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SAVE THE DATE: YJ's 100th Anniversary Alumni Israel Mission |
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October 18-25, 2009
We're planning a YJ Alumni Israel Mission for YOU! Let us know what you're interested in doing/visiting on the trip!
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T-Shirt Collection ... YJ Celebrates 100 Years |
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Do you have an old t-shirt that you're willing to give back to YJ?
Please send an email to [email protected] stating how many t-shirts you have for this project.
** YJ is also looking for photographs, histories, dissertations or other memorabilia about Young Judaea over the years. Please contact alumni relations. |
| Alumni Profile: Jay Katsir |
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 Profession/Title: Writer, The Colbert Report, New York City
Young Judaea Programs: Bogrim (Sprout Lake); Alumim, Solelim, Atid, MH, MT (TY); Year Course, Princeton Club Adviser Years: 1994-2003
Favorite Memories from Young Judaea: It's impossible to list them all. Camp was the one consistently happy place in my life during high school, and every summer I tried ardently to soak in enough wedgie-free social life and girls willing to talk to me to sustain me through the school year. My Young Judaea and Year Course friends have remained my closest to this day.
How has your Young Judaea experience impacted your life today? Over the past few years, a large majority of my camp friends have moved to New York City, where we have reassembled a kvutza for Life Course. On a professional level, my experience writing and performing Parsha Players as well as the generally creativity-cultivating Young Judaea atmosphere helped me gain confidence in my comedy writing. Also, this summer I seem to be marrying someone from camp.
Please describe your current professional involvement. What do you do? I am a writer for The Colbert Report on Comedy Central.
Are you currently involved with Young Judaea or Hadassah? I am obliquely involved via association with such YJ luminaries as Jamie Maxner, Carrie Marks, and Etan Ofrane.
Did your Young Judaea experience encourage you to visit or have closer ties to Israel? It did. My father is Israeli and half of my family lives there, but Young Judaea gave me a context to live in Israel and attempt to understand its culture that I otherwise would not have had. Of course, since I had spent more time in Israel growing up than some of my Year Course counterparts, I was not surprised at how much stray barbed wire seems to end up in playgrounds.
Have you returned to Israel since your YJ experience? I have been back to visit family. I also went back to visit my sister when she was on Year Course. So I have been back twice in 8 years. Looking at that number, I should really go back more.
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Alumni Notes |
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Marilyn Kagan, Providence, RI. I was a member of Young Judaea from 1941 to 1944, and Senior Judaea from 1944 to 1948. I went to Camp Young Judaea in the Berkshires in 1945 and 1946. I moved to Philadelphia in 1953, and in the early 1970s, I became the head of the Soviet Jewry Committee in my synagogue, for several years.
I became a life member of Hadassah in the 1990s, and moved back to Providence in 1998. I visited Israel 7 times, but it's been about 24 years since I've been there. I applied for a Federation trip about 6 years ago, but a war started and the trip was canceled. I paid for a trip 2 summers ago, to an archaeology site, but the Lebanese war started, and the refugees from the north of Israel had to live in the camp site, and in all the hotels around Tel Aviv. I'm afraid to apply again - I must be a jinx!
I've been retired since 1991, and sometimes go to Hadassah meetings, but try to go to their book club meeting once a month. I graduated from Rhode Island School of Design a year ago, in June, in my 70s, and design and sell jewelry. I've been a president of Na'Amat, which sponsors child care centers and women's drop-in law centers in Israel, and works for women's equality in the United States.
Jonathan Davis (YC '82) is a successful narrator living in NYC, with his wife Stacy Schiff and their newborn daughter, Olivia Simone. He has received critical acclaim for his narration in a variety of genres.
Jonathan has garnered accolades from Publisher's Weekly, USA Today, and Audio File Magazine. He has been nominated for an Audie Award for his narration of Michael Gruber's Night of the Jaguar. He has narrated over thirty Star Wars titles for Lucas Film and Random House Audio, including Attack of the Clones, Revenge of the Sith and Dark Lord. Read his complete bio on Wikipedia.com.
