Shalom L’kulam,

Kehilla, community, is and has always been a pillar of our great Movement and as 2018 kicks into gear and we excitedly continue the second half of our term, the National Mazkirut would like to elaborate on just that.

This has already been an incredible year for our beloved Movement. From a new approach to Alternative Winter Break focusing on issues of Race in America to an  exponential increase in programming and participation across our different communities, all of this is due to the hard work of our peers becoming leaders and taking initiative. While we are proud of the year Young Judaea has had so far we want to take the time to share our vision for this community.

This summer, our entire National Mazkirut had the privilege of attending Machon, Young Judaea’s summer Israel program. One night we met in the lobby of a youth hostel in the North of Tel Aviv and made a decision; with the all the commotion, controversy, and polarization occurring globally in both the Jewish and Secular worlds, Israel and America, it is our highest and most important responsibility to make it clear that Young Judaea is a community and a space where all are welcome. No matter one’s gender, race, sexual orientation, ideology, or religious observance, no one should ever feel that they will not be accepted in our community. In this meeting, we agreed that what makes Young Judaea and Israel similarly great is the interactions they offer through their open and diverse setting. We plan on continuing that space for generations of chanichim to come.  In a time where dialogue and humanization are desperately needed, we trust our Movement and the work we will put in will help continue the Young Judaea tradition of creating global leaders and life changers.

As we traveled our beloved homeland together and learned of its complex culture and history, it was obvious to us that so much of its strength is due to the shared value of community. But how do we bring this back to Young Judaea?

By encouraging diversity, ensuring a safe space for all, and pushing our members to understand each other, we produce a community of compassionate and intellectual individuals. Pluralism unifies our community by what makes us all individually different. What may seem to divide some, only makes our Movement stronger. The diversity of our community makes all involved better listeners, better problem solvers, and inspires a more understanding and compassionate people. In Psalm 82:1 we learn that “G-d stands in the Divine Assembly,” – a Kehilla Kedoshah. In our own assembly this year, National Midwinter convention, we and our peers will be discussing the idea of Liberation. We believe it is time that as a movement we take a hard look in the mirror and think about not only how we can be more inclusive in our own community but how we also have the responsibility to ensure the liberation not only of our own people but of all people everywhere.

As the National Mazkirut, whether it be in our summer camps, local or national programming, or even in our own group chats with friends, we know that for Young Judaea the responsibility to uphold that “Divine Assembly” began 108 years ago and continues today.

If you would like to contact the National Mazkirut please email us with any questions or comments at mazkirut@youngjudaea.org

Kol Tuv,

National Mazkirut 2017-2018

Maccabee Raileanu
Mazkir
Los Angeles, California

Ezra Meyer
Merakez Irgun
Bethesda, Maryland

Matan Berman
Merakez Chinuch Bogrim
Atlanta, Georgia

Noa Pitkowsky
Merakezet Chinuch Ofarim Tsofim
Bronx, New York

Rebecca Slavsky
Merakezet Tikun Olam
Plainview, New York

Adina Ornstein-Luks
Merakezet Pirsumim
Chapel Hill, North Carolina

 

After visiting the holy sites of all three Abrahamic religions around Jerusalem this semester, we were presented with a final question: “Is religion the source of all conflict in the world?” If you watch the news lately, you might be led to think that it is to blame. However, I think religion is just an easy target for the underlying source of conflict which is humans’ difference of opinion over how to live their lives. Religion provides people with a purpose, and I think without organized religion, there would still be conflict due to people’s disagreements over the “best way” to live. I’ve come to realize that by believing in God, be it Allah, Hashem, or The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we recognize a truth and communal set of values that we believe will help us live moral lives and achieve our goals. The texts that we read to teach us these values (ie. Tanach, Mishnah, Christian Bible, Qur’an, etc) are interpreted by people everywhere and we affect this truth. Life experiences impact how these texts are read and interpreted and therefore conflict emerges from those differences in perspective. These distinct outlooks would have manifested themselves in other ways even if we weren’t applying them to religious texts. Universal agreement would never exist since we all live such unique lives.

In our Jerusalem class we visited a Muslim community and spoke with a woman named Yasmine who moved from England to Jerusalem, converted to Islam, and married a Muslim man. She spoke to us and explained her reasoning for converting to Islam. All of her reasons were peaceful and beautiful, and she saw something in the religion that most people don’t see in this day and age. People practice religion and live their lives by putting different spins on our shared texts. I believe that it is those human flaws and reflections of their own feelings and attitudes that either lead to conflict or to coexistence. These sacred texts can be compared to drugs in that their use or misuse depends on the hands of those who pursue them. One with corrupted ideals, such as religious extremists, will use them to their own advantage and will use beauty to justify evil. However, religion can provide an impressive framework for life that allows us to achieve the most we can and do good.

