALL OF EPIC enjoyed Dallas style BBQ and did some NFTY MOMENTS. And it’s exactly what it states: a Convention planning during my trips to Dallas for space that was quickly filled by the girls on my on-site Convention meetings. My most recent floor, and some of my new closest friends, with NFTY trip was to Oconomowoc, WI where I some of the most influential moments of our time visited CANOe’s Winter Kallah. I saw great here at Pitt thus far. And regardless of how programming, fascinating services, fun song minuscule or monumental some of these sessions, and finally heartfelt goodbyes from all moments were, this flimsy piece of paper is a 200+ CAR and NO participants there. I also got to powerful representation for the many of large and play in the snow which, for a Florida boy like small changes that were thrust upon me this year, myself, is about as exciting as a trip can get! and further, the impact that those around me have The first half of my term has been filled on my experiences and myself as well. with connections, new experiences and a ton of Written in my handwriting are multiple notes: fun. I can’t wait to see what the second half of my Being diagnosed with, and recovering from mono; term will bring my way as I continue to learn from, Pledging and being initiated into Alpha Epsilon and share experiences with, NFTYites Phi; Surviving my first round of college finals; everywhere. Surviving my first semester of college; P-I-T-T, P- I-T-T LET’S GO PITT!; Sitting in the Oakland Zoo (the famous student section at Pitt basketball PVP BOARD REPORT games); Leading services at Hillel; Participating it JULIA CARPEY Pitt Make A Difference Day (the largest social action event for Pitt Students). As you can see I’m sitting in from what I’ve written on The Wall of Epic my nugget- Moments I’ve had quite the exciting first semester, sized dorm and my second semester promises to not let me room at the down either. University of With that said, I’ve also had some pretty Pittsburgh epic moments with NFTY as well this year. After while a my exciting summer at Kutz, NFTY’s leadership blizzard is camp, I began brainstorming ideas for the Nilmad swirling V’Na’aseh Award, which was formerly known as outside my window, laughter, warmth and leftover the Award. I’ve been enthusiastically holiday glitter from a full hallway is wafting its way working on a transition and mentoring project for through my open door, and my stack of textbooks NFTY leaders regardless of whether these seems to be growing exponentially every time I leaders are in the limelight or more tucked behind look back over at my book shelf. My bulletin the scenes. And that brings me here, to NFTY board, walls, the rest of my bookshelf and my convention with you. desk are overflowing with pictures in frames and So here’s to you, contributing to my loosely taped up of family and friends; hot personal Wall of Epic Moments, starting your own cinnamon spiced tea is steaming from my favorite Walls of Epic Moments, and having a large hand in NFTY mug; my door is decorated with notes from NFTY’s Wall of Epic Moments. friends and icicle lights twinkle around my doorframe. UPDATES FROM YOUR NORTH AMERICAN BOARD

And finally, I want to invite you to participate in SAVP BOARD REPORT NFTY’s Tu Bishvat online project! This year, the MOLLY GOLDBERG NFTY Action Theme is Anavah: Humility NFTY Confronts Overconsumption. With this Action Hello there NFTY! Theme, we NFTYites can consider our day to day Welcome to Dallas! actions and how they affect the environment. Thanks to you, NFTY’s Because our Action Theme deals with the social action scene is environment and because we are celebrating Tu looking snazzy this year. Bishvat, I’d love to know what you are doing in From the new Tzedek your Temples, regions, and homes to support Tirdof Action Theme sustainability and go green! So, when you get Award to our commitment home, hit up .org and post your pictures, and to take a stand against videos! bullying with BBYO, NCSY, and USY, we have been busy and I cannot wait to continue to repair RCVP Board Report the world with you! Rio Cheyenne Blue