Gideon Klionsky. What could be better than an Israeli-music radio show broadcast from one of the States' best colleges by a Year Course graduate? Achla Muzika on WBRS 100.1 FM in Waltham, the student radio of Brandeis University, is on summer break. But it will return next fall on Wednesday nights at 8 pm. Listen live on www.wbrs.org. You can also listen to the shows from this past semester by searching "klionsky" in the iTunes store and downloading the free podcasts (15 shows!). Achla Muzika is hosted by Gideon Klionsky (YC '07; Brandeis '11). To make requests for shows in the fall, email [email protected]. Tehenu! |
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Upcoming Alumni Events |
Tel Yehudah -- July 27, 2008 -- Did you go to Tel Yehudah? Celebrate the completion of Tel Yehudah's new swimming pool! For details email [email protected].
CYJ Midwest Alumni Reunion -- August 16-17, 2008, Chicago - Recapture the flag and the best summers of your life by joining us for a reunion! It will begin with a reception on August 16th in Chicago, followed by a trip to CYJ Midwest in Waupaca on Sunday, August 17th. Register Today!
Want to Plan or Participate In Your Reunion?
Boca Raton Alumni Event: Please contact YJ Alumni Relations if you live in the area and are interested in attending, or helping to plan a September alumni event.
Year Course 1978-1979: Please contact YJ Alumni Relations or Lisa Aiden if you're interested in reconnecting with friends from Year Course. A reunion might be in the works . . . To begin reconnecting now, join the Facebook group.
Year Course 1985-1986: If you participated in this Year Course, and want to reconnect to your friends, pleas join the newly active Facebook group!
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)!
-- Michelle Samuels (CYJ Texas '96-98, Ma'Apilim '00, T.O.L. Regional Board '00-'01, Rosh Va'ad Hamagshimim, CYJ Texas Staff '01-'04) and Adam Kaman will be married on August 31, 2008 in Austin, Texas.
BIRTHS
-- Brian Flumen (Sprout '82-84, TY '85-88, YC '89-90, Sprout Staff '89, '91-92) and Barbara Schack Flumen (Westchester, NY club '87-'89) welcomed son Jesse Ty on February 21, 2008. He joins his big sister, Eila Joy. One of his proud grandparents is Audrey Flumen, Chair, NJ Young Judaea Youth Commission.
-- Gidon (Sprout '83, '84 TY '85-88, YC '89-90, TY Staff '92-94) and Wendy Isaacs announce the birth of their son Yadin Devir on June 30, 2007.
-- Gal and Tal Ben Shimol announce the birth of their son, Yehonathan, on Friday, May 9, 2008. Gal is the Executive Director & Shaliach of Friends of Israel Scouts (FOIS).
-- Andrew Ashkenase (Sprout '84-89, TY '91-94, YC '95-96, Sprout Staff '96-00) and Jana Myers (Sprout '89-90, YC '97-98) announce the birth of their son, Benjamin Joseph, in early June.
MISCELLANEOUS
-- Marshall Levit (YC '95-96), of Houston, TX, earned a Masters of Business Administration in business ethics from the Univ. of St. Thomas in Houston, TX.
-- Nancy (Levy) Marin (Sprout Lake '86-90, TY '90-94, YC '94-95 CYJ Staff- Sprout Lake '93-95) will graduate from Hebrew College with a Masters in Jewish Education, June 1st.
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| YJ Alumni: Lost And Found |
| Are you in touch with these alumni? Email [email protected] ... their friends are looking for them!
