| Help Celebrate 100 Years of Young Judaea |
| Help inform the world about this remarkable youth movement that has shaped and positively impacted thousands of Jewish lives over the years -- share your ideas and be involved with the planning or any other stage of this celebration!
** YJ is also looking for photographs, histories, dissertations or other collected documents about Young Judaea over the years. Please contact alumni relations. |
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From the Personal YJ Alumni Archives: In Young Judaea History ... |
THEN and NOW ... The top picture was taken in 1953 and the one to the right was taken in 2003 -- 50 years later! Their own special YJ reunion.
 THEN (LEFT): Machon L' Madrichei Hutz L'Aretz (before Year Course 1953-1954).
NOW (RIGHT):
Phylis (Penina) Barzillai Roberts from Baltimore, MD; Irwin Borwick from Nashua, NH; Cynthia Cohen Winograd Spritzer (Shoshana) from Brockton, MA (made aliyah); Irving (Zev) Brodsky from Philadelphia, PA.
Picture taken in NYC in 2003.
Thanks to Cynthia Spritzer for the above photographs!
Left: Camp Tel Yehudah July 1961, Staff Photograph
Right: Aerial view of Camp Tel Yehudah, Summer 1956. Taken from the railroad tracks across the Delaware River.
Thanks to Gordon Perlmutter for these two photograph!
Share Your Photos! Do you have any historical items from your days in Young Judaea that you'd like to donate to the archives? If so, please contact Arlene Freedberg, or mail the item(s) to Alumni Relations, Young Judaea, 50 West 58th Street, New York, NY 10019. Thank you for helping us share your memories! |
| Were You There In ... ? |
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 1948 ... Volunteered for Israel's 1948 war?
1951 ... First Israel summer program?
1956 ... Participated on first Year Course?
1963 ... YJ delegation at the Civil Rights March on Washington?
60s/70s/80s ... Participated in the student struggle for soviet Jewry, and traveled to Russia?
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| Alumni Profile: Roselle Ungar (Local Club '65-'74; CJ '68-'70) |
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 Roselle Ungar, Director, Community & Philanthropic Affairs, Crescent Bank & Trust Home: Metairie, Louisiana (a suburb of New Orleans)
Young Judaea Programs: Local Club (1965 - 1974), Camp Judaea, NC (1968 - 1970)
Favorite Memories from Young Judaea: Celebrating Shabbat at Camp Judaea and Kittiwake weekend with my local club.
How has your Young Judaea experience impacted your life today? Young Judaea had a profound influence on my life. The memories created during my summers at CJ as well as through the clubs made Israel and Judaism vibrant and alive. Young Judaea solidified my commitment to Zionism and allowed me to share my love of Judaism with others. I cannot imagine what my professional and volunteer life would be like if I was not exposed to the Jewish community through Young Judaea. Although I was very active on a local level, watching my son Hal's involvement as a member of the National Maz, his many years at CJ and TY as well as on Year Course confirmed my opinion that Young Judaea continues to be a relevant movement from generation to generation.
Please describe your current professional involvement. What do you do? After almost 9 years as a development professional with the Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans, I now have the opportunity to work with a very generous philanthropist who is committed to rebuilding New Orleans after the devastation as a result of Hurricane Katrina.
Are you currently involved with Young Judaea or Hadassah? Yes, I serve on the Executive Committee of the National Board of Hadassah. My national portfolio is National Development Chair for Young Judaea. I previously served as the Lev Hadarom Youth Commission Chair and Camp Judaea Treasurer.
Did your Young Judaea experience encourage you to visit or have closer ties to Israel? Yes - it connected me to Hadassah and opened my eyes to the life saving work of the Hadassah Medical Organization.
Have you returned to Israel since your YJ experience - if yes, how often and what were the occasions? 17 trips to Israel - missions and on private trips.
