Why marry Jewish?

I got into a conversation with my friend the other day about marrying Jewish and conversion...I have always been brought up with the subtle suggestion by my grandparents my parents that marrying Jewish was a good idea; it ensures the survival of the Jewish people and is a source of common ground in a relationship. They also preached that conversion was a totally viable option. But really, if Judaism to me is a set of values and traditions, why is intermarriage such a big deal? If a couple decides to live a moral life, why do I care if they share the label of "Jew"? I'd rather the basic principles of the Torah and the moral values it teaches (respect and love for all things, resistance to oppression, charity) reach out to the rest of the world than continue a direct line of pure-blood Judaism. That is, I don't care what you label yourself (Christian, Jewish, Atheist etc) or if the labels disappear entirely in the end as long as you are living a moral life...Opinions?

Who was your Jewish Ledaer Role Models?

As a young child my favorite place in our Temple in New Jersey was not my preschool or Hebrew school classroom, but the mail boxes. They were a set of white shelves, with a plastic case on top that held the board members’ name tags. I know a lot of you are thinking why would a replica of a Staples’ display become the heart of my Judaism? Well every time my parents and I entered Temple, they both had to check their mail. My parents for as long as I can remember were active in Temple. They weren’t the most knowledgeable, or the most observant, but they were strong leaders. My mom sat on the Religious School Committee and chaired the Children’s Worship Committee. She organized family retreats to near by camps, set up parallel services for the youth during the high holy days, and planned the second night sedar at our Temple. My dad was co-chair of the Social Action Committee, and organized the Temple’s first Mitzvah Day. He later sat on the Executive Board.
From a young age, I learned about the importance of giving back. I realized how important it was to help make one’s community better. Our Temple was home, some of my family’s closet friends are from my first preschool class at the age of 2. I followed in my parents footsteps. After we moved to Maryland, I wanted to give back to my Temple and my Jewish community. People come up to me and say, “You seem like a natural leader,” but really I attribute it to my parents.
Albert Bandura’s Observational Learning Theory states that if a child observes an action they will do it also. I watched my parents work with others, like deciding on who would sleep at the homeless shelter over Christmas, or how many matzah balls each volunteer would have to make. I saw them organize information, type minutes, and create spread sheets.
My parents are my model for Jewish leadership. You don’t have to be clergy, or the president of the federation or temple to become active. In fact, I believe it is congregants like my parents that help to create the home feeling that many of us feel at our temples. Not to state a cliché, but I would not be here today if it weren’t for my parents’ model of Jewish Leadership.

advantages/threats to our generation of leadership

What is unique about your generation of Jewish teens and their capacity for leadership? What are the unique challenges of your generation of Jewish teenagers and how do you think they should respond?
As teenagers in the twenty first century, we have been provided with unique opportunities like no other generation has been given before. Yet, living in today’s age also causes us to face new threats and challenges as leaders. The capacity for leadership in my generation is exemplified by each and every honoree here today. All of us have taken advantage of the programming created by the previous generation which started such programs to ensure that the future of the Jewish community would be in good hands. The range of our involvement varies from volunteering internationally, starting non-profit organizations, teaching at Hebrew schools, leading ASSOCIATED committees and much more.
Although we have all taken initiative to get involved, we could not have done it without the resources and assistance from our parents, mentors, and community leaders. The people in our Jewish community are so willing to build young leaders because eventually it will be up to us to continue leading this thriving Jewish community. This concept of including teenagers in typically adult roles is new and catching on in today’s age. In fact many of today’s leaders leaders were never involved as teenagers. For example, once I attended a leadership meeting with Marc Terrill, president of the ASSOCIATED. He explained how astounded and impressed he was with our accomplishments since he had never participated in any Jewish leadership roles as a teenager. If the ASSOCIATED has been able to flourish under his presidency, imagine its capabilities when we become lay leaders.
However, living in today’s world also forces us to face threats from assimilation, terrorism, and missionary groups like Jews for Jesus. The constant temptation to assimilate within American society attributes to the loss of many prospective leaders of our community. Hopefully, with the addition of Jewish Day Schools, on-campus Hillels, summer camps, youth organizations, and other programming, Jewish children and teenagers will be inclined to stay in our community. Terrorism poses a threat to all Jews. By becoming Congressmen or otherwise politically involved in American foreign affairs, we can assist in the effort to annihilate terrorism. Also, through our support and contributions to AIPAC, American Israel Public Affairs committee, we can help to root out terrorism in Israel and all around the world. The last threat, Jews for Jesus, is why we are all here today. According to their website, they “exist to make the messiahship of Jesus an unavoidable issue to our Jewish people worldwide.”
By standing on street corners, handing out pamphlets, and preaching that they can “save” Jews, Jews for Jesus is converting more Jews every day. This is the reason that it is crucial for organizations like Jews for Judaism to exist. With the information provided by Jews for Judaism, Jews can be educated about the ways in which Jews for Jesus manipulates the Torah’s language to target Jews and respond intelligently to their missionary attempts. By encouraging the growth of counter-missionary organizations like Jews for Judaism, we can be sure that our future Jewish leaders will not succumb to the pressure by Jews for Jesus.
-Erika

