The general aim of the United Synagogue Youth program is to bring about a meaningful and fully reciprocal encounter of Judaism, the Jewish people, and the Synagogue on one side, and the Jewish teenager on the other. As a result of this encounter, the Jewish teenager will, firstly, demonstrate and experience how the Jewish way of living, through study, action and fellowship, leads to personal fulfillment and growth while meeting his spiritual and social needs, and secondly, make a significant contribution to his synagogue, community, society and the Jewish people.

Many of the problems that beset North American Jewish Youth can be attributed to our inability to accept our role as a member of Klar Yisrael, and that each Jew is responsible for the future of Judaism. The problem of inter-marriage would not be as crucial if North American Jewish youth were more concerned with the survival of their people. USYers should be impressed with the Jewish mystique. The unique aspect of the Jewish tradition embodied in the privileges of membership and its contributions to Jewish civilization must be impressed on the youth of today. This is a difficult idea to propose to liberal-thinking American Jewish youth, who will immediately associate chosenness with superiority. But unless they are made to feel that the Jews have a role to fulfill and that group survival is essential, they will not make the necessary effort to accept their responsibility as bulwarks against assimilation. USYers should stand at the forefront of cooperation with other Jewish youth organizations.

United Synagogue Youth - Seaboard Region
121 Congressional Lane, Suite 210
Rockville, Maryland 20852
Phone: (301) 230-0801, ext. 4
Fax: (301) 816-2931

Regional Youth Director: Shira Kaplan
kaplan@uscj.org

website: http://www.seaboardusy.org/