To learn more about Roselle Ungar and how Young Judaea impacted her life, please visit our website. Be profiled today! Email Arlene Freedberg. |
| Avi Liberman Goes on Tour in Afghanistan |
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As an observant Jew traveling the professional comedy circuit, I've faced my good share of challenges in the effort to keep the faith in some pretty crazy places and circumstances. Yet, I don't think anything had prepared me for the task of finding out the proper time for lighting Shabbat candles in Kandahar, Afghanistan. (Try typing that one into the Chabad website!)
Despite the obvious feeling of being a stranger in a very strange land, the chance to spend  Thanksgiving as a Jew in a country where making a minyan requires borrowing at least a couple of guys from the Taliban, (with the beards and headgear, I figure we'd could cut them some slack), has been a truly rewarding- and in many ways, deeply emotional experience.
I was brought here along with my friend and comic Butch Bradley as a part of an effort called Dogtag Comedy, which produces USO-style performances in areas of the world where, shall we say, you're best off keeping that Magen David necklace beneath your shirt for the time being.
 As an Israeli-born American Jew I've grown up hearing the stories of my Dad's time in the IDF and always looked forward to the day when I'd have the chance to do my small part for the military. Despite the sense that this might just be my big opportunity, I had to admit that I approached my foray into "enemy-territory" with some degree of concern. At the same time I was excited and encouraged by the fact that I would be able to contribute in some way for the troops and take part in an experience that I was confident would be extremely memorable.
Avi Liberman currently lives in Los Angeles, and grew up in Young Judaea. He attended Camp Young Judaea Texas, Tel Yehudah and Year Course, and is a product of Hadassah and YJ programs. He also served on the Regional Mazkirut. Each year, Avi takes a group of comedians to Israel as part of the Crossroads Comedy Tour benefiting the Crossroads Center in Jerusalem, an organization founded by Young Judaea alumna Caryn Green. |
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Where Are You Now? I Am ... |
Dr. Jay Grossman (YC '81-82) founded "Homeless not Toothless," a program to invite Los Angeles' homeless citizens into the practice for free dental care . . .
Elliot Fine (YC '05-06) -- I attended Year Course in 2005-2006, and it's still the best year of my life! In fact, because that year was so great, I decided to return to Israel in December 2007 to join the IDF. After finishing my undergrad I decided now would be a perfect time for me to fulfill my life long dream of being in the IDF. Once again thank you Young Judaea and Year Course . . .
Marilyn Kagan -- I joined Young Judaea when I was 11 years old, in 1941, and went to Camp Young Judaea (in NH) when I was 14. In 1945, I was in Senior Judaea, and since my cousins and friends were still in it, as Zionists we were ecstatic when Israel became a country. It was May 1948, and I was almost 18. We were disappointed with the partition plan, but happy with at least a country, and in awe of Golda, our hero. I moved to Philadelphia in 1953. During the years, I didn't travel until I was 38, but at 39 I took my first of 7 trips to Israel. The last time I went, it was to meet a refusenik family's plane. They had just gotten out of the Soviet Union. By that time, I was very involved in the Soviet Jewry movement . . .
Hyman Strumeier joined the Olim Group in Bayonne, New Jersey in 1939 and continued my membership until entering the U.S. Army on my 18th birthday during World War ll. Most of our membership served in all branches of the armed forces and we lost one of our leaders, Sol Saltzman, during the Battle of Normandy in France. Being a member of Young Judaea back then kept us informed of what was happening to Jews throughout the Nazi Empire. As a Jew, the values obtained thru membership in Young Judaea have always been with me and left me with a great feeling in Jewish Tradition and consequently, also made me a good American . . .