Keep It Up

Golda Meir once said, “I can honestly say that I was never affected by the question of the success of an undertaking. If I felt it was the right thing to do, I was for it regardless of the possible outcome.” My name is Nicole Siegel and I am the proud founder and chair of Howard County’s Teen Campaign. I am 16 years old and a rising junior at River Hill High School. When I was in 8th grade I was a member of Baltimore’s Teen Campaign. While Baltimore was full of success and wonderful leaders, I wanted to create a successful organization in Howard County. I have always been active in my Jewish community and I wanted the Jewish teens in Howard County to have a non profit organization that they could benefit from. I brought the idea to my parents and they thought it was a good idea. Last summer my father and I had a meeting with Howard County’s Executive board member of Federation, Avrum Weiss. He absolutely loved the idea! With hard planning during the summer I had created Howard County’s Teen Campaign.

My board consisted of about eight members. We met once a month to talk about topics from tzduckah to different charities we could donate money to. Everything was going well when the idea of us putting on a family fundraiser was crushed. As a result of many Jewish holidays around the corner we could not find time to put on a successful fundraiser. One of my board members said that she had attended a memorial havdallah service and there was a photo banner to remember the boy that had died. When she had told the board that story we began brain storming of ideas that could work. Finally, with many ideas we created a “Happy 60th Birthday Israel” banner. We charged $1 per signature and $5 per message. Our proceeds went to the Koby Mandel foundation and Jewish Nation Fund to restore water and tree’s in Israel. We released our banner at the annual Purim carnival in Howard County, and then it grew to travel throughout the community. In late November, the board of Federation is going to bring our banner to Israel, for it to be marched in honor of Israel’s birthday.

In five years I will be 21 and hopefully graduating college. I hope to see my Jewish community stronger than ever. I hope that the first year of Howard County Teen Campaign inspires the teens of Howard County to remain active after their Bnai mitzvah. Many of the members of my board not only belong to Jewish clubs at their school, but they are active in their Bnai Brith Youth Organization chapters. Golda Meir did whatever she felt was right for the Jewish community, whether it was successful or not, she never let the Jewish people down. In my generation now, it is our job, and it should be our passion to remain Jewish. It should be our job and passion to do anything to help our fellow Jews. In five years my vision I hope to see is Jewish teens fighting for board positions in their chapter, fighting over what Jewish organization to donate money to, fighting to remember their Jewish identity.

With out any of this being possible I would like to thank Baltimore’s Teen Campaign. You all inspired me to create this successful organization for my Jewish community. I also would like to thank Avrum Weiss because without him Teen Campaign would not exist. And of course, I would like to thank my parents and my brother Lyle. My family has been not only supportive, but they have been a huge help. My dad was an advisor to my board and my mother chimed in whenever she had advice or a good idea. My brother was one of my board members as well and helped me get numerous signatures. Lastly, I would like to thank my board, who never gave up even when we had no ideas. Each and every one of you contributed in various ways and I could not be more thankful to have such an astounding group of teens to work with. I would also like to thank our MC for the day, Mark Shiffer and his brother David for being here today. They are active members of my board who were just amazing. And of course I would like to thank my dear friend and fellow honoree Steffi Sass. While she was a senior, president of our chapter, and many other tasks, she came to many meetings and supported me and this organization. Thank you.