In my update I want to highlight three social Hello action happenings for you: 1. The Religious everyone! My Action Center’s 50th Anniversary, 2. NFTY’s name is Rio commitment to stand up to LGBT bullying, and 3. Blue and I am NFTY’s Tu Bishvat project! your current NFTY This year is the Religious Action Center’s (RAC) Religious and 50th Anniversary. As the social action hub of Cultural Vice in the US, the RAC and NFTY President. have been long time partners. Every year, the Right now I RAC hosts a trip for the Regional Social Action am Vice Presidents to learn more about the NFTY participating Action Theme in Washington, DC in June. From in the Shnat water in Israel to sustainability at regional events, Netzer Gap the SAVPs and I learned a ton and are forever Year Program grateful for our time at the RAC last June. To in Israel and it celebrate the RAC’s 50th, I encourage you to is amazing make use of the phenomenal policy and beyond belief. For the first month of the program I programmatic resources available on the RAC’s lived with all 33 Shnatties on Kibbutz Yahel (a website http://rac.org/. Reform Kibbutz) down in the Negev where we folded date bags, took Hebrew classes, and did a After a fantastic week at the RAC in June, I was lot programming. Right now I am currently living fortunate to visit NFTY NAR on Halloween at their and volunteering in Karmiel with 14 other people Fall Kallah at Eisner Camp. Beyond the Regional from NFTY, RSY, LJY, and Netzer Spain. I spend Boards’ terrific superhero costumes at the my days working on an organic farm, teaching Saturday night social, I was impressed that English, studying Hebrew, and taking Tiulim (trips) NARites signed a petition to take a stand against around Israel. After the 3 months in Karmiel I will LGBT bullying. Likewise, NFTY on a North be moving to Jerusalem where I will participate in American scale signed Keshet’s “Jewish a leadership program called Machon with Community Pledge to Save Lives” to oppose students from all over the world and from many homophobia and promote understanding with different sects of Judaism. But before I get to other high school Jewish youth movements. ahead of myself, I’ll tell you a little about my work with Progressive Judaism. UPDATES FROM YOUR NORTH AMERICAN BOARD

Lots of things are happening in my world! In of studying! I also recently returned from visiting October I went back to Kibbutz Tzuba for an EIE NFTY-STR’s Winter Regionals. It was awesome to Alumni event where past EIE students talked about visit another NFTY region other than my home all of the options that arose after EIE and how to region of NFTY-CWR. So much of NFTY is the stay connected with Israel in the Galut. In the same everywhere (you can’t shake that magical month of January I will be attending the Netzer NFTY feeling between state borders) but it was Veida in Jerusalem where 2-3 movement awesome to see NFTY-STR’s unique traditions like representatives and workers from each sniff having the regional board introduce themselves by (branches of the movements in Netzer) will come raping to the region, and their “STR Search” talent from all over the world to work together to improve show. I also loved all the new NFTY-STR friends I Netzer and their own personal Judaism. I will be made! I spent this past summer teaching TYG presenting an initiative in which each NFTY region Leadership at the Kutz Camp in Warwick, New would be paired with a Netzer Snif. Hopefully it will York. Recently, I have been working on a few pass at Netzer Veida and afterwards be sent to NFTY projects. I’m been actively trying to remain in NFTY Convention and be implemented either at touch with the entire MCVP network and keep the the end of 2011 or next year. I will also be traveling communication flowing between us all! I’ve also all the way back to America for NFTY Convention been working on my marketing guides; which are in February! I can’t wait to see all the NFTYites informational sheets on how to market NFTY on a and my other North American Board members. North American, Regional and TYG level. There will be endless fun, programming, Additionally, I’m looking forward to launching my friendships, and more!! “What’s Your NFTY Story” project, which will aim All in all I am having an amazing time on Shnat to accurately paint a portrait of what NFTY truly is and being on North American board and I can’t by asking NFTY-ites like YOU to submit poems, wait to share all of my experiences with you all. I pictures, videos, essays or anything that describes hope that everyone who is reading this is having a what NFTY is to you. (If you’d like to submit truly wonderful time in school and in NFTY. Please anything, contact me!) Furthermore, I aim to edit feel free to contact me throughout this year with the current NFTY mixer-bank to create a new and questions, or anything. I want to speak with every improved one. Also, I can’t wait to visit NFTY-SO NFTYite out there. Have a magical day and I’ll see in March!! I love you all, and thanks for such an you all at CONVENTION 2011!! amazing convention!!!!

