Yeshiva University's CJF August 2012 eNewsletter

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Dear Friends, As individuals and as a community we prepare to stand before Hakadosh Baruch Hu on Rosh Hashanah. The Rabbis teach us that within the commandment of shofar there are two paradigmatic sets of blasts, tekiot de’meyushav and tekiot de’meumad. The first series of blasts, tekiot de’meyushav, or the ‘sitting blasts’, are blown either before or during the personal amidah (silent prayer service). These blasts ask us to reflect on our growth and development as individuals. Have I spiritually grown as an individual? What must I change as I stand apart from the community, as an individual searching for a personal, meaningful relationship with God? The second set of blasts of tekiot de’meumad, or ‘standing blasts’, are sounded during the communal amidah (prayer service). They are the blasts that serve to arouse community reflection. What have we done as a community to create more effective spiritual portals of entry for our members and guests? Have we as a community raised awareness, provided support, been action oriented to help deal with issues concerning Israel and important local/national communal causes?  The projects highlighted in this edition of the e-newsletter harmoniously integrate these two paradigms of shofar blasts into our lives and activities. They have empowered thousands of individual participants to recognize their potential, and the need to create a renewed intimate rendezvous with God. Simultaneously, these initiatives have empowered communities both in Israel and the Diaspora to engage in next practices to deal with their challenges. I hope that you will be proud and find strength in the initiatives discussed in this newsletter. Wishing you all a Ketiva Va’chatima Tovah. Rabbi Kenneth Brander The David Mitzner Dean Yeshiva University's Center for the Jewish Future THE CJF DEAN'S REPORT The 2011-2012 Year in Review   The Interactive CJF Dean’s Report 2012 is now online. Inside you will find page after page of exciting programs for both the student body at Yeshiva University as well as the greater Jewish Community. Through our experiential education, leadership training, and various community initiatives, YU’s Center for the Jewish Future broadly promotes the values of Yeshiva University. Browse through to see how Yeshiva University acts as a center for Torah U’Madda spreading its resources across North America and around the world. CHAMPIONSGATE VII Conference of Champions Hundreds of Community Leaders Gather to Address Challenges Facing Orthodoxy For four days in August, Orlando, FL, was the epicenter of a series of nationwide conversations in Orthodox communities across North America. The Seventh Annual ChampionsGate National Leadership Conference convened more than 450 rabbinic, educational and lay leaders from 92 locales across North America to address their most pressing communal challenges. The theme of the conference was “Shmitta: Reflection, Celebration, Renewal.” Read the remarks that Nachum Segal presented at ChampionsGate Related See the full schedule of Championsgate VII In the News eJewish Philanthropy: Hundreds of Community Leaders Address Challenges Facing Orthodoxy SUMMER MISSIONS Repairing the World CJF Summer Missions Explore Jewish Identity and Global Responsibility in Haiti, Germany Yeshiva University students grappled with complex questions of Jewish identity and responsibility in a global context as they traveled to Haiti and Germany this summer on two concurrent programs run by YU’s Center for the Jewish Future. From June 10-17, in partnership with the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee and with support from the Repair the World Foundation, 16 students participated in a disaster relief mission to Haiti, a developing country still reeling from the impact of a massive January 2010 earthquake. Related Haiti Video In the News Five Towns Jewish Times: CJF Summer Missions Explore Global Responsibility (p. 75) YU Alumni Blog: Improving the Welfare of Humanity Atlanta Jewish Times: CJF Summer Missions Explore Global Responsibility in Haiti (p. 3) COUNTERPOINT ISRAEL Triples in Size, Expands Reach YU Israeli Summer Camp Service Learning Initiative Served 300 Underprivileged Campers The Yeshiva University Center for the Jewish Future’s Counterpoint Israel Program is a month-long service-learning initiative that aims to empower the next generation of Israeli youth via an exciting, Jewish values-driven summer camp experience. This year, the program tripled in size with the addition of three new camps in Beer Sheva, Kiryat Gat and Kiryat Malachi. In the News Jewish Press: A Different Kind Of Camp: An Interview with Yeshiva University’s Rabbi Kenneth Brander JTA: Israeli summer camps venture into Jewish identity building JTA Reprints: Jerusalem Post | Jewish Journal | jWeekly.com | Jewish Standard | Times of Israel The Jewish Star: YU connects with Negev youth Ynet: Yeshiva University's program triples in size