| United Synagogue Youth | |
|---|---|
The USY logo |
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| Abbreviation | USY |
| Formation | 1951 |
| Type | Youth Organization |
| Purpose/focus | Religious |
| Headquarters | New York, NY 10017 |
| Location |
820 Second Avenue, 10th Floor New York, NY 10017 |
| Region served | North America |
| Membership | 15,000 |
| Director | Jules A. Gutin |
| Main organ | International Executive Board, International General Board |
| Parent organization | USCJ |
| Affiliations | Conservative Judaism |
| Website | www.usy.org |
United Synagogue Youth (USY) is the youth movement of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism. USY operates in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The goal of the movement is to bring Jewish teenagers closer to Judaism and Israel through learning and social interaction. The organization was founded in 1951, under the auspices of the Youth Commission of what was then the United Synagogue of America.
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USY runs a variety of summer tours sponsored by the "USY: Great Escape" program. Israel Adventure is a four-week, Israel-only trip which consists of three weeks touring around Israel and one week spent in paramilitary army training called Gadna.[1] The Eastern Europe/Israel Pilgrimage consists of exploring the history and cultures of Poland, the Czech Republic, and Berlin for two weeks and spending the remaining four weeks touring Israel. The trip's itinerary before 2008 included Hungary instead of Lithuania.[2] This summer they will be going to Germany instead of Lithuania or Hungary. The Italy/Israel Pilgrimage consists of one week touring prominent historical locations in Italy and then four weeks touring Israel.[3] The Israel Pilgrimage/Poland Seminar consists of nine days touring prominent Jewish locations, former Jewish communities, and Nazi concentration camps in Poland before spending four weeks touring Israel. Past groups have visited Sobibor, Majdanek, Auschwitz, Birkenau, Treblinka, Warsaw, Kraków, Lublin, Kielce, and many others.[4] Etgar! Outdoor Adventure: Israel is a five-week program that goes beyond the souvenir stands to discover the Israeli side of Israel, combining volunteer work with challenging nature hikes in the Galilee, Golan Heights, and the Negev.[5] USY on Wheels is a six and half-week bus tour across the United States and Canada, which visits different Jewish communities and tourist attractions across America, including the Grand Canyon, Disneyland, Mount Rushmore, and many others.[6] In Mission Mitzvah, participants engage in community service projects and social action.[7] Summer in the City is a co-ed, four week pre-college program that takes place in New York City. The USYers live in the List College dorm. Participants choose a class to take at Barnard College in the morning with students participating in Barnard's Pre-College Program and the entire group takes a class at the Jewish Theological Seminary in the afternoon. In the evenings and on weekends, the group enjoys New York activities such as a New York Yankees game, a Broadway show and visits to museums. The group spends one weekend at the New Jersey shore.[8]
USY High is an eight-week program in which high schoolers (juniors and seniors) live at the Israel Goldstein Youth Village in Jerusalem, studying and exploring Israel. In the campus classroom, participants are introduced chronologically to each historical period. Campus class time is interspersed with time experiencing the "classroom without walls" - the Land of Israel. Participants learn in an ancient cave, a mountain fortress, an army bunker, riding on a camel, or at the beach. It is the sister program of Tichon Ramah Yerushalaim (TRY), which is done by Ramah. TRY is seventeen weeks long and is for sophomores and juniors.[9]
The Nativ College Leadership Program in Israel is a 9-month program in Israel for recent high school graduates. Participants go on trips around Israel, attend leadership seminars and study at either Hebrew University, ulpan, or the Conservative Yeshiva (aligned with the Masorti movement in Israel). Participants also choose between living on a kibbutz (specifically, Kibbutz Sa'ad or Kibbutz Ein Tzurim) or living and volunteering in a developing community such as Yerucham or Karmiel.[10]
There are six officers on the International Executive Board (IEB). These USYers are responsible for the executive leadership of the organization. They are elected to one year terms at the yearly International Convention. The 2012 Leadership is as follows:[11]
Each Executive Vice President comprises a committee or general board of chair-people (otherwise known as the International General Board or "IGB" for short). The responsibilities of the chair-people are determined by the respective board members each year. IGB members serve one year terms, and are appointed by each International Executive Board member. The 2011 IGB is as follows:
Jessica Schwartz (Pinwheel)
Tobi Rosenzweig (Farwest)
Ryan Sherman (Seaboard)
Jordan Brandt (Seaboard)
Joshua Seed (ECRUSY)
Max Bartell (METNY)
Mindy Fliegelman (Hagalil)
Rebecca Richman (Hagesher)
Claire Peaceman (CHUSY)
Max Winn (Hanegev)
Kayla Soskin (New Frontier)
Aaron Freeman (CHUSY)
Elijah Price (SWUSY)
Jonah Eisen (ECRUSY)
Dani Leopold (EPA)
Elias Strober-Horowitz (METNY)
¹Kadima (translated literally as "forward") is the middle school age affiliate of USY and USCJ.[12]
Regional and Chapter Executive Boards generally mirror these positions.
The USY office in New York, NY is home to the professional leadership of USY which collaborates with the above USY officers. They have greater responsibilities in summer programs, Nativ and long-term planning. Jules Gutin is currently the International Director of USY.[13]
International Convention, also referred to as IC, is a yearly gathering of over 900 USYers from across North America in a different city each year. They gather for study sessions, specialty club meetings, Summer Program reunions (see above) and socializing. The new officers of United Synagogue Youth are also elected at this time. The convention takes place in December, and the 2011 convention is in Philadelphia, PA.
The 2011 IC Co-Chairs are:
The Heschel Honor Society is a club for USY members of secular and religious academic excellence. The club is named after Abraham Joshua Heschel. Members meet during regional conventions to discuss topics that Heschel wrote about. The Heschel Honor society holds an annual convention in March.
Hechalutzim is a club for USY members interested in Israel affairs and Religious Zionism. Members of Hechalutzim convene for regional weekends and special programs. In addition, a delegate from each region is sent to Israel with the Hechalutzim Israel Seminar.
The 613 Mitzvah Corps is a social action club involved in Jewish and community affairs.
The official alumni association for all Conservative Movement Programs including USY is Project Reconnect.
Matthew Patton Talia Browdy Josh Zucker Alex Levy Dakota Levy Joryn West Gina Murphey
Project Reconnect includes groups for USY Regions, Nativ, Pilgrimage and Wheels Groups.
Hebrew: הגשר, "The bridge" Philadelphia area, Main Line, Brynmawr, South Jersey. Hagesher.org
In the fictional blog A Day in the life of the Mac-Attack written by BlogSpot User The Jewish Blogger, the protagonists are all involved in fictional West Coast USY.
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