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By Rabbi Josh Weinberg

 “Moses received the Torah from Sinai and gave it over to Joshua. Joshua gave it over to the Elders, the Elders to the Prophets, and the Prophets gave it over to the Men of the Great Assembly.” Pirkei Avot 1:1

Dan, the official in customs, told me to have a seat with my Torah and wait. Well accustomed to Israeli bureaucracy, I immediately knew I should have canceled my plans for the rest of the day. When Dan returned, offering me a cup of coffee, I knew I was in for it. Surprisingly, within 10 minutes, having signed the necessary paperwork and paid the required fees, Torateinu ARZA (Our Torah to the Land) and I were cleared to leave.

Today’s studies and statistics provide proof that engaged youngsters become actively practicing Jewish adults. While practicing remains a matter of degree, anyone who has worked with young people recognizes that relationships built during these formative years facilitate engagement long after the conclusion of temple youth group days. Creating those relationships requires incredibly dedicated adults who see significant value and promise in their work with young people. But creating a nurturing environment for relationships to flourish requires thoughtful, sometimes subtle planning. There are best practices. There are pitfalls to avoid. How can someone new to youth work gain insights? How can someone who has been working with teens for years be rejuvenated and re-inspired? If you work with Jewish youth and are asking yourself these questions, I propose you attend the URJ Youth Summit at NFTY Convention in Atlanta, February 13-17. You will have the opportunity to meet like-minded peers, and build professional relationships to share the agonies and ecstasies of youth work!

By Blaire Weinberg Our tradition tells us in Psalm 149, “Sing unto God a new song.” For 75 years, NFTY teenagers have shaped, written, and led songs that have allowed Reform Jewish teens to connect with Judaism in an entirely new way. NFTY musicians sit at the epicenter of Jewish music, experimenting with new takes on traditional songs and writing music that serves as the musical scores of Reform Jewish life. Through NFTY, more than 100,000 teenagers have connected with Judaism in innovative and meaningful ways, continuously pushing the boundaries of Jewish music. Since 1939, NFTY has consistently redefined the call to action found in Psalm 149.

Hanukkah and the secular new year are a special time in the calendar year; many congregations begin a new fiscal cycle, and many individuals face the so-called “December Dilemma.” Here, we highlight a few resources that may be of use to your congregation at this time. They can all be found in The Tent, the Reform Movement’s new communication and collaboration platform website:

• Download customizable brochures to share with prospective members and at congregational events. This free gift from the URJ is available year-round, not just at Hanukkah! Our What’s Missing from Our Congregation?… You! brochures include general information about Reform Judaism, but also allow you to incorporate personal quotes about what makes your congregation special. We’ll design the camera-ready brochures with your congregational information – all you need to do is provide us with it!

Mazel tov! You’ve just been elected to your first term as a trustee on the temple board. Together with your fellow congregational lay leaders, you struggle with the challenges surrounding member engagement, finances, and sustainable growth. More often than not, a part of each board meeting centers around discussing various creative ideas that you hope will produce meaningful results. One idea is to ask the rabbi to set aside 20 minutes a day – for however many days it takes – to call every household in the congregation. You and your board colleagues believe that the key to member engagement and giving is the rabbi, a beloved community leader. Through a connection with the rabbi, the thinking goes, members will feel more engaged, they will be more likely to be involved, and they will feel more compelled to give voluntary financial support when asked. Another is to give the executive director a financial bonus if certain membership goals are met. The temple wants more members, and the executive director wants more salary, so it follows that such an incentive will be a “win-win” situation for all.

By Rabbi Josh Weinberg

May it be Thy will, my God and the God of my fathers, to protect me against the impudent and against impudence, from bad men and bad companions, from severe sentences and severe plaintiffs, whether a son of the covenant or not. - The

by Shelley Schweitzer

May the Source of strength, Who blessed the ones before us, Help us find the courage to make our lives a blessing, And let us say: Amen.

The year was 1999 and the NFTY-Northeast Lakes (NFTY-NEL) community learned that there were big changes ahead. Long-time regional advisors Terry Pollack and Neil Poch would be retiring at the end of the calendar year. As the community’s members began to process that news, they learned, too, that a member of their NFTY family was ill – Terry’s wife Maxine had cancer. Teens from around the region wanted to do something, and youth workers were looking for ways to help the NFTY-NELers respond in a Jewish way.

Considering the power of three, we have been on the staff and faculty of Camp Chazak, the URJ’s camp for children who have social adjustment delays, for the past three years. As a result, we have directly witnessed tremendous spiritual growth and personal changes on the part of campers, regardless of whether they were new to the program or were repeat participants.

As every parent knows, when your child’s heart is bursting for joy, yours is, too. When your child’s heart is bursting for joy in anticipation before an event occurs, you’ve scored a gold mine. We’re at the “gold mine” level right now, as our daughter Shelby counts down to the upcoming NFTY Convention 2015 in Atlanta, Georgia! As I write this, the convention is just under four months away. The 2015 convention will be Shelby’s second NFTY Convention; her first was in Los Angeles two years ago. Shelby is now a senior, and has attended almost every regional kallah since becoming a member in ninth grade. She has attended NFTY’s Kutz Camp in Warwick, New York, the past three summers (and pretty much has never wanted to leave!) and is planning to apply to be a staff member in-training this coming summer. Words cannot begin to describe the incredible impact NFTY has had on Shelby.  But I will try.  To Shelby, NFTY means “home.”  NFTY is a place where she can totally be herself and spread her wings.  Where she can experience everything from laughter to tears, and feel safe in any mode.  Where she can fully embrace her Jewish spirituality and define for herself what she’s comfortable with, without judgment from anyone.