David Backman (TY '68, '70, YC '71) -- I am still working as a Federal Probation Officer in Cincinnati, Ohio. My wife, Bonita Malit, MD, retired from the United States Public Health Service in 2005, after twenty years of service. Our son Michael, is 17 and is a senior and our daughter Deborah, is a sophomore, both at Wyoming High School in Wyoming, Ohio, outside of Cincinnati, Ohio. We are all active at our Conservative synagogue, Adath Israel. Michael, Deborah, and I read Torah periodically, and Boni, Deborah, and I participate in the High Holiday Choir. Both Michael and Deborah attended Camp Young Judaea Midwest and Tel Yehudah. This past summer, Michael went to Israel with the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati on their Jewish Experience in Israel and Poland. Deborah attended TY and the Avodah program at CYJ Midwest . . .
Karen Futtersak (nee Friedman) -- I joined Young Judaea in the 9th grade, was an active member and leader in my local community on Long Island, and a camper at Tel Yehudah for several summers during high school. I went on Year course in 1977 and worked as a counselor at both Sprout Lake camp in upstate New York and Tel Yehudah. I first met my husband when we were campers at Tel Yehudah (approx. age 16) and we were friends. We became more than friends when we were both counselors during the summer of 1979. We are now married for 23 years and have managed to raise three children (Rachel, Josh and Alex). Rachel is 20 and traveled to Israel with birthright last year. The boys (17 and 13) hope to follow in her footsteps.
We reminisce frequently about our years with YJ and consider ourselves fortunate to have had that experience and to have met at such an early age. We are indeed a Young Judea success story! We can't wait for our family to all experience Israel for themselves. Congratulations on 100 years...
Debbie Daum Gersh (YC '75-76, TOL) -- My son (Jonathan Garfunkel) is now a sophomore at UT Austin, devoted CYJ Texas staffer and is part of the lucky few to be going on the first trip of Mesamnei Shvilim. Please thank the powers that be for revamping and creating YJ Impact! . . .
Anita Weisberger Bihovsky (TY '68, Machon '69) -- I was an active member of the Nassau-Suffolk region of YJ in the late 60s (till I graduated high school in 1970) and attended Tel Yehudah in August 1968 ("regular" camp) and August 1969 (Machon). I've lived just outside of Philadelphia since 1992 and am always thrilled when I occasionally meet another ex-Judaean. The Judaean in me seems to keep me grounded in the Jewish community. I'm in the marketing/communications/PR field and can't seem to get away from Jewish causes! I work as Marketing/PR Director for the Etz Chaim Center for Jewish Studies, an educational and outreach organization in Philadelphia. I am also working independently as a communications/PR consultant. I'm a life member of Hadassah, have enjoyed Israeli dancing locally, and have kept several close friends from my Young Judaea days. My husband, Ron is a chemist. My son Eric is 28 and a writer; my son Michael is 21 and a junior at NYU, where he's majoring in Musical Theater Performance and Composition. I'd love to hear from old friends . . .
Rich Newberger (YC '85-86) -- Following year course 1985-86 Section One, I finished my undergraduate degree at American University in Washington DC, I later taught as a secondary school history teacher on Long Island, NY. Soon after that I worked in the financial services industry in lower Manhattan and in New Jersey with Mellon Bank and the Bank of New York. Finally after much thought I made the leap . . . I made aliyah with Nefesh B'Nefesh in August 2007 with my wife Ilanit and 2 sons (Elad & Noam) where we currently live in Ra'anana. All is well. I'm currently in the period of adjusting to Israeli life as a new oleh. Please email me to say hello . . .
Amy (Barnett) Kauffman (TY '81-'82) was recently selected by National Hadassah to represent the Nassau Region on a Young Women's Mission to Poland and Israel. She was one of 24 women, age 25-45, from across the country selected to participate in this 10 day Mission . . .
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| YJ Alumni: Lost And Found |
| Are you in touch with these alumni? Email alumni@youngjudaea.org ... their friends are looking for them!
