TEENS GATHER AROUND TORAH

This winter break, I joined 380 public school teens from around the world to learn Torah for five days at NCSY’s Yarchei Kallah (YK) Some teens began YK without knowing how to navigate a siddur and left with a deeper connection to tefillah. Others had never lit Shabbat candles, and at YK we experienced the beauty of Shabbat. Boys who never put on tefillin became excited about this mitzvah

Most of us, who didn’t own a single Jewish book, left with a nice start for our libraries!

This Yarchei Kallah marked the sixth month that I have kept Shabbat I had started keeping Shabbat during the summer, on NCSY’s Anne Samson TJJ Summer program Having so many people by my side to celebrate Shabbat made me feel like I had accomplished something great. A mentor once told me, “It’s not what you do, it’s how you come about doing it ” Teens who come from a nonobservant background and decide to take on mitzvot inspire me every day People ask how I did it all on my own My answer is that there is no such thing as doing it on your own when you have NCSY. Every staff member and advisor has been there for me, day or night, to learn with me on the phone or in person They keep me going every day

By the end of YK, we had become like family. We hugged, said our goodbyes, and planned on keeping in touch, hoping to continue our Jewish learning in the future with the friends who were there at the start of our journey

At YK, Rabbi Lashak, an NCSY senior educator, said, “When Mashiach comes, he isn’t going to go first to Eliyahu, or Moshe Rabbeinu He is going to go to all of the teens here on YK who chose to learn Torah during their winter break.”

Teens gather to light candles Friday night at Yarchei Kallah. For some, this is their first time lighting candles to sanctify Shabbat

Michlelet

Next Step: Israel Internships

Rescue Israel

ReSurf Israel

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Jerusalem Journey (TJJ)

TheAnneSamson

Jerusalem Journey Ambassadors

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Jerusalem Journey Ambassadors Poland

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NCSYReliefMissions

Torah Learning Convention for Public School Teens Connecting NCSY Alumni

HundredsofpublicschoolteensfromacrossNorthAmerica gather for five days of intense Judaic study at the National Yarchei Kallah retreat These students dedicate time from their winter break to study Torah and Jewish values.

Social Action Missions

Whether responding to natural disasters, delivering food to the poor, or running local toy drives, NCSY’s social action missions enable students to give back to their local and global communities

NCSYAlumniConnectionssupportsstudents’transition from high school to the next stage of their Jewish journey. Whether taking a gap year in Israel or going straight to college, NCSY alumni programming helps students remain connected to their Judaism

JSU Ingrains Jewish Identity

NCSYruns275JewishStudentUnion(JSU)clubsat public high schools across the United States and Canada, strengthening students’ Jewish identity and connection to the Jewish people

Inspirational Shabbatonim

TeensfromacrosstheJewishspectrumcome together for NCSY Shabbaton weekends For many teens, these retreats are their first Shabbat experience. Others come from Orthodox homes and are eager to share their knowledge with their peers Participants leave Shabbatonim with Jewish pride, empowerment, new social connections, and a sense of Jewish unity.

Public School Summer Trips

The Anne Samson Jerusalem Journey (TJJ) enables public school students to explore Israel while learning about their Jewish heritage While in Israel, unaffiliated Jewish teens discover an array of communities and traditions, broadening and enriching their Jewish id ent it y

96%

Percentage of teens who returned for a second Shabbaton

Benefiting Communities through JUMP

NCSY’sJUMP(JewishUnityMentoringProgram)isa four-month leadership experience in which teens compete to develop social entrepreneurship projects to benefit their communities The teams then present their program to a panel of judges and receive mentoring feedback.

Biking for Scholarships

- Netanya Stein, 2011 TJJ participant and 2018 TJJ advisor

BikeNCSYisayearlybiketourthataimstoraise scholarship money for NCSY students. This year Bike NCSY gathered 130 riders from across the country to help NCSY teens spend a gap year in Israel