MCVP Board Report Aly Pavela

Hi NFTYites! I’m Aly Pavela, your NFTY Membership and Communications Vice President. I’m so excited I got to be with you all here in Dallas at NFTY Convention! I’m currently a freshman at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. At Wisconsin I’ve been keeping busy with Greek life, the club lacrosse team, writing for the newspaper and of course, lot’s THOUGHTS FROM NFTY’S GENERAL BOARD

was indescribable. Though I knew hardly anyone This is it. in that crowded room, I felt more at home than A story from Convention 2009 by Rebecca ever before. I looked around that room and LaMarche, NFTY-NW President thought, "Yeah, this is it." I stepped off the plane and was immediately assaulted with all kinds of Barack Obama paraphernalia: mugs, t-shirts, key chains and New Orleans and Jews and General Assembly! more. I grabbed my backpack and headed toward Oh My! baggage claim, friends in tow. After retrieving my By Taylor Lyles, NFTY-SO MVP luggage, I met up with the group I was supposed So picture this: I’m driving on the interstate one to, boarded the bus and drove the seemingly night, maybe 7:00 p.m. I notice that the other side endless 30 miles to the hotel and convention of the interstate is completely deserted; no cars, center where we were all staying. After a few nothing. Weird. Then I notice policemen on feeble attempts, I finally motorcycles at each figured how and where entrance and exit on to check in and get my that side. “I guess room key then made my they’re trying to catch way to the glass someone?” I think to elevators and up to the myself. In the distance, I fifth floor. I greeted the hear sirens. Policemen two girls I would be on motorcycles pass by living with for the next me, and then the silence five days and then comes back. Then promptly collapsed on another round of sirens the plush, king-sized and policemen. And bed. I was roused just in silence. Then a TON of time to pull my slightly blue police lights blind wrinkled dress from my me as they pass by me, suitcase, don it and find and then the lights are my way downstairs. As I Members of NFTY’s general board during closing circle at Mechina. gone in my rearview reached the crowd of mirror. Finally, I realize teenagers from all “it’s an escort!” Well, around the nation, my who was this special escort for, you may ask? heart sank as I saw very few familiar faces and no None other than Vice President Joe Biden, who welcoming arms. I felt alone and out of place, was in town for the ’s General unable to make a connection. But then, out of the Assembly being held in New Orleans from crowd came a friendly face and an outstretched November 5th to November 9th, 2010. hand. I grabbed that hand and spent the next half Over 350 Jewish New Orleanians hour being introduced to more people than I could volunteered and put together one of the largest possibly count. Still making introductions, laughing Jewish gatherings held in the country all year at each other's accents and smiling until our faces (even bigger than NFTY Convention!). Over 3,000 hurt, the huge mob of people was herded into the Jewish community leaders and 1,100 Lion of ballroom (yeah, the ballroom) for dinner. After Judah (a women’s philanthropy division of the some of the smallest portions and best dinner Jewish Federation) women flocked to New Orleans conversations I've ever had, the 750 teenagers for GA (General Assembly). Many different that filled the room began to chant the Birkat organizations were represented, such as Hillel, Hamazon, the blessing after the meal. That's when BBYO, and NBC News. There were numerous I took a breath and looked around at all those guest speakers as well. In addition to Vice people with similar values, beliefs and aspirations, President Joe Biden, Binyamin Netanyahu, Tzipi all the people willing to work together for Tikkun Livni, Ehud Barak (Israeli Prime Minister ’99-’01 Olam, repairing the world. The feeling of closeness THOUGHTS FROM NFTY’S GENERAL BOARD and now Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of way into the sanctuary for Big Boy Services. I only Defense), David Simon (producer and creator of had to be told once that I must remain quiet when The Wire and Tremé), and many other important everyone else was quiet and to behave myself. But figures were all in attendance. what could I