Daniel Zilberstein from Long Island
Beth Miller (YC '77-'78)
Tivia Lark (from Havertown, PA)
Adina Wolf
Dr. Chaime Furman (WUJS '86-'87)
Arlene Falcon (YC '72-'73)
Artie Freyerman
Carol Schoenfeld
Laurie Ornstein (YC '68-'69)
And from Year Course 1987-1988: Gregory Allan, Joel Bigelman, Charles Celnick, Martin Davies, Jeff Dillon, Daphna Doron, Renat Engel, Julia Feldman, Abigail Fields, Beth Friedman, Deborah Gewirtz, Joel Gilbert, Saul Golden, Michael Goldstein, Daniel Goldstone, Steven Groden, Benjamin Isaacs, Ann Kaye, Frank Kirschbaum, Craig Kolman, Greg Levine, David Lewis, James Licht, Laurie Marco, Heidi Marcus, Talia Margolit, Kenny Markowitz, Michael Nussbaum, Rebecca Passman, Elissa Purcell, Lawrence Rosen, Matt Rosen, Rebecca Rosen, Melissa Rubenstein, Gillian Sank, David Schwartz, Lisa Shapiro, Daphna Sherbow, Darryl Stern, Liselle Terret, Ilana Ungerman, Barrett Zeff. |
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Upcoming Alumni Events |
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Save the Dates!
Year Course 1977-1978 -- April 4-6, 2008 in New York City. Did you participate on YC in 1977-1978? Are you interested in attending or getting involved with the upcoming reunion? Contact Alumni Relations for details.
Year Course 1987-1988 -- May 24-25, 2008 in New York City. Did you participate on YC in 1987-1988? Contact Mimi Gaber for details. Also, there is a Google group set-up so contact Mimi to be connected!
Want to Plan Your Reunion?
Sprout Lake Staff from the 1980s: Did you work at Sprout Lake in the 1980s? If so, and you want to reconnect with other staff, email Alumni Relations. A reunion is being planned.
Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Year Course 1958-1959! Please contact Alumni Relations if you're interested in learning more.
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| Alumni Lifecycle Events |
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Tell YJ about your lifecycle events (or call 212-303-4589)!
-- Ian Isanberg (Sprout '88-'91, TY '92-'93, '95, Machon '94, YC '96-'97, Sprout Staff 95-00) married Randi Berliner on April 21, 2007.
-- Jen Deitch (Sprout '85-'86, TY '87-'90, YC '91-'92) married Mauricio Lavie in March.
-- Jodi Melissa Shprintzen (Sprout '84, TY '87) and Evan Terence Bloom were married on October 14, 2007 (2nd of Cheshvan) in Westchester, NY.
-- Daniel Newman (Sprout Lake '91-'93; TY '94-'97; Year Course '98; Sprout Tzevet '97-2002) and Yael Kolett were married on January 19th, 2008 in Taneytown, MD.
-- Yael Kahalnik Twito (lifelong Judaean, Machon '00, Year Course '02-'03) and Bar Twito (member of Tsofim, Year Course '02-'03) were married on Dec 8, 2007 in Dallas. Yael and Bar met at a YJ Solidarity Mission February '02, prior to going on YC and have been a couple since Year Course. They both staffed YC '07-'08 and now work for CYJ Texas as Assistant Director and Facilities Director. They live in Houston. Yael is the daughter of Garry and Linda (Rubenstein) Kahalnik. Garry (Judaean, YC '72-'73) and Linda (Judaean, Hamagshimim Semester Abroad Spring '75) were both Judaeans.
Births
-- Helene Drobenare (Director, Sprout Lake) and Russ Horwitz announce the birth of their son, Caleb Joseph Horwitz, born on January 5, 2008.
-- Rachel Robins Barish (NJ Club '80-'84, NJ Mazkirut '83-'84, TY '80-'83, Kitchen Staff '84) and William Barish announce the birth of their son, Seth Matthew Barish, on August 27, 2007 Mazel Tov!
