Photos:
1) NFTY kids enjoying a dance at the December conference at　Eisner　Camp, Great Barrington, Mass.
2) NFTY group after working on a project making hearts for the Newtown, Conn. community

NFTY youth outshine the elements at seasonal gathering

Mood remains warm at its December Institute despite frigid temperatures

By Susie Davidson

Special to the Advocate

Though the wind was whipping during the season’s first snowstorm, the mood could not have been warmer or more exuberant in Great Barrington at the Northeast Federation of Temple Youth (NFTY-NE) December Institute.

Held from Dec. 26-30 at the Union for Reform Judaism’s　Eisner　Camp, the winter gathering brought together　170 New England kids and 30 staff members　for five days of study, spirituality, socializing, and song. From all accounts, it was a rousing success.

“It is incredible to watch how people walk into a NFTY event and leave everything at the door, ready to embrace anyone who wants to join us,” said attendee Mallory Cohen, a 12th-grader and member of Temple Beth Am in Framingham. She said that her favorite segment was the “closing circle” each night. “We　sang songs with our arms wrapped around each other, and read mitzvot that we　recognized throughout the day, highlighting the good in every participant there,” she said.

“My favorite part of ‘Instiute’ was definitly　t'filah,” said Emily Levine, a 12th-grader from Mansfield who is the president of NFTY-NE, acknowledging that a love of worship probably sounded a bit strange coming from a teenager. “But NFTY services are so special and different,” she said. “We use　so many　different melodies, and　I feel so connected to the prayers when the whole region comes together and　sounds so　beautiful singing them.” Each service, she explained, is written by someone different, and each one has its own theme.　

NFTY-NE, one of the North American Federation of Temple Youth (NFTY)’s 19 North American youth regions, is comprised of approximately 720 high-school-aged members from 50 Temple Youth Groups (TYGs) from the New England states, upstate New York and Montreal, who meet several times per year at regional cities and camps. Their events stress fun, learning, worship, and community service, with the goal of fostering lifetime friendships and ties to Reform Judaism.　Eisner　and Crane Lake in West Stockbridge are URJ’s two Northeast Region camps, catering to campers between the ages of 7 and 17 (Eisner, established in 1958, also has day sessions for campers between 3 and 8 years of age).

According to　Rachel Schein, interim advisor for NFTY-NE, the Institute's theme was LifeCycles. "During their programming, participants discussed topics　relevant　to growth and development, all through a Jewish lens," she said. These included childhood and the difficulties of adolescence, and did not exclude discourse on the end of life and creating memories. During a program based on NFTY's Social Action theme of this year, "R'fuat Hanefesh: NFTY addresses mental health," the kids learned about schizophrenia and homelessness. "The teen leadership did an incredible job of writing and carrying out the programs, and all participants engaged in meaningful and exciting activities," said Schein.

A NFTY-NE advisor since 2006, Schein served as Youth Director at Temple Sinai in Newington, Conn. for five years. For the last two years, she has been the Youth Program Coordinator at Beth El Temple Center in Belmont. She recently earned a doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of Hartford, where her dissertation on the creation of a mental health training program from youth workers stemmed from her work with NFTY-NE, and she is also a full-time clinician at Community HealthLink's Youth and Family Services in Worcester. Schein has been on the summer senior staff at　Eisner　Camp since 2008, and currently serves as the co-director of Camp Chazak, its program for campers with special needs that rotates between the two camps. "I　assumed　the role of　Interim　Regional Advisor for NFTY-NE on January 1, 2013, and am thrilled to be able to work with the teen leadership during this time of transition," she said. "I have been serving on faculty at institutes for the last seven years, and can say that there is nothing more special then spending five days with close to 200 teens, watching them explore their Judaism and issues that are so important to them, and forming lifelong friendships," she said.　

Schein said that the five-day　Institutes take place twice a year in the summer and winter at either　Eisner　or Crane Lake. "Institutes are planned and run by a team of juniors and seniors who serve as programming overalls, officers of the region, and prayer coordinators," she said, noting that the teens start planning the event three to four months in advance around a specific theme they have learned about from adult leaders.