It's What You Make of It

What role does Israel play in the life of Jewish teens living in America?

Five thousand eight hundred and eighty miles from where we are right now lies a country stifled by fights, controversy, and emotions. It is a place laden with political strife and a myriad of sentiments, yet equally imbued with religious attachment, rich culture, and a diverse people. It is a country that covers only eight thousand square miles, yet contains some of the most unique, expansive, and extensive landscapes and attractions in the world. It is a place where seven and a half million people have permanent residence, and more than two million people go to visit each year. It is Israel.

For Jewish teens across the world, Israel is a place that allows for an individual to connect themselves to a greater whole. There are those who see Israel as the ultimate expression of God's connection with our people, a catalyst to the beginning of Messiah's era. Others see it as a country whose unique food, people, songs, and language can help unify Jews across the world if only given the right amount of attention. Many Jews only see Israel as an associated embarrassment; always creating a ruckus in the media and making it kinda difficult for Jews to get along in this world. And then there are those who are ambivalent to the whole Israel thing, knowing that it might mean something to them if they cared enough to investigate.

But the key to a connection with Israel is not based on whether you support the government's decision to go to war or get a warm fuzzy feeling when someone sings Hatikvah. It doesn't matter if you believe that the land is a divine inheritance as per the Torah, or whether you simply love the taste of a fresh falafel. You could not know the Alef Bet or speak Hebrew fluently, know its history cold, or not have the slightest interest in the State - and still have an automatic stake and connection to Israel - simply because you are Jewish.

What makes Israel so vital to the survival of the Jewish people is that it is so accessible. Everywhere a Jew turns, he can find something that connects him to Israel. Nowadays, a teen can flip through the channels on their TV and stumble across a CNN special, or be browsing the internet and notice a pro-Israel Facebook group. It could be a quick glance at any issue of Newsweek, or the sweet taste of a Jaffa orange. Hebrew school discussions and explicative readings of the Tanach. Remembering that Natalie Portman is Israeli or going on that coveted free Birthright trip to Israel. Whatever it may be, young Jews have Israel at their fingertips. And this continued and easy accessibility is the ultimate catalyst to connect young Jews to their faith - whatever its specifics may be. For Jewish teens living in American, the aformentioned connections to Israel help evoke the thoughts, feelings, and beliefs that are our Judaism. Their continued perpetuation through the omnipresence of Israeli-stuff in our lives helps propel us further in our personal goals as Jews - in our faith, in our practice, and in our growth.

So when it comes to Israel, you don't need to conscribe to any particular tenets or beliefs. It doesn't need to be your favorite place in the world, and you don't have to feel the need to move there. But whatever your views may be, know that Israel serves to help unite Jewish people of all types, and our exposure to its studies, its biblical origins, its culture, its controversy, its people, and its news allow us to stregnthen our own connection to our heritage. Whatever you believe and whatever you want to use it for, Israel is always there for you. It is accessible, it is available, and it is ours.

