National Conference of Synagogue Youth
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National Conference of Synagogue Youth (NCSY) is an Orthodox Jewish youth group sponsored by the Orthodox Union. It was founded in the 1950s by Rabbi Pinchas Stolper and has grown into an organization with thousands of members in the United States, Canada and now Chile. Its slogan is Building a Jewish Tomorrow.
The organization was started in the 1950's as a social organaization, a synagogue youth movement similar to a synagogue men's club or sisterhood. Over time, its emphasis moved to outreach and changing religious behaviors of the adolecents.
Outreach to public school youth was started by Chabad in the 1930's. But in 1954 Torah Leadership Seminar was created by DCS of YU under Dr Abraham Stern, they developed the Shabbaton model. A larger discussion is available at Baal teshuva.
Though still sometimes considered a Modern Orthodox organization based on its original purpose, NCSY's executive leadership is under the mainstream Orthodox influence of the OU.
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[edit] Organization
NCSY is divided into geographic regions throughout North America. They are New England, Upper New York, New York, Long Island, New Jersey, Atlantic Seaboard, Central East, Southern, South Florida, Greater Midwest, Southwest, West Coast, Northwest, and Canada. Additionally, NCSY runs programming branches Israel and now, Chile.
These geographic regions are further divided into chapters, usually encompassing major cities or metropolitan areas.
NCSY's programming is divided into two age groups, "Jr" and "Sr"; these generally encompass 5th-8th grades and 9th-12th grades, respectively. Some programs span both age groups, but most programming is unique for each.
- National Director: Rabbi Steven Burg [1]
- National Youth Board (Composed of representatives of the Regional Boards)
- Regional Directors
- Regional Advisors
- Regional Board Members (Members are elected by peers annually. In some regions, they are appointed)
- Chapter Advisors
- Chapter Board Members (Members are usually elected, but there are exceptions)
- NCSY Members
[edit] Programming
There are national events that usually occur biyearly, and mainly for leaders. There are regional events that usually occur quarterly, or biquarterly. There are chapter events that usually occur on a monthly basis, in some locations weekly.
One of NCSY's oldest and most effective program modules is the Shabbaton, a weekend-long social and educational Shabbat experience. While on Shabbatons kids are treated to skits and the NCSY circle, where participants sit in a circle around the "circle guy" where they sing songs and do funny routines some of which has been passed down since the beginning of the organization. The Circle guy has been a position that has changed hands many times over the years but varies from Region to Region with such notable names as Nissy Gertz, Daniel Lev, Ari and Gavi Hoffman.
NCSY also runs a dozen summer programs on three continents.
[edit] Affiliates
- NCSY works with Agudath Israel of America in running Camp Nageela Midwest.
- NCSY Summer Kollel Program is run by Ohr Yerushalayim
- NCSY has always maintained a relationship with Touro College, the latter offering NCSY scholarships and recruiting both students and personel from NCSY.
[edit] See also
- Orthodox Union Sponsoring Organization
Similar Organizations
- KEDMA, an Orthodox college outreach group
- Aish HaTorah
- Baal teshuva
Synagouge Youth Movements
- United Synagogue Youth, the youth group of Conservative Judaism
- National Federation of Temple Youth, the youth group of Reform Judaism
NCSY Personalities