"[Regarding LifeCyles,] We were able to recognize the changes we have gone through and will go through　during our lifetime, what influences the decisions we make, and the people we　ultimately become," said Cohen. "I experienced what a true community feels like as I built new　relationships and strengthened old friendships."

"There were six different teen-written programs on this theme, each of which explored a different stage in the Jewish life cycle, including birth, the Bar Mitzvah, marriage, and death," said　Michael Berkson, also a 12th-grader and member of Temple Beth Am. "Participants learned about the different moral and emotional changes that each of these stages represents, as well as how each stage works with the others to contribute to our identities," he said.　

"By exploring important Jewish milestones, as well as Jewish values and morals in terms of decision making,　we were able to look at our past and future through the eyes of Judaism,” said Levine.
　
NFTY Director　Subie　Banaszynski　flew in from her home in St. Louis for the Institute, and spent her time there with small groups and individuals. "Having the opportunity to meet in person with teens, youth professionals and staff is vital to our moving forward," she said. "I want to hear what people who live in this region think – what possibilities they see for the region, and how they would like to offer more entry points to Jewish life for teens," she said. Banaszynski, who holds　MSW and LCSW degrees,　commutes to the URJ offices in New York twice a month.　

Schein said that faculty, which include educators, advisors and clergy from throughout the region, offered sessions on topics that included leadership development, an exploration of mental health issues facing teens today, Jewish Henna, “Building the Temple” (teens actually created mini-wooden temples), challah making, exploring the future of NFTY-NE, packing for college, learning mussar, Jewish Sci-Fi, back pocket games, improv, and more. 　

On the second night, the regional board conducted their second board meeting of the year, where they honored outgoing regional advisor Rachel Mersky Woda with a lifetime membership to NFTY-NE. Teens spoke about NFTY programs, and the social action vice president spoke about NFTY-NE working closely with the leadership of Camp Chazak to integrate and create programming throughout the year. "The teen leaders also raised money for their scholarship fund through an auction and for Camp Chazak, through t-shirt sales," said Schein. In addition to writing daily services, the teens also held a dance party and talent show.

For many members, NFTY is a family tradition.　"I originally became involved in NFTY because of my mom," said Berkson. "She was a regional officer when she was in high school, and a chapter advisor after graduating college. Her passion rubbed off on me my entire life, so that I could not wait to join my temple youth group when I reached high school," he said.

"My sister was involved with NFTY before I was in high school, and she always had so　many great experiences to share with me," said Cohen. “She would come home from events as the　happiest teenager in the world, and the friends she made were so different than anyone　at home," she said. "When it was time for me to go to　high school, the thing that I loved most in the world was camp," she said, explaining that she has gone to Camp　Pembroke, a Jewish overnight camp, for two months every summer since she was nine. "My camp friends seemed like my sister’s NFTY friends," she said. "For me, joining NFTY was　a way to bring camp into the rest of my year."

Both are geared up for the　NFTY biennial convention set for　February 15-19 in Los Angeles. There,　teens across North America will take part in　workshops and programs on subjects including Responsibilities toward Others (this year's NFTY Study Theme), and Mental Health (this year's Social Action Theme). "I am very excited to join in song and prayer with hundreds of NFTYites from across the continent during the Jewish experience of a lifetime," said Berkson.　

"I am extremely excited to head to Los Angeles," echoed Cohen."There I will be with teens from all across the country participating　in social action projects and other programming.”

Levine has been　involved in the youth program at her temple since sixth grade, when she began attending the junior youth group events. "When I got to high school, joining NFTY seemed like the natural next step," she said. At first, she was a bit apprehensive. "However, once I arrived at my first event, the December Institute four years ago, I was pleasantly surprised at how welcoming everyone was," she said. "I felt like the people I met were genuinely happy to meet me, and slowly but surely, I fit right in."

Berkson is also very grateful. "I am blessed to be part of a community that is so genuine, respectful, intellectually curious, and unconditionally loving," he said. "It is this close-knit and holy community that keeps me coming back to every event," he added.

"There is nothing more exciting than being around 200 teens who are enthusiastic about Judaism," said NFTY Director　Banaszynski. "Attending the NFTY Northeast Winter Institute afforded me that opportunity.　Being on the road and being a part of the NFTY experience reminds me why I sit in my office and do the work that I do."