Furthermore, this class has helped me to understand all of the complex ties that people of many faiths have to this city and the sensitivity which that carries. This one small place has consistently played a huge role throughout history and can affect people in so many ways. I was interested to learn about Jerusalem Syndrome that people can get when they come to Jerusalem where they become delusional by the magnitude of the city. Overall, I really appreciated how we read passages from the holy books of all 3 faiths and learned the stories and central tenants of each religion. From text studies and visits to holy sites, I enjoyed experiencing Jerusalem where this mixture of experience and interpretation are on display.

This past Thursday, as our teens stood next to Wilhelmenia Hickson’s tiny house in Lake City, South Carolina, it was clear they were ready for action. Although not as cold as what our friends were facing in the Northeast, it was still quite chilly. While I grumbled a bit in my own head about the temperature, the teens were completely unfazed as they waited to hear what the day would bring.  They looked adorable in their work glasses as they listening intently to Tuck, the team leader from Home Works of America, who would be responsible for guiding them in their task for the day:  to help repair Mrs. Hickson’s roof and bathroom.

After talking about general safety, breaks, lunch and other banal details, Tuck took out a piece of paper and asked one of the teens to lead the group in a prayer reading.  One of the teens, most likely for the first time in his life, read from the Gospel of Mark. I stood there, watching the faces of these Jewish teenagers, looking for signs of shock or surprise.  I found none.  The boy read his piece and handed back the sheet of paper, and with his friends, awaited the next instruction. Tuck then asked if there was a prayer that the teens said in “their church.” Without hesitation, several of them called out, “let’s say the shehechyanu”. The rest nodded and the group began to sing the Debbie Friedman melody for the prayer. I watched the teens and I watched Tuck, who was visibly moved by the lovely singing.  The moment passed and a few minutes later the teens were ripping shingles off the roof, fixing toilets, using power tools and hauling trash.

Several times over the week of Alternative Winter Break, I watched as our teens faced what most individuals might find uncomfortable or difficult. The teens dealt with the realities of being Jewish in a very Christian community, and while there is no question they were impacted by it, they took it in stride, like everything else that week.  We gave them laborious work to do and they did it without hesitation; when asked to wait while supplies were gathered, they waited; when asked to spend time with the elderly, helping them dust and tidy their small quarters, they did so without question. They listened to difficult stories about poverty, slavery, mass incarceration, Walter Scott and the Mother Emmanuel nine.  They debriefed and decompressed together and many of them made promises to continue to learn, fight for racial justice and be an ally to those that need them.

What I learned “on my vacation” this year was that teenagers are strong, resilient, thoughtful and kind and, in this time when many are worried about the future, I say, bring it on… they can take it!

Today, we volunteered at what was essentially a giant Christmas party for those of Charleston that were in need in one way or another.  I chose to help out with “maintenance” –  essentially to pick up garbage. This gave me a opportunity to look around and see everything, as opposed to being in one place. I was not particularly surprised by what I saw; what I WAS surprised by is how shocked my peers were at what they saw when we discussed our experiences afterwards. I always forget that people who live in other places are not used to this kind of things – not the volunteering and helping, but the poverty faced by people like the ones we were there to help. Where I live, a very large percentage of the population is impoverished, just like these people.  Nothing is done for them. So while I hate to say that I am “used to seeing this” and while I don’t want to detract from what anyone did today, I must point out that the work that we did does not turn us into amazing, helpful people. Many people here and around the world live in poverty and they receive no help. If we want to take something away from today, it is that helping a few people once is not nearly enough. However, it is a good way to start and to get an understanding of what is happening outside of ones own small universe.

~ Alyssa Rider; 12th grade – Newburgh, New York

As an active member in Young Judaea, I’m incredibly passionate about our programming. We write, lead, and participate in great peulot and educational activities. Today we participated in an educational activity lead by the Transformative Teaching Collective. This cooperative promotes social justice based education in South Carolina. Naturally, I was skeptical at the idea that another group from outside of YJ would come and lead programming for us. But to my surprise, something about these new activities felt innovative and special. The structure of the programming was similar to how we write our peulot. I had even personally discussed many of these topics before. So, what was different? Why was I so captivated by these lessons?

It wasn’t until the latter part of the activity that I began to understand the root of my appreciation. We were able to confront hard conversations with people who were different than us, people outside of our movement. I often find myself discussing complex topics with my close communities. In these communities, these places where I feel a deep sense of belonging, I feel comfortable speaking because I know my opinions are welcomed. But, here when we branched out we didn’t have to draw lines between our differences, we built bridges. This created a safe space where many individuals felt comfortable sharing their opinions.

I love witnessing educational programming, especially programming this engaging. I hope to be able to emulate what I saw today in our activities for other peulot. If we increase the diversity of the opinions we hear in Young Judaea, we can continue to push the limits of our knowledge. I’m excited for what will come of this challenging, stimulating, ongoing discussion.

~ Adina Ornstein-Luks; 12th grade – Chapel Hill, North Carolina

This is my third time on AWB, and this trip has stood out to me in particular. Why? It’s because we dove into the heart of one of society’s pressing issues, one that questions an ideology that Americans have struggled with for over 200 years. . . racism.

