Reform Synagogue Youth
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The Reform Synagogue Youth or RSY-Netzer is a Zionist youth movement based in the United Kingdom. Its official name is RSY Netzer, as it is one of the snifim of Netzer Olami.
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[edit] Youth Movement
RSY Netzer runs camps, youth clubs and meetings for young people from the age of 9/10 (UK school year 4), up until the age of 15/16 (UK school year 11). However, RSY-Netzer are not just a camping organisation. RSY-Netzer are a Zionist youth movement who have a nationwide network of youth clubs and meetings based in reform synagogues all over the United Kingdom. RSY-Netzer currently have meetings and youth clubs in:
North West London (Multiple Meetings), North London(Multiple Meetings), North East London, South & South West London, Leeds, Manchester Newcastle, Liverpool, Glasgow, Bournemouth Brighton Cardiff, Cambridge, Essex, Milton Keynes,
Post 16 most camps and tour events are run by Netzer as a whole rather than RSY specifically. However Youth Clubs and weekly meetings will still be done as RSY-Netzer and not as Netzer Europe or Netzer Olami. The camp (Machane) for 10-12 year olds is known as Machane Briyah and is held somewhere in England or Wales every Summer for two weeks, starting in late July. There is no reason why machanot are not held in Scotland or Northern Ireland, it just has not yet occurred.
Machane Emunah, for 13 year olds, is also held in England or Wales, whilst Reut, the camp for 14 year olds, most recently took place on the Isle of Mann. Machane Atid was, for a time, held in Barcelona, but has since reverted back to its old form - camping in the middle of nowhere (Wales). After Machane Atid, RSY-Netzer offers an Israel Tour for 4 weeks for 16 year old in co-operation with 'Israel experience'. Once participants have returned from 'Tour', they can become leaders on camps themselves, and many 17 years old also embark on 'Kayitz Netzer' a programme joint with RSY's sister movement LJY-Netzer, where the two year groups can bond in preparation for 'Shnat Netzer', the 10-month-long gap year program in Israel.
[edit] Ideology
There are three concepts which make up the RSY Netzer Ideology:
[edit] Reform Judaism
RSY does many things that illustrate how it is a deeply reform movement. For example the grace after meals has been modified: to match the egalitarian Reform ideology, women are listed with the men, where relevant, and the coming of the messiah has been changed to "the dawning of a messianic age". Most other prayers (including the Amidah) have been altered to fit Reform beliefs also. RSY is affiliated with the Movement for Reform Judaism. However, RSY-Netzer is in no way exclusive and welcomes Jews of any denomination as long as they respect the Reform Movement. RSY-Netzer are a zionist youth movement who believe in Patrilineal descent, like LJY-Netzer and the wider Netzer Olami movement. This differs to The Movement for Reform Judaism in the United Kingdom, who are a matrilineal movement.
[edit] Zionism
RSY is a member of Netzer, a Zionist organisation, and acts as a Zionist movement. RSY attempts to teach Israeli points of view, and promotes Israel at most opportunities. RSY strongly encourages its 'graduates' to make Aliyah and immigrate to Israel.
[edit] Tikkun Olam
Tikkun Olam is the belief that through good deeds the world can be made better. Inspired by the Kabbalistic teaching that Tikkun Olam isabout repairing the broken vessels that contained the light of God, the RSY ideology is that through social action, such as volunteering for charities, the world can be made better, and a Messianic age can begin. Netzer, the umbrella organisation to which RSY belongs, maintains a forest in Israel (part of the Jewish National Fund forest). Tikkun Olam is taught through the concentric circles model- any briyahnik would happily recite 'tikkun atzmi it starts with me'- and as chanichim (participants) move up the movement they begin to focus outwards more and more.
[edit] External Links
http://www.reformjudaism.org.uk The Movement for Reform Judaism (UK)
http://www.rsy-netzer.org.uk Rsy-Netzer's official website. http://www.save-uganda.co.uk Hadracha group's tikkun project
