"News You Can Use" is taking a Passover break.
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Kimberly Bastin at bastin@uscj.org to have your event posted.
Click here to view the calendar. |
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METNY USCJ has an extra set of Encyclopedia Judaica. If you are interested in attaining this set for your synagogue library please contact Rabbi Charles Savenor at savenor@uscj.org. |
| Contact METNY |
| 820 Second Avenue, 10th Fl.
212-533-0800 (p)
212-533-0400 (f)
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On March 17th, METNY held its annual Synagogue Leadership Conference.
Couldn't be there in person? No problem!
To read workshop summaries and to download handouts from the conference, visit the METNY website at http://metny.uscj.org/leadership-resources/synagogue-leadership-conference/.
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The Meaning of Freedom
Notes of Torah from the
Conservative Yeshiva Beit Midrash
Seder Learning Activity: Going from Observer to
Participant A Rest Stop on the Exodus from Egypt
by Rabbi Daniel Goldfarb, Director
The Torah tells us that Am Yisrael left Egypt in a rush ("b'chipazon", Deut 16:3). One way LelHaSeder recalls the Exodus is that it, too, is often rushed. In the link below, is a short text study which can provide a pause en route, "food for thought," to stimulate deeper engagement with the Haggadah than the typically hurried recitation allows. It can be done in pairs (chevruta style) or by alltogether. 3-5 minutes, then "back to the journey." Click here for a print version of this Seder Learning
Activity.
Pesach - The Reawakening of the Jewish Spirit
by Rabbi Jerome Epstein, Chief Israel Affairs Officer
Pesach signals the reawakening of nature that was
dormant for the winter: the budding of flowers and the greening of trees. But, the yom tov also signals a time for the
reawakening of our spiritual lives. An
important mitzvah of Pesach is to feel the Exodus experience - so that it will
impact on our lives.
Although there are many messages emanating from the
Exodus from Egypt, one in particular strikes me as paramount. Shirat HaYam, the Song chanted by our
ancestors after crossing the sea, which forms the nucleus of the Torah reading
on the seventh day of Pesach, provides rich grist for the rabbinic
imagination. Zeh Eli V'Anvehu, the
children of Israel sang (Ex. 15:2), "This is my God, and I will glorify
Him," but the rabbis interpret the word V'Anvehu homiletically, as a
combination of Ani ("I") and v'hu ("and He"). Abba Shaul
says this means that " 'This is my God and I shall be like Him.' Just as God is compassionate and loving, so
must I be compassionate and loving."
Our goal in living is to become imitators of God. This
must become part of our spiritual awakening, as we emerge from our symbolic
hibernation. We hope that the
inspiration of the Conservative Yeshiva helps you to grow in that quest so that
each day we succeed in becoming more God-like in our daily living.
Hag sameach.
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A Modern Passover Story In Egypt
An unexpected question confronts a pair of Jewish visitors in Cairo.
Click here to read this Special to The Jewish Week written by Rabbi Charles Savenor, METNY Director.
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Last Chance to Apply for Israel Programming Grants!
DEADLINE EXTENDED - APRIL 9
MA'ALOT - Taking Steps towards raising Israel awareness
A joint project of the USCJ Israel Commission and Nefesh B'Nefesh
Apply now for special grants for your Synagogue
The United Synagogue Israel Commission is excited to announce a new program aimed at involving congregations in the process of deepening their connection with Israel. You are invited to submit an online application which will describe your proposal for a Grant of up to $3,000.
In its pilot phase, METNY received three grants. Check out the USCJ website for more info at www.uscj.org.
Programs should include Israel & Zionist education and/or Israel experience, as well as Aliyah as an option. Grants are to be utilized for programmatic expenses, with extant professionals and/or volunteers within the synagogue taking responsibility for development and implementation, working together with your District Office, USCJ Israel Commission and Nefesh B'Nefesh.
Applications should take into consideration movement interests such as the Fuchsberg Jerusalem Center, MERCAZ USA, MERCAZ Canada and Masorti. Creativity and uniqueness will be taken into consideration. Your District has set up a committee to review all applications. There is potential for additional monies for programs that aim at the young adult population.
Grant Applications can be found at: www.nbn.org.il/maalot
For more information, please contact Rabbi Charles Savenor at 212-533-0800 or savenor@uscj.org.
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Yasher Koach Corner
Mazel Tov to Rabbi Claudio J. Kupchik on his installation as the spiritual leader of Temple Beth El of Manhattan Beach. We also congratulate Lenny Finkel, Chairman of the Board, and Maureen Lerner, Executive Director, on this milestone.
