Baltimore, MD - Jan. 7, 2022 - Two years ago, Atlantic Seaboard’s Yaakov Shwekey was a night of tremendous joy, fun, and a wonderful community event! We could never have imagined at the time that it would be this long until NCSY’s next community event, where we could once again see our amazing supporters together celebrating Jewish music as one. Last year, NCSY’s virtual Melave Malka concert was a wonderful opportunity to enjoy music and create great memories with family, but it was not the same. It is with tremendous excitement that NCSY invites you to join its 47th Annual Isaac H. Taylor Jewish Music Festival at Beth Tfiloh, featuring performances from Beri Weber, Joey Newcomb, and Moshe Tischler. Despite the challenges of last year, NCSY has continued to flourish with Shabbatons, JSU clubs, learning programs, and more! Since this school year has begun, NCSY programs have seen over 500 teens from the Baltimore area.
NCSY aims to meet teens where they already are, with JSU Culture Clubs in eight public and secular private schools in the Baltimore area. JSU clubs combine food, fun, and Jewish learning to connect unaffiliated teens with their Jewish heritage. Teens have an opportunity to connect with their Judaism, learn about Jewish holidays and meet other Jewish teens in their own schools.
NCSY has also enhanced its programming for Jewish Day School teens, such as students of Beth Tfiloh’s high school, to create safe and uplifting opportunities for teens to make friends, develop relationships with advisors and engage with Judaism in a deeper way outside of their school curriculum. Programs for day school teens include Latte and Learning, where teens can enjoy each other’s company at Mama Leah’s once a week, and fellowship, a program where teens discuss a hot button topic related to current events through a Jewish lens.
In addition to co-ed programming for Day School teens, NCSY’s TYA program offers leadership training and a fun and safe outlet for Baltimore’s yeshiva boys. TYA is focused on empowering and inspiring Jewish teens. By creating innovative, inspirational and purposeful programming, TYA supplements long days of study with positive outlets for Baltimore’s boys. NCSY recently also had the opportunity to host its first Shabbaton since the onset of the pandemic. Over 70 teens from the Atlantic Seaboard region spent Shabbos in Brooklyn, NY, learning hospitality from families and meeting religious Jewish families while also having a lot of fun! “We view ourselves as opening the doors for teens to learn about their Judaism,” says Rabbi Jonah Lerner, Atlantic Seaboard NCSY Regional Director. “Every teen is different and benefits from the endless array of opportunities that Judaism offers. For some, it’s Shabbat, for others it’s a deeper connection to Israel through advocacy and travels, or a connection with staff members and advisors that empower them to take part in their Jewish tradition.” Over 1,400 Jewish teens went to Israel last year with NCSY, falling in love with the land and becoming more committed to its people. Of those, over 140 were local Atlantic Seaboard teens, showcasing that a large portion of NCSY’s reach and impact is right here in our backyard. “The mission of our programming in Baltimore is to connect every Jewish teen to their Judaism in their own way,” said Baltimore City Coordinator, Rabbi Mordi Spero. “Whether that connection is a love for Israel, a strong Jewish identity and pride in their heritage, or just being able to comfortably acknowledge their Judaism amongst their peers. As NCSYers continue to grow, they need your support. There are thousands of teens who have yet to be connected to Judaism in any real way. One way to help NCSY reach them and enjoy a special time is to join over 1,500 others who come out each year to support NCSY at the annual Isaac H. Taylor Jewish Music Festival. Join the movement that is Inspiring the Jewish Future! This year NCSY’s 47th Annual Isaac H. Taylor Jewish Music Festival will be held on January 23rd at Beth Tfiloh Congregation. It will feature the music of Beri Weber, Joey Newcomb, and Moshe Tischler. This concert is Atlantic Seaboard NCSY’s single largest fundraising event of the year and generates the support needed to guarantee that no Jewish child is ever denied the opportunity to experience the beauty of Torah. For more information, to become one of NCSY’s dedicated sponsors or to purchase tickets, please contact Atlantic Seaboard NCSY, at 410-358-6279, email atsconcert@ncsy.org, or visit the website: www.atsncsy.org/concert.