even get shpilkes ( for nervous My friend from my temple youth group, energy that comes from boredom) from with so Yuval, and I went to hear Laura Kam, the much to look at in the sanctuary? With my feet Executive Director of Global Affairs for the Israel dangling half a foot off the ground, I looked around Project, speak about what the Israel Project does as all the adults prayed and sang ancient Hebrew and the hot topic of "Winning the Press and Policy words that I would soon come to memorize. I War for Israel.” In short, the Israel Project helps looked at the stained glass on the left and the right journalists, who write about Israel and the Middle side of the sanctuary. Both depicted the sun on the East, portray Israel in a factually correct and horizon—rising on the right and setting on the left positive manner. They are trying to eliminate false as the real setting sun shone through the stained reporting and spread the facts to as many people glass, casting playful, colored, dappled light and as they possibly can. It was extremely interesting shadows on the congregants. I looked at the to see their extensive research, and they were very bimah—the stage-type-thing where services are honest about Israel’s struggle with the media. led from—and the architecture and scrollwork “This year’s GA wasn’t in the city, it was of behind it, imagining myself climbing up the the city,” says Southern Jewish Life magazine. The columns and swinging from ledges in order to General Assembly’s choice of New Orleans was reach the ceiling, planning my escape if secret not about venue space and the right amount of agents suddenly burst through the doors. I traced conference rooms, but it was definitely about the the golden letters on the cover of my siddur—my city itself and its comeback. Pre-Hurricane Katrina, prayer book—and tilted it towards and away from New Orleans was populated by over 11,000 Jews the light to see the beautifully scripted letters in the Metropolitan Area. Now, post-Katrina, shimmer a radiant gold. I also looked at the around 8,500 Jews remain. The Jewish community Hebrew writing on the bimah—“Da Lifnei Mi Attah struggled after Katrina with its loss in membership, Omed”—which translated to “Know Before Whom but it has made itself known within the city, even You Stand.” more so now due to the General Assembly. Not Obviously, I stood before God. only did the GA bring business to New Orleans, Obviously, God was the all-powerful spirit that but over 1,500 attendees spread out around the created and governed the Universe. I was taught city for a day for special social action projects, that God could either be a he or a she, but such as rebuilding homes and packing food for a secretly, I knew that the Torah was sexist and that food bank. The Big Easy benefitted tremendously God was always referred to as a he. And because from the Jewish Federation’s General Assembly, God dictated the Torah to man, God therefore and I’m sure our Jewish community is looking referred to himself as a he. So I didn’t really fully forward to hosting the GA in future years. understand the he vs. she argument. And of course all the stories in the Torah were A Spiritual Journey Through Services true. I loved picturing all the animals marching into By Zach Siegel, NFTY-PAR Noah’s Ark two by two because it made me I used to sit in services and love every word of it. wonder if I could get my hermit crabs at home to When I was seven, after what was called “Tot do that. I liked hearing about the different plagues, Shabbat,” my mother used to lean over and and even though a plague of frogs was supposed whisper in my ear, “Do you want to go to Big Boy to be a bad thing, I almost prayed that frogs, my Services?” It felt like such a treat. I was honored favorite animal, would jump all around my house. that I would even be considered for such a And of course the Universe was created in seven privilege as attending Big Boy Services—the days. Why else would there be seven days in a regular, adult services. I always nodded hugely week? Seven is too ugly and random of a number and off I ventured into the serious, deep-voiced, to have been chosen by humans. Humans would and very tall world of adults. My mother and I have chosen five or ten: something simple. would meet up with my father and my sister on our THOUGHTS FROM NFTY’S GENERAL BOARD