Yasher Koach to the Federation of Jewish Men's Club's 7th Annual Chavayrim Kol Yisrael Men of the Year honorees:
- Ron Arsham, Temple Beth Shalom, Mahopac
- Brent Firester, Temple Sinai, Middletown
- Elliot Glass, Temple Israel Center, White Plains
- Dr. Norman Gordon, Beth El Synagogue, New Rochelle
- Bruce Green, New City Jewish Center, New City
- Jeffry Horowitz, Orangetown Jewish Center, Orangeburg
- Kenneth Kirschner, Shaarei Tikvah, Scarsdale
Yasher Koach to Marty and Bracha Werber, who are members of Temple Israel in Great Neck and were honored by the Solomon Schechter Day School of Queens.
Yasher Koach to Rabbi Larry Sebert and Dr. Jane Davidson of Town and Village Synagogue, as well as Dr. Sam and Francine Klagsbrun of Congregation Or Zarua. They were honored on Wednesday by the Solomon Schecter Day School of Manhattan.
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For more information or registration guidelines and application contact Susan Wyner at wyner@uscj.org or by calling 440-473-3165.
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METNY USCJ is proud to announce that we have scholarships for incoming 9th graders to the Solomon Schechter High Schools of Long Island and Westchester in 2010-2011.
Please note that these need-based scholarships are only available to families who belong to an affiliated METNY USCJ synagogue.
For an application and more information, please contact Rabbi Charles Savenor or Jack Topal at (212) 533-0800 or metny@uscj.org. Applications are due on May 5, 2010.
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SAVE THE DATE!
The Salute to the Israel Parade is on Sunday, May 23, 2010.
Click here to learn more and have your synagogue march!
**METNY is considering a movement marching group.
Is your community interested in participating?
If so, please email Rabbi Charlie Savenor at savenor@uscj.org at your earliest convenience..
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 (NATIV is USY's post-high school year program in Israel)
Dear NATIV Parents and Friends of USY,
Since our return from winter vacation we've seen nothing but adventure from Jerusalem down to Eilat, between Kibbutz and Yerucham and back. Now that the festivities of Purim have come to an end, we are returning to our lives of normalcy. As the pace relaxes and we gear up for 3 contiguous weeks of volunteering before Pesach break, now is a perfect time to reflect on the past several weeks.
With Nativers reconvening from all corners of the earth, we didn't miss a beat after break and jumped straight into our "Israel Today" seminar. This week-long seminar was aimed at exposing everyone to the hot topics at the core of Israeli society today. Sessions varied from the arts and culture, to science and high tech, history, politics and education. It served as a great way to transition ourselves back into Israel yet at the same time start to dissolve the bubble of Jerusalem within which we easily found ourselves during the first semester.
Immediately following Israel Today week, we packed our bags and headed south on our tiyul Negev. The hail that bid us farewell as we left Jerusalem should have tipped us off that this would be an interesting trip with some of the most bizarre weather conditions known to Israel. Desert rain put the Bedouin tents to the test, (they passed the waterproofing exam with flying colors), Flash floods diverted our path and high winds altered some of our plans, but in the end we made it. Nativers learned an important lesson, that here in Israel "flexibility" is a way of life. All in all the southern tiyul was a unique experience, the rain we witnessed in the desert was more than some Israelis see in their lifetime.
After a brief public health-related detour to Beer Sheva the groups split up to begin their new lives as volunteers in Yerucham and on Kibbutz Ein Tzurim. Over the following two weeks we connected with our new communities and got started with our new jobs.
Recently we returned to the center of the country to celebrate Purim as a single group and for our leadership training week. Sessions taught by our staff and guest lecturers covered a diverse range of creative topics from great leadership examples in Israeli history and comic books to Jewish leadership on college campus, public speaking skills and improving on leadership through increased self-awareness.
Now the calendar will make a shift toward the routine. Over the next three weeks the focus will return to volunteering, what we're here to do. After only a brief taste of Yerucham and Kibbutz before Purim and Leadership pulled us away, everyone is eager to get back to work and continue to strengthen our connections with our second semester communities. Stay tuned as great things are happening! In the meantime check out the new photos posted on the Nativ website-click here to see them.
B'shalom,
Yossi Garr
Director, Nativ
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Upcoming Transitions in YOUR Synagogue Leadership
METNY USCJ would like to keep all of your synagogue board members up to date on the METNY programs and information. When your synagogue elects new board members please fill out the Synagogue Leadership form and send back to the METNY office so we can include your leadership on our lists. Please click here for the form.
Please email, fax or mail to metny@uscj.org or fax to 212-533-0400. The form can be mailed to 820 Second Avenue, 10th Floor, New York, NY 10017.
Furthermore, many of our congregations are currently in search for professional and spiritual leadership. METNY is here to help. Please contact any of our staff with questions. We wish our congregations success in this sacred enterprise.
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"News You Can Use" is taking a Passover break.
Our next issue will appear on Friday, April 9.
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