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| YJ Alumni Return to YJ |
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Over the past year, many YJ alumni have returned to the YJ staff and are helping Young Judaea grow. Here is how each is contributing to the movement:
- Andrew Fretwell attended Tel Yehudah as a camper and staff member, and went on Year Course in 2003. He is now the new Director of Youth Leadership for Young Judaea.
- Carrie Voit was a camper at Camp Judaea from 1994-1998, TY in 1999, and went on Machon in 2000. She was also involved in YJ regionally and locally from Ofarim onwards. Now, she is the new Public Relations Coordinator for FZY, YJ and Year Course. She lives in Jerusalem.
- David Weinstein, after growing up in Young Judaea (Sprout Lake '76-'77, Tel Yehudah '78-'79, '81-'84, Year Course '82-'83, and more!), now serves as the Director of Tel Yehudah.
- Jamie Maxner attended Sprout Lake in 1992, went on to Tel Yehudah, and then on YC in 1999-2000. And now, after serving as the Assistant Merchav Manager in the Southeast since 2005, has recently assumed the position of Assistant Director of Tel Yehudah.
- Lori Goldstein attended Camp Judaea as a camper in 1998 and 1999, and then as a staff member for five summers from 2002-2006. She also went to TY in 2000. Lori has recently assumed the role of Area Supervisor for the Southeast Merchav.
- Marci Soifer grew up in Young Judaea (CYJ Midwest '92-'96, TY '97-'99, worked at Sprout '00-'07), and is now the Assistant Director of Camp Young Judaea Sprout Lake.
- Noah Gallagher (CYJ Midwest, Tel Yehudah, Year Course) has taken the helms and started as the Director of Camp Young Judaea Midwest, as well as the Merchav Manager of YJ's Midwest Merchav.
- Sharon Schoenfeld (TY '82-'85, Sprout Staff '83, '85-'89, Year Course Participant '85-'86)) has returned from Israel where she was Director of the Merkaz Hamagshimim for eight years, and now serves as the Director of Administration at Young Judaea.
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Sign Up Now!! Give the Gift of Israel Through YJ Impact!'s Taglit-Birthright Israel Trips! |
 Israel Now - As Real As It Gets is our 10 day Israel discovery tour for Jews between the ages of 18-26 who have never experienced Israel on a peer trip. Our trips will focus on an experience of the Real Israel: an unfiltered view of Israel as it really is; Israel as it is perceived by Israelis themselves. Each YJ Impact! Birthright group will be joined by Israeli peers, who will share their experiences and their perspectives on life in Israel. Participants will experience the country from the Kotel (Wailing Wall) in the Old City of Jerusalem to the night-life of Tel Aviv. They will climb Masada at sunrise, and hike the country from the Negev to the Northern Galilee. And much, much more. Give others the opportunity to glimpse into YJ through Taglit-Birthright! Trips will take place from the end of May through the end of August. SIGN UP NOW |
| From the Desk Of ... Alecia Sachs, National Hadassah Camps Chair |
Hadassah's Young Judaea Camps are growing all over the country. Thanks to the Foundation for Jewish Camping and National Hadassah, we have 500 incentive grants available for new campers to attend our camps this year! Anyone who has never attended a YJ summer sleepaway camp can apply for the grant as long as they are staying for 3 weeks or more. Please contact the camp in your area or visit the Young Judaea website and look at "Programs in America" to find the link to camps.