And through all this contemplating, I praised and seriously.Organized religion is the cause of most of prayed to God and asked him to bless me and my the wars in our world today.Everyone’s just praying family when it was appropriate to pray to him, and to “God” because they need something to believe exalted his name in Hebrew hymns without truly in and are too weak to accept the fact that “God” knowing what I was saying. But it was what my doesn’t exist and that they’re truly on their own. parents were saying. And my parents were always When we die, we die. We just cease to everything right. And God is a wonderful being. And I am told and that’s it. I don’t believe in or subscribe to that that I must live as a partner with God—whatever reincarnation crap I used to. I can’t.I can see the that was supposed to mean. light and am no longer blinded by the stupidity of But I liked Big Boy Services and I liked feeling like religion. I belonged to a greater group of people— trustworthy adults—who all were saying what I was This is stupid. saying and having the same experience despite “God” is stupid. our enormous age gap. The idea of fate is stupid. And of course God was there, in that moment, This community is stupid. watching me and loving me and showing me how Community based on religion is stupid. great Big Boy Services could be. Because religion is stupid. ------My dad figured that I was just going through a I had been lied to and I was furious. My entire life, typical phase and that when I was older, I would I had been led to believe that God existed and that understand the value of religion, but I knew that he the stories in the Torah were completely true. But was wrong. they weren’t. I knew they weren’t. How couldn’t I went back to “Big Boy” Services that Friday night everyone else see that they weren’t? I was in the and instead of feeling that warm sense of middle of seventh grade and a new epiphany community that I used to and was supposed to seemed to slap me in the face. I had entered the feel, I felt cold and awkward. Everyone was saying stage in my adolescence where I continually asked these words that I didn’t agree with anymore. math teachers, “When am I ever going to use this “Sh’ma Yisrael Adonai Eloheinu Adonai Echad”— in real life?” and challenged my parents on their Hear, O Israel, God is our God, God is one. ideals and beliefs and fought with my grandfather Were they serious? How could fully-grown adults about the existence of global warming after telling be less mature than I? I heard them praying and it my science teacher in school that we really should sounded like a cult. Like it would be more natural turn off the lights during class—there’s plenty of to recite ancient Celtic spells while swaying in a sunlight coming in through the windows. I circle, wearing masks and holding torches. And I considered myself an intelligent middle schooler wasn’t part of it. I didn’t want to be a part of it. And who had recently discovered that he should this cult was frightening. I looked at the words on question everything.I considered myself an top of the bimah again. They made just as much informed, curious young man. Perhaps other sense as last time, but gave me a different people merely considered me a nuisance. But my meaning. world was rattled one day by a sudden realization. Da Lifnei Mi Attah Omed. I was taking a long walk with my father around the Obviously, I stood before no one. neighborhood during Yom Kippur—where we must Obviously, God did not exist. keep ourselves distracted from wanting food for 24 These people were pathetic. I felt out of place and hours—and we were talking about God and wanted to stop organized religion. Listen to John religion and something just clicked. Everything that Lennon, man. Imagine a world with “no religion” I had thought about religion was complete and and “no Heaven” and “no Hell” and damn, that was utter bullshit. I’m sorry for using such rude the world I wanted to live in. language, Dad, but what they’ve taught us for So I stopped caring about my Judaism. I stopped years in is completely false.The caring about “my people” and wanted nothing to do Torah is just a collection of stories and fables that with Hebrew school and that whole ridiculous God a bunch of people took way too thing. THOUGHTS FROM NFTY’S GENERAL BOARD

