yeshiva university • purim to-go • adar 5771 - YU Torah Online

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DON’T WRITE OFF THE NEXT GENERATIONBy Rabbi Kenneth BranderIt comes as no surprise that in a world where many neglectthe importance of community, iPhones, iPods, iMacs andiPads constantly and consistently appear as the trendiestgadgets. These devices represent a culture that desires todeconstruct the power and purpose of community, placingall importance on the needs of the individual.Despite this societal disposition, I believe the young peopleof this generation possess an ever-increasing eagerness tolive lives of meaning. With all the serious setbacks broughton by our new economic realities, the “Gen-Y” generationhas still had the opportunity to amass so much material stuffand travel with unprecedented frequency.Yet, they still feel hungry to live meaningful lives. Indeed,as just one example, the Yeshiva University Center for theJewish Future sends close to a thousand young adults onvarious service-learning experiences across the globe annuallyand cannot keep up with the demand on the part ofeven more students to participate. Organizations around thecountry that work with young adults have seen a similarphenomenon and are working in partnership to create structuresenabling all of us to respond to this yearning.In contrast to this vitality, we increasingly hear of grayerboardrooms, the passing of philanthropists who supportedour organizations, the thinning of the ranks of dedicatedvolunteers and a dearth of professionals to service our manyworthwhile organizations.So, how do we in the Jewish communal and educationalworld leverage the hunger of the Gen-Yers to insure thefuture health of our institutions? More importantly, how dowe ensure that this new generation brings its creativity,charisma and capacity to the leadership table with a commitmentto Jewish ideals, guaranteeing the perpetuation ofthe soul of our sacred community?We need look no further than service-learning programs asa start, for they transform young adults. To be sure, such opportunitieshave a profound impact on participants when theseexperiences begin with proper preparation and enable thosewho are engaged to serve as real change agents. CounterpointIsrael, a Center for the Jewish Future-led summer program inthe development towns of southern Israel, affords 200 underprivilegedchildren and teens a summer experience focusing onself-esteem and skills like English and computer science.The real beneficiaries of these summer camps are the 23 studentsfrom YU who run these programs. This experience enablesthem to actualize their potential and speaks to them about theirability to change the world around them. I have often shared withthe Counterpoint counselors and college students on other servicemissions that they now understand why the Hebrew word forgiving, NaTaN, is a palindrome. For when one gives to anotherwith the sole purpose of effectuating change, what one receivesin return is as great or greater than the efforts expended.The impact on Jewish continuity as a whole is equallynoteworthy. Nearly 10 percent of the student participantschange their career paths to fields of education, the rabbinateand social work, and 95 percent pledge to bring theirprofessional skills to serve the greater community. I am surethat American Jewish World Service and the AmericanJewish Joint Distribution Committee have realized similarresults from the many initiatives in which they engage studentsin service-learning opportunities.It is a tragic paradox that an old joke told among serviceproviders begins with a participant asking how does one say“tikkun olam” in Hebrew? Leadership experiences, whetherin Israel, the FSU, Thailand or around the corner, must becontextualized with the ideals of Jewish leadership. We mustshare the paradigms of leadership found in the Bible: that ofthe kohen (priest) and the navi (prophet). Rooted in externals,the priest realized his holiness through the wearing ofhis special garb and his lineage. As the custodian of ritual forthe Jewish community he guaranteed that the form and thefunction of the Temple and the Jewish community passed onfrom generation to generation.We must share with our young adults that participationin the identical rituals in which our great-grandparentsengaged (and perhaps even using their candlesticks or kiddushcup for the Shabbat/holiday experience) creates a senseof continuity and immortality to the Jewish story. Like thekohen, our leadership experiences must engage our youngadults in knowing our story.Yet that is just half the job, for they must also embrace therole of the prophet. Dress and lineage possessed no consequencefor the prophet. His/her concern rested in the substanceof the religious experience, in the effort to ensure thatthe ritual did not become robotic or devoid of meaning andpurpose. Like the prophet, our young adults must experiencea tradition imbued with passion and principle. Wemust ensure the placement of service-learning initiativesand leadership opportunities within a rich Jewish context;this allows our experiential opportunities to give voice to theimmortal and contemporary traditions of our people.The Gen-Yers wish to live lives that matter. They are hungryfor community, and where they do not find ones thatwelcome them, they will create their own. They do not wishto escape, but to engage; they do not want to judge or to bejudged, but to join. They are not interested in being silentpartners in an organizational bureaucracy but want to matterand will accept process only if it leads to purpose.If we create portals of entry, share with them our storyundiluted or whitewashed, and find the courage to let themmake it their own, they will do something that we can’t:guarantee our future.Variations of this Op-Ed have appeared in newspapers acrossIsrael and the United States.