- Barbara Evans (from Omaha, NE)
- Andi Mendelson
- Ari Fox
- Hillary Kammerman
- Hannah Finkelstein
- Norma Sokol
Year Course 1972-1973: Robin Berenbaum, Laurie Bernardo, Jan Bronston, Hannah Cohen, Karen Dubrow, Brian Edlin, Caren Epp, Nancy Field, Carrie Glick, Myra Goldfarb, Stephen Goldfarb, Beth Green, Judith Lebow, Susan Pepper, Robin Rosenbaum, Bonnie Rubin, Linda Schiff, Susan Scheier, Barbara Schulman, Pamela (Wolfsy) Firestone |
| Alumni In the News |
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Transdenominational Seminary To Graduate Its First Rabbis
Rabbi Bonnie Sharfman (TY '73-74, YC '75-76) is proud to be in the first group of 11 transdenominational rabbis graduating from Hebrew College in Newton Centre, MA.
According to the article, Young Judaea had a profound impact on Rabbi Sharfman's life, "Youths from across the wide spectrum of Jewish life came together and were able to navigate the differences in Shabbat observance, kashrut and comfort levels to form cohesive community," she explains. "That was an incredible, eye-opening thing that has totally impacted on my view of Jewish life." Read the full article.
Year Course Participants Meet Prime Minister Olmert & President Bush
As part of his volunteer portion of Year Course, Oren Samet (YC '07-08), from Needham, MA, was participating on a dig at Masada when him and his Year Course friends were greeted by Prime Minister Olmert and President Bush. President Bush was on a five-day tour around Israel, in honor of its 60th birthday. Read the full article here. |
| WUJS Institute in Arad: Introducing ... |
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"Human history becomes more and more a race between education and catastrophe." H. G. Wells, Outline of History (1920)
Perhaps a strange way to introduce myself to you as the new Director of the WUJS Institute but I do hope that now I have your attention. We'll get back to that quote shortly.
I am privileged and humbled to have been given the opportunity of a lifetime, a chance to run the WUJS program, a chance to continue the legacy of 40 years of Zionist programming and experience in Israel. I do not intend to waste this opportunity. Like any leader I have a vision for the future of the program, one in which we will succeed to maximise the number of young adults coming to Israel for a long-term meaningful experience. That challenge is somewhat of a race, as H.G. Wells says above, between education and catastrophe, between Jewish future and Jewish rejection. It is a race that we can win.
In order to achieve our goals, I am asking for your help, energy and time and most of all your ability to recruit for the program. In the coming weeks we will publish information regarding how the program will look starting from our next machzor in September. Please take the time to read the information and think of at least one person that you know who would be appropriate for the program. Let us know who they are and we will be hapy to take it from there.
I thank you in advance and appreciate your attention. B'Hatzlacha to the WUJS program of the future.
B'Shalom,
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| YJ Impact! Presents: Pride in Israel |
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Dates: September 8 - 17, 2008
Pride in Israel is a 10-day trip to Israel for young professionals in their 20's and 30's, who wish to explore lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues in Israel (LGBT). Pride in Israel is perfect for groups, couples or individuals looking for a fun, yet meaningful Jewish experience. Our program offers a visit to all Israel's classic sites, including Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Massada and the Dead Sea, while at the same time taking a deeper look at Israel's LGBT community.
Highlights include:
- Meeting with gay soldiers in the Israeli army,
- Dancing at gay and lesbian clubs,
- Attending the Tel Aviv Gay and Lesbian Film Festival,
- Speaking with LGBT activists and leaders, and
- Learning about the many issues going on in Israel's LGBT community today.
For more information or to apply please contact Linda at 212-303-7462 or via email. Click here to read a recent Jerusalem Post article about Pride in Israel. |
| Young Judaea Employment Opportunities |
Young Judaea Israel Programs is looking for a Year Course Supervisor, in the New York office. Applicant should have experience working with teens and excellent organization and planning skills. Send all resumes to [email protected] and be sure to include the job title in the subject line.
YJ is seeking full-time Area Supervisors in NYC. Salary and benefits. Responsibilities include developing YJ programs, building participation, organizing conventions and special events, recruiting for camps and Israel programs and working with Hadassah and other Jewish community organizations on joint projects. Please send letter and resume to Dan Cardonick, Director of Regional Programs, or fax to 212-303-4572. |
| Feedback and Suggestions |
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Email YJ Alumni Relations with your feedback and suggestions for future newsletters! | |