"L'dor v' dor" with a twist

If there is one unifying concept in Judaism, it is our need to survive as a people. Throughout the ages our enemies have sought to destroy us, but each time we survived as a people. In order to insure continued Jewish survival we need to do more than simply defeat our enemies. We have to preserve our culture from within for future generations.
My feeling Jewish is not based upon my parents experiences. My Jewish identity comes from having had my own experiences as a Jewish person in a Jewish culture. Similarly my children will not feel themselves to be Jewish based upon my experiences. They will need to have their own experiences of being Jewish in a Jewish community. This is the concept of “l’dor v’ dor.” From one generation to the next, we remain a unified people.
If we agree on the concept of unity as a people, what are the essential experiences for each Jewish child to have? For Jewish baby boys the first Jewish experience is clearly defined. He enters the covenant passively, usually crying, at the time of his brit milah. For girls it’s easier. She only has to receive a name. For many Jewish children the next Jewish experience is when they become a Bar or Bat Mitzvah. Is this enough to maintain the unity of the Jewish people?
If we are to survive as a people than each new generation must experience Judaism in their lives on a daily basis. If Judaism is not brought into the lives of Jewish children, then we will cease to be a unified people and our enemies will have their way-- we will disappear from the face of the earth.
What do we need to pass from generation to generation in order for our people to stay unified? Food…very important. Every Jewish child needs to know how to eat. As a baby, my first solid food was gifiltah fish, mashed and mixed with rice cereal. (pause briefly) matzo ball soup, latkies, gefilte fish, lox and bagels and sweet noodle kugel. These are foods which create memories. They are associated with the traditions and holidays of our community. Psychologist tell us that smell is the strongest trigger of memory. I will always carry with me the aroma of my grandmother’s matzo ball soup which became the aroma of my mother’s matzo ball soup, and which will fragrance my kitchen when I make it for my own children.
“Why teach Hebrew?” is a question Jewish parents often ask. It’s not very useful, it’s only spoken in Israel, and there’s plenty of transliteration in the prayer books. Why teach Hebrew? Because knowledge of Hebrew bonds and unifies the Jewish people. It is our language.
Unity also comes from community involvement. If children observe their parents engaged in acts of loving kindness within the Jewish community, such as celebrating with bride and groom, visiting the sick, and visiting those sitting shiva, then they will embrace the values of our tradition and their own Jewish identity will be strengthened.
So it’s easy…if the Jewish community agrees that it is important to remain unified, then we have to act Jewishly. We have to raise our children Jewishly. We have to live … Jewishly.

Where are the Jewish people strongly unified? Where

If there is one unifying concept in Judaism, it is our need to survive as a people. Throughout the ages our enemies have sought to destroy us, but each time we survived as a people. In order to insure continued Jewish survival we need to do more than simply defeat our enemies. We have to preserve our culture from within for future generations.
My feeling Jewish is not based upon my parents experiences. My Jewish identity comes from having had my own experiences as a Jewish person in a Jewish culture. Similarly my children will not feel themselves to be Jewish based upon my experiences. They will need to have their own experiences of being Jewish in a Jewish community. This is the concept of “l’dor v’ dor.” From one generation to the next, we remain a unified people.
If we agree on the concept of unity as a people, what are the essential experiences for each Jewish child to have? For Jewish baby boys the first Jewish experience is clearly defined. He enters the covenant passively, usually crying, at the time of his brit milah. For girls it’s easier. She only has to receive a name. For many Jewish children the next Jewish experience is when they become a Bar or Bat Mitzvah. Is this enough to maintain the unity of the Jewish people?
If we are to survive as a people than each new generation must experience Judaism in their lives on a daily basis. If Judaism is not brought into the lives of Jewish children, then we will cease to be a unified people and our enemies will have their way-- we will disappear from the face of the earth.
What do we need to pass from generation to generation in order for our people to stay unified? Food (pause)…very important. Every Jewish child needs to know how to eat. As a baby, my first solid food was gifiltah fish, mashed and mixed with rice cereal. (pause briefly) matzo ball soup, latkies, gefilte fish, lox and bagels and sweet noodle kugel. These are foods which create memories. They are associated with the traditions and holidays of our community. Psychologist tell us that smell is the strongest trigger of memory. I will always carry with me the aroma of my grandmother’s matzo ball soup which became the aroma of my mother’s matzo ball soup, and which will fragrance my kitchen when I make it for my own children.
“Why teach Hebrew?” is a question Jewish parents often ask. It’s not very useful, it’s only spoken in Israel, and there’s plenty of transliteration in the prayer books. Why teach Hebrew? Because knowledge of Hebrew bonds and unifies the Jewish people. It is our language.
Unity also comes from community involvement. If children observe their parents engaged in acts of loving kindness within the Jewish community, such as celebrating with bride and groom, visiting the sick, and visiting those sitting shiva, then they will embrace the values of our tradition and their own Jewish identity will be strengthened.
So it’s easy (pause)…if the Jewish community agrees that it is important to remain unified, then we have to act Jewishly. We have to raise our children Jewishly. We have to live (pause)… Jewishly.