Because I knew better. I am a Jewish teen who doesn’t feel he knows better, just more than he once did. ------And perhaps can still find joy in Big Boy Services.

I was leading services for all my friends on top of How the Sermon on the Mount Changed My a mountain in Israel. I was leading, singing, Life chanting all the prayers I had sworn off of in By Jeremy Levine NFTY-NAR seventh grade. In the most Jewishy place in the I always considered myself a tolerant person. I world, I was praising God. Not that I believed in never quite understood why people seemed to be God, but others did…or might have…or not. But offended by those that are different than them. If there was something special atop that mountain you didn’t do something wrong, I supposed that that I couldn’t quite place—but we all felt it. you were OK in my book. For that reason, I didn’t I felt the desert breeze on my back, and even really expect to be changed much by Project though I knew that there was nothing mystical Understanding. This project is an annual about the wind, and even though it certainly was experience in which six Jewish students and six not “God” in the air, I felt a connection with Catholic students from Long Island travel to Israel something. I think with the people around me. In together in order to explore their own religions, as that moment, I finally understood the whole well as that of their companions. Sure, I learned “religion” thing. plenty about Judaism. But that’s not as important Of course adults knew that the Torah wasn’t as what I learned about Catholicism. accurate and factual. Of course most adults did not Prior to the journey, I didn’t have a problem with believe in God. But they, like me, believe in a Catholics. I knew that they had some different sense of community. beliefs than me, but that was basically it. I never And religion builds that sense of community. understood these differences: and that’s where the Because when everyone in a small area is saying big changes came in for me. the same words that millions of other people have I realized that I wasn’t so much tolerant as I was said for thousands of years, we feel connected. To apathetic. I accepted, but I didn’t embrace. On our each other. To strangers. To the world. To first night, we met a man from Kibbutz Gezer, who something larger than ourselves. basically explained to us that coexistence isn’t And now I can admit that I don’t totally understand enough. Simply living together and letting other the words above the bimah. I understand the direct people go their separate ways is not really being translation, but I am still unsure of its significance tolerant. We need a society in which all of these to me. groups are linked, so that we learn from all of Da Lifnei Mi Attah Omed. them, so that they all work together for the I believe that I still stand before no one. betterment of the community. But I stand with everyone. Until Project Understanding, the Catholic religion And I am proud to do so, even though I may not did absolutely nothing for me. It didn’t bother me, totally agree with what I am saying. but it wasn’t a part of me. Its ideas and teachings But atop that mountain in the setting Israeli sun as were never a part of my life. Then, on Ash I asked my mini congregation to rise to chant age- Wednesday, I climbed up to the top of the Mount of old prayers and hymns, I felt that connection that I Beatitudes, and I was read the Sermon on the had sought for in my seventeen years of Judaism. Mount, one of Jesus’ most important sermons, and And now I find myself the Secretary of the heard an interpretation of it. Area Region of the North American I had never heard wiser words. There was nothing Federation of Temple Youth, part of the Union for in there about differences in belief, questions of Reform Judaism. And I’ve found a little community faith, or differences in spirituality. It was just with whom I can pretend to know before whom I teachings: how to treat your enemy, how to react stand. to hatred, how to view and change oneself. That THOUGHTS FROM NFTY’S GENERAL BOARD sermon made me a much better person, and a about this human rights violation. I challenge you much better Jew. Reform Judaism, at least for me, to check out more information is all about learning, taking in other people’s at www.raisehopeforcongo.org and www.jewishwor opinions, and using that knowledge to make myself ldwatch.org. a better person, and that’s exactly what this was. I already knew to love my neighbor, but I didn’t fully know what that meant. Now, I feel that I have at least gotten some of it, and I use what I learned on that trip on a daily basis. It helps me be more respectful towards other people, more respectful towards God, and more respectful towards myself. And so, I am thankful for that trip, for it genuinely turned me into a better person. I never would have thought that one of the most pivotal moments of my life, especially as a Jew, would be a reading from the Book of Matthew.

Is Your iPhone a Murderer? By Molly Goldberg, NFTY SAVP Picture your iPhone G4 (or Android) armed with a rifle firing away, creating piles of bloody innocent civilians. Because iPhones are inanimate objects, this isn’t quite the case, but it may as well be. Many of our tech luxuries, including the iPhone, contain 4 minerals: tin, tungsten, tantalum, and gold. Together, they are known as “conflict minerals” and the money made from mining and selling them are fueling to what experts call the world’s worst human rights conflict of the decade in the Congo. More than five million people have died and hundreds of thousands of women have been raped.

As NFTYites, we must take action. Luckily, our Regional Social Action Vice Presidents have done just that. In Washington, DC in June 2010 the regional SAVPs met with the Enough Campaign to learn more about conflict minerals. Then, later on our trip, we met Congressman Ted Deutch (D-FL). After conferencing with us, the congressman shared his concern about this problem, and then followed-up to let us know when Congress passed and President Obama signed a law putting this issue on the agenda of American technology companies. Way to go Regional SAVPs!

That said, this battle is not over and neither is NFTY’s place in it. It is up to you, NFTYites, to educate your regions, TYGs, families, and schools SAY WHAT’S YOUR NAME? SAY NFTY!