United Synagogue July News

Happening


CoJac - Drawing on its tradition of scholarship and halakhic insight, the Conservative movement offers a distinctive look at social and political issues. Drawing on that background, the Conservative Jewish Action Center provides information, resources, and texts as we look at Darfur, the environment, and immigration.
Koach and Taglit-birthright israel go to Israel - Registration opens September 10 for a Koach / Taglit-birthright israel trip to Israel for 18- to 26-year-olds who have never been on a peer trip to Israel. The virtually free trip is under the auspices of the Conservative movment and provided through Koach, United Synagogue's group for college students. Email to be on the Taglit-birthright israel/Koach mailing list.

Get Out the Vote - The Get Out the Vote 2008 guide is designed to help Jewish organizations conduct voter registration drives.

United Synagogue Welcomes New Consultant for Synagogue Education - As we say goodbye to Serene Victor, who worked as our North American consultant for synagogue education for 10 years, and created such programs as our New Directors’ Institute, we welcome Susan Wyner of Cleveland to our education department.

Staying In Touch With Students - Summer is the perfect time for your congregational leaders to begin to compile your college students’ email addresses – and it’s also the perfect time to help keep them connected to the Conservative movement through Koach. When you forward their addresses to koach.org we can send them Koach’s monthly enews, give them the link to Koach’s ezine, and email them information about conferences, programs, and other events and items that would interest Jewish college students. We do not share your lists with anyone else. If you have any question, please email Koach.

Next Step Newsletter - United Syngogue’s three-times-yearly newsletter, The Next Step, is now posted in two formats; the pdf allows you to print out a newsletter and bulletin editors can cut and paste from the text format.


Lech Lekha - When a family’s children go off to college the family dynamic changes; such a major lifecycle event calls for a ceremony both to mark and to celebrate it. Koach, United Synagogue’s department of college outreach, has developed Lekh Lekha, a ceremony that franes this exciting and challenging time in a religious context. Email for a pdf or hard copy.

Homage To The Six Million - Because of our upcoming move, United Synagogue is selling some copies of a limited edition lithograph by Michael Schwartz, Homage to the Six Million (photo at left). The 26” by 37” unframed print, which originally sold for $400, now is available for $275. Call Flora Camhi at 212 533-7800, ext. 2400, or email her.





Family Education Initiative - Rabbi Yafet Alemu, the first Ethiopian Israeli to be ordained a Conservative rabbi, fills us in on some of his activities in June; those activities include a trip to our Seaboard region and a graduation from a Family Education Initiative program.


Hazak’s Summer Vacation - In June, 120 members of Hazak, United Synagogue’s organization for people 55 and older, came from up and down the east coast, from New York to Florida, to the Block and Hexter Vacation Center in Pennsylvania for the annual retreat. YouTube’s got it covered. The next one is set for June 10 to 17, 2009. For information, email Jo-Anne Tucker-Zemlak or Arlene Corsover.


Israeli Consular Officials Meet at Fuchsberg - Some of Israel’s newly appointed consular officials meet with Rabbi Paul Freedman, director of United Synagogue’s Israel Commission, at the Fuchsberg Jerusalem Center, where Rabbi Freedman introduced them to the Conservative/Masorti movement.