At CYJ Sprout Lake we are filled with new additions. First, our new, state-of-the-art health center will open in May 2008, just in time for the summer 2008 season. [More]
Camp Judaea in NC has already enrolled 463 campers; there are only 37 spots remaining for the 2008 camping season. [More]
Our camp in Washington State, CYJ West, our newest camp, had great success last year. Over 100 campers attended a 3 week session. [More]
Visit our website to read more about these and other Young Judaea camps! |
| WUJS Institute in Arad |
 The second and final semester of the October 2007 session is now underway. Our Land, Language and Society (LLS) students are gearing up for the the last two seminars of a five part series on the meaning of Jewish "peoplehood." Activities have included a conversation with leading Jewish sociologist Dr. Gideon Shimoni from Hebrew University's Institute of Contemporary Jewry, a workshop using contemporary films, discussions of their own experiences as Jews from around the world, and a visit to a new exhibition on the struggle to liberate Soviet Jewry at the Diaspora Museum. The LLS students have also been invited by the Avi Chai Foundation to partcipate in a special Shabbat program to train young Israeli educators who this summer will be staffing Jewish camps in North America. Read the complete WUJS Update.
WUJS Institute in Arad
The WUJS Arad spring session is just around the corner -- it starts on April 29th, 2008. This is the time to call people you know, who may be interested in extending their summer vacation and exploring Israel through the fantastic programs offered by our Institute.
All three tracks are available this spring:
1. Land, Language & Soceity
2. Arts Program
3. Peace and Social Justice
Many of our current students have been referred by alumni, and we would be glad to keep this tradition going. When calling potential students, don't forget to mention the very generous scholarships that are available through MASA, Jewish federations and other partner agencies. |
| Northeast Winter Convention: Co-existence |
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The theme of the northeast winter convention was CO-EXISTENCE; 94 bogrim participated in this weekend. The mazkiruyot ran great programs about different aspects of coexistence: in Israel, between religions and within Judaism. The highlight of the program was hosting 20 African-American high school students from the lower east side of Manhattan. Young Judaeans ran ice breakers and got to know their guests a little better. Following that peulah, the teachers lead a program about coexistence and inter-racial issues in the US. Our guests enjoyed the program so much that they ended up staying for Havdalah, rikkud and dinner. |
| YJ'ers Give Up Winter Break to Volunteer in Los Angeles |
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 Forty Young Judaea students participated in the first annual YJ Alternative Winter Break (AWB) in Los Angeles. The program was run in conjunction with Jewish Funds for Justice (JFSJ), an organization that specializes in service learning. AWB took participants out of their everyday surroundings and engaged them in intensive community service and experiential learning, through hands-on service projects, that were both enriching and transformative.
AWB integrated an ongoing educational component into the program; participants explored their Jewish identity and left with a deeper commitment to service that will hopefully springboard into lifelong active citizenship where the tenets of community and tikun olam (repairing the world) will become a part of their everyday lives.
AWB's community service opportunities focused on Urban Revitalization and Environmental Awareness & Restoration. Participants worked directly with three local organizations - LA Family Housing, LA Neighborhood Services, and LA Eco-Village - and spent five to seven hours a day on specific projects. 
Our kids enjoyed their time at all of the work sites. They were involved in planning parties and interacting with the kids and teens at LA Family Housing, reaching out to the neighborhood residents about disaster preparedness, and learning and working with the environment. Each opportunity provided our kids with a unique set of rewards.
Visit the YJ site to read more about their experiences and see additional photos from AWB! |
| Young Judaea Employment Opportunities |
Young Judaea is looking for a Director of Israel Programs, located in the New York office. Send your resume to jobs@hadassah.org. Please remember to include the job title as the subject line and salary requirements in your cover letter.
Camp Tel Yehudah is looking for a full-time, year-round Director of Operations. The
qualified candidate will be extremely organized and detail oriented, have excellent computer skills and be capable of organizing and supervising the logistics of a large facility and program. Duties include overseeing the facility, kitchen, rentals and day-to-day operations of camp. Previous camp and/or operations experience is preferred. Please contact Camp Tel Yehudah for a full job description.
Camp Tel Yehudah is also looking for a Kitchen Manager/Cook for the summer to nourish our campers. If you have experience in food service or know someone who does, please contact Camp Tel Yehudah to find out more about this opportunity. |
| Feedback and Suggestions |
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Email YJ Alumni Relations with your feedback and suggestions for future newsletters! | |