The educational programs have gotten me to think a lot more about different American social policies. I’ve obtained a greater understanding of what makes a person who they are can be either beneficial or detrimental in society. This has me thinking about a program that was done at Camp Sprout Lake where we made it a mission to combat all forms of hatred. At the end of the program, all campers and staff went up to a poster with the word “hatred” written in English and Hebrew and put down post-its of ways they were going to fight hatred in the world. Fighting hatred is always a good thing, but at the same time I reached a conflict: how do we fight hatred in America when hateful speech is protected by our freedom of speech. Fighting hate in America is incredibly difficult because our constitutional rights protect all Americans in public and in the privacy of our homes, including Americans with hateful ideologies. Finding ways to end hatred in America can prove difficult because it can affect freedom of speech and expression for all Americans, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth the struggle.

A few months ago I was awarded the Milly Kubrick Youth Service Award. It is an award given to high school seniors every year by Westchester County recognizing them for their devotion community service. I owe a great deal of my achievement to Alternative Winter Break. This may be my last time participating in the program, but I hope to come back soon and continue devoting my winter breaks to making the world a better place.

~ Ben Gotian; 12th grade, New Rochelle, New York

Today AWB volunteered at a Christmas Party for underprivileged families, with the hope of providing gifts, haircuts, and some holiday cheer to them. Most of the students were working with children in the carnival area of the ‘Birthday Party for Jesus’. I chose to work with kids at the Face Painting station.

Overall, the experience was one of joyousness and fulfillment. It always strokes a portion of a person’s ego to help another, but when it has meaning, the time spent can be transformative to all involved. While reflecting on the day, a specific interaction that I had with a little girl named Rashida stuck with me.

Rashida, accompanied by her mother, had been waiting in line for the bouncy castle for 15 minutes. Rashida began to cry when the line didn’t seem to be moving. Her mother silenced 7 year old Rashida and disciplined her tears. This act, unsurprisingly, upset the child more. Rashida ran away from this painful interaction, for a moment, before stopping to collect herself and calmly ask her mom for permission to get her face painted. Permission was granted. And she came over to me.

Rashida walked over with fierce excitement and a tinge of understandable sadness. When she sat down, her mother left. I was relieved that the negative energy walked away with Rashida’s mom.

I began to tell Rashida, while painting a sparkly butterfly on her hand, that I cry often. She asked if I get in trouble for it. I replied by saying sometimes crying can help the situation and sometimes it can poorly affect it. The difference lies with the action we take after we collect ourselves.

I told Rashida that I was impressed at how calmly she asked to get her face painted. Her face lit up. “Sometimes I cry and I can’t stop crying but I didn’t want to cry today because it’s Christmas,” she commented quietly. We sat in silence for a moment as I finished the less-than-awesome animal on her hand.

“What’s your name?” She asked. “It’s Nava. I replied.” She leaned in to give me a hug.

This interaction is one of great meaning to me. Ironically, going into service for me can sometimes feel selfish. Am I doing more this more to feel okay about myself? Or am I doing it with the simple and blunt intention to give to others?

After I saw the unsettling situation between Rashida and her mom, I had the intention of connecting with her. I related to her discomfort and anxiety. And when she sat down on the seat in front of me, it felt like fate had willed us to talk.

I think service become transformative and beautiful when givers come in with a purpose. Rather than have the desire simply to ‘give’; entering a space of giving with a specific and focused desire. Sharing a part of me with Rashida felt like that specific desire, and through that vulnerability, I became deeply fulfilled by this small interaction I had today.

~ Nava Schorsch; 11th grade, Bronx, NY

 

I had many different experiences and emotions throughout the day after being chosen  to be a translator for Spanish speakers at the gift-giving station at the Without Walls Christmas Party.  At varying points in the day, I felt: happy, fulfilling and grateful, while at other times I felt frustrated and shocked. I heard a number of racist comments towards the guests that left me very unsettled. 

While at the station, some of the volunteers pointed out certain individuals because of the way they dressed or portrayed themselves. The volunteers reminded us to keep an eye on them and make sure they weren’t stealing. I was uncomfortable listening to the volunteers make assumptions and comments because of the way the guests looked. I noticed that most of the guests were people of color. This highlighted the systemic and institutional racial problems that our society faces at this moment in time. A comment that made me particularly upset was “Watch out for that man. He’s a Crackhead.” This opened my eyes to the inequalities that people of color may face daily.

Although there were negative and uncomfortable situations throughout the day, it was mostly filled with positive, uplifting, and grateful vibes. The racially insensitive comment that the volunteer made really stuck with me. I feel motivated to take action and have productive discussions throughout the rest of the week about racism and social injustices. I was grateful to be able to give these kids the opportunity to receive a present that they may have not gotten if it wasn’t for this incredible event.

~ Tamar Yaari; 11th grade, East Northport, New York