YUConnects Celebrates 50th* EngagementNow Beginning its Third Year,CJF Program Offers Jewish Singles Multiple Opportunities to ConnectMuch has been said about the need for healthy outlets where Jewish singles can meet one another with little pressureand, hopefully, find their soul mates.In 2008, Yeshiva University’s Center for the Jewish Future(CJF) — committed to inspiring and strengthening Jewishcommunities around the world — decided to pool itsunique resources and create a program with a multifacetedapproach to the age-old issue of meeting a mate.The result was YUConnects, a program that matchedYeshiva University students and alumni from an extensiveonline database.With the recent engagement of two accomplished YUGraduates, Yaffi Spodek and Matan Wexler, YUConnectscelebrated its 50th shidduch [match].YU alumni, Matan Wexler and Yaffi Spodek, mark the 50thYUConnects engagement.“What makes YUConnects unique is its capacity to convenea team of Yeshiva University trained mental healthexperts and Torah personalities from RIETS and partnerwith our students, alumni, educators and the communityto promote effective dating and healthy relationships,”said Rabbi Kenneth Brander, The David MitznerDean of the CJF.YUConnects is facilitated by more than 100 trained “YU Connectors” — many of them YU alumni themselves — dedicated,often seasoned matchmakers who get to know the singles signed up to the site and suggest shidduchim forthem. To widen the network of available men and women, YUConnects — powered by SawYouatSinai, one of the Jewishcommunity’s largest dating sites — recently opened registration to the public.“This program offers multiple opportunities for individuals to meet,” said Rebbetzin Dr. Efrat Sobolofsky, director ofYUConnects. “In addition to the various social events held throughout the year, participants can network online with assistancefrom their Connectors.”One such event was an “International Weekend of Creating Connections” in May of 2010 that successfully partnered dozensof communities with YUConnects to develop unique programming for local singles.Spodek, who met Wexler at an August mixer co-sponsored by YUConnects and the Young Israel of Teaneck, recalls beinginitially hesitant to sign up to the site.“I was among the first of my friends to sign up,” recalled Spodek, a graduate of Stern College for Women and Columbia’sschool of journalism. “Now, however, it has become much more accepted in the community and I don’t think there is astigma associated with dating sites anymore among the post-collegiate crowd.”For his part, Wexler, a rabbi at Hebrew Academy of Nassau County and a graduate of Sy Syms School of Business, RabbiIsaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (RIETS) and Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration signed upright away at the request of his close friends.Now planning their April wedding and setting up their home in Washington Heights, the duo is eager to reciprocatetheir joy. “We would love to become Connectors and are excited to help singles,” said Spodek. “As people who havebeen through the system and who know the difficulties of the dating process, we view it as an opportunity to giveback to others.”For more information about YUConnects and for a schedule of upcoming events, please visit www.yuconnects.com.*Since this article was printed, YUConnects has celebrated six additional engagements.
Page 1 and 2: 8YESHIVA UNIVERSITY • PURIM TO-GO
Page 3: Message from President Richard M. J
Page 6 and 7: Yeshiva University Los Angeles Shab
Page 10 and 11: News from The Institute for Univers
Page 12 and 13: WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP FELLOWSHIPStar
Page 14 and 15: Permit me to recommend to you an an
Page 16 and 17: When is a Bar Mitzvahin a Leap Year
Page 18 and 19: The answer lies in the precise form
Page 20 and 21: others or exchange meals with those
Page 22 and 23: This verse in Mishlei encapsulates
Page 24 and 25: R. Menachem Meiri (1249-1306), note
Page 26 and 27: Fourth, R. Yehudai Gaon (8 th centu
Page 28 and 29: Making Scents of PurimRabbi Yoni Le
Page 30 and 31: R’ Chanina said, anyone who can b
Page 32 and 33: Purim and Pesach: TwoHolidays, One
Page 34 and 35: ר(‏were forced to accept the Tor
Page 36 and 37: answers are given to this question
Page 38 and 39: Purim: The OtherDay of RestRabbi Tz
Page 40 and 41: e cut off from Israel. And on the f
Page 42 and 43: As a reward for having taken the in
Page 45 and 46: The CJF Community ToolboxBroaden Yo
Page 47 and 48: Rabbi David Aaron, Jed H. Abraham,

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