NCSY (formerly known as the National Conference of Synagogue Youth
) is a
Jewish youth group under the auspices of the
Orthodox Union
The Orthodox Union (abbreviated OU) is one of the largest Orthodox Jewish organizations in the United States. Founded in 1898, the OU supports a network of synagogues, youth programs, Jewish and Religious Zionist advocacy programs, programs fo ...
. Its operations include Jewish-inspired after-school programs; summer programs in Israel, Europe, and the United States; weekend programming,
shabbatons, retreats, and regionals; Israel advocacy training; and disaster relief missions known as
chesed
( he, חֶסֶד, also Romanized: ) is a Hebrew word that means 'kindness or love between people', specifically of the devotional piety of people towards God as well as of love or mercy of God towards humanity. It is frequently used in Psalms i ...
(kindness) trips.
[''NCSY Background'', Orthodox Union, 2000](_blank)
NCSY also has an alumni organization on campuses across North America. Over the past several decades, NCSY has been the subject of two child sexual abuse scandals involving chapter advisors and directors. NCSY, and its parent organization, the
Orthodox Union
The Orthodox Union (abbreviated OU) is one of the largest Orthodox Jewish organizations in the United States. Founded in 1898, the OU supports a network of synagogues, youth programs, Jewish and Religious Zionist advocacy programs, programs fo ...
, say that they have taken significant steps to address such abuse from an organizational standpoint.
History
In 1959, NCSY hired Rabbi
Pinchas Stolper as the first National Director in the United States.
During the social upheavals of the 1960s and 1970s, the Orthodox youth of NCSY opposed social change, choosing instead to emphasize religious tradition.
In this period, at least one NCSY chapter took public action on this point, passing a resolution rejecting marijuana and other drugs as a violation of Jewish law.
At the 1971 NCSY international convention, delegates passed resolutions in this vein, calling for members to "forge a social revolution with Torah principles."
According to the Orthodox sociologist Chaim Waxman, there has been an increase in
Haredi
Haredi Judaism ( he, ', ; also spelled ''Charedi'' in English; plural ''Haredim'' or ''Charedim'') consists of groups within Orthodox Judaism that are characterized by their strict adherence to ''halakha'' (Jewish law) and traditions, in oppos ...
influence on NCSY since 2012. Waxman based this on NCSY's own sociological self-study.
[Nathalie Friedman, Faithful Youth: A Study of the National Conference of Synagogue Youth (New York: National Conference of Synagogue Youth, 1998).]
See also
*
Orthodox Union
The Orthodox Union (abbreviated OU) is one of the largest Orthodox Jewish organizations in the United States. Founded in 1898, the OU supports a network of synagogues, youth programs, Jewish and Religious Zionist advocacy programs, programs fo ...
, the sponsoring organization of NCSY
*
KEDMA Orthodox Jewish student groups exist at many secular colleges and universities in the diaspora, especially in the United States, Canada, and Europe.
History
At some points in history there were umbrella organization that united Orthodox students ...
, an Orthodox college outreach group
*
United Synagogue Youth, the youth group of
Conservative Judaism
Conservative Judaism, known as Masorti Judaism outside North America, is a Jewish religious movement which regards the authority of ''halakha'' (Jewish law) and traditions as coming primarily from its people and community through the generati ...
*
National Federation of Temple Youth, the youth movement of
Reform Judaism
Reform Judaism, also known as Liberal Judaism or Progressive Judaism, is a major Jewish denomination that emphasizes the evolving nature of Judaism, the superiority of its ethical aspects to its ceremonial ones, and belief in a continuous sear ...
*
Young Judaea, the pluralist Zionist
youth movement
The following is a list of youth organizations. A youth organization is a type of organization with a focus upon providing activities and socialization for minors. In this list, most organizations are international unless noted otherwise.
...
of
Hadassah
*
BBYO
BBYO (formerly ''B'nai B'rith Youth Organization Inc.'') is a Jewish teen movement, organized as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and headquartered in Washington, D.C. The organization is intended to build the identity of Jewish teens and offer l ...
, the leading non-denominational Jewish youth movement
*
Bnei Akiva
Bnei Akiva ( he, בְּנֵי עֲקִיבָא, , "Children of Akiva") is the largest religious Zionist youth movement in the world, with over 125,000 members in 42 countries. It was first established in Mandatory Palestine in 1929.
History ...
*
Pinchas Stolper
*
Aryeh Kaplan
References
External links
National Conference of Synagogue Youth Official website
{{Jewish Youth and Student Organisations, state=collapsed
Jewish youth organizations
Modern Orthodox Judaism in the United States
Youth conferences
Orthodox Jewish outreach
Youth organizations based in the United States