USCJ eNews: The United Synagogue Electronic Bulletin
In This Issue:
United Synagogue Welcomes Our New Executive Vice President - On July 1, we welcomed our new executive vice president and chief executive officer, Rabbi Steven C. Wernick.
CJ Wins Two Rockower Awards - CJ: Voices of of Conservative/Masorti Judaism won two American Jewish Press Assocation Rockower Awards. Justice & Judaism: Community Organizing in the Conservative Movement by Daniel May and Peter Drier won second place for excellence in feature writing, and When It Doesn’t Work by Joanne Palmer won first place in the personal essay category.
New Jersey’s Conference on Synagogue Education - In June, our New Jersey region held a conference on synagogue education that drew more than 75 participants from New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania, and it was covered in depth by local Jewish media, including the New Jersey Jewish News.
Raysheet Graduates - These 12 high-school seniors from USY’s Hagalil – New Jersey – region graduated from the intensive eight-hour leadership training program called Raysheet.
New Midwest Region President - Karen Kesner, at left, was re-elected president of United Synagogue Midwest region and Rachel Russo was named president-elect at the region’s annual meeting. The region also recognized nine congregations with the new Chana Rosen z"l Synagogue Excellence award.
Camp Hazak - About one hundred members of Hazak, our group for people 55 and older, came from as far away as Texas, Kansas, and Florida to join others from Maryland, New York, New Jersey, and Virginia for a weeklong retreat at the Block and Hexter Vacation Center in Poyntelle, Pennsylvania.
News from the Pacific Northwest - The newsletter from our Pacific Northwest region includes pictures and updates from the successful Shabbaton held there in June.
Meet Us in Cherry Hill! - Show. Tell. Meet. Think. Hear. Be heard. Involve. Be involved. Honor. Be honored. Celebrate. Dream. Join us in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, from December 6 through 10, and live and learn and grow with us.
Webinar on Congregation-Building - The next United Synagogue webinar, this one focusing on how to build a spiritually compelling congregation for the high holy days and then on into the year, is set for Wednesday, August 5, from 8:30 to 9:15 p.m. The webinar, featuring Rabbi Moshe Edelman, is open to member synagogues’ membership committee chairs who are subscribed to our membership listserv. For information email Miriam Benson.
Koach Welcomes Interns - Koach, our program for college students, named 12 interns for the coming school year, representing colleges across North America. The interns are responsible for Koach programming, including social, religious, and social action activities, and ongoing study. They will meet for training next month at the Pearlstone Conference and Retreat Center in Reisterstown, Maryland.
Kesharim Independent Minyan Partnership - The Kesharim committee is offering grants to independent minyanim partnering with United Synagogue congregations or regions. Applications are due August 1.
Sustainability - Our social action commission offers some Jewish ways to sustain the earth, both at home and at the office.
Green Summer - Some Conservative synagogues are joining other shuls to share the bounties of their gardens with people in need through community-supported agriculture programs. Hazon calls the program Tuv Ha’Aretz.
We Need Your Art! - We are pleased to announce, once again, the annual contest for photographs for our calendar. Somehow Rosh Hashanah 5770 is just a few months away, and we are starting the search for art for United Synagogue calendar for 5771. We know that your shuls are beautiful. Please photograph them and send them to us. The deadline is September 31.
Early Childhood Educators’ Dinner - Join other United Synagogue early childhood directors for dinner and discussion in Washington, DC, on November 18, during the NAEYC convention.
2009 International Biennial Convention - United Synagogue’s biennial convention, where leaders from across the continent gather to learn, study, network, share, and grow as Conservative Jews, is set for December 6 through 10 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. We’ll keep you updated as our plans develop.
Hazak Goes to Israel - Hazak, for people 55 and older, is going on its annual trip to Israel from January 17 to 28, 2010.
Boot Camp for New Presidents - Sulam, our intensive training program for new synagogue presidents and vice presidents, will meet twice this year as always, but in new venues. Sulam 36 is set for March 4 through 7 at the American Jewish University Conference Center in Los Angeles, and Sulam 37 will be at the Pearlstone Conference and Retreat Center in Reisterstown, Maryland. In acknowledgement of the new economic realities, the price has been reduced. Email Rabbi Moshe Edelman for information.
Hazak Goes to Camp - Hazak, for people 55 and older, invites you to camp at Block and Hexter Vacation Center Center in Poyntelle, Pennsylvania, for a week of fun, friends, music, learning, and food, from June 30 to July 7, 2010. Email Jo-Anne Tucker-Zemlak for more information or a reservation.
Kosher cooking doesn’t have to be heavy. Famous kosher chef Suzie Fishbein offers many new, lighter recipes for lighter, just-as-delicious-as-ever Jewish food in Kosher By Design Lightens Up. $27.
Wine and Cheese at Fuchsberg - All United Synagogue members who will be in Israel on Sunday, July 5, are invited to United Synagogue’s Fuchsberg Jerusalem Center from 6 to 7 p.m. for a wine and cheese reception.
United Synagogue Tallit - You can celebrate a simcha by giving your synagogue president – or treating yourself! – to a personalized United Synagogue tallit, with United Synagogue’s logo, your name, and, if you like, your synagogue’s logo.
- Take advantage of free Internet hosting services to affiliated synagogues, USY chapters and afternoon/day schools
- Got two minutes? Get some Torah! Enjoy our weekly podcast and sign up for email alerts. www.koach.org
The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism
Rapaport House
820 Second Avenue, New York NY 10017
212.533.7800
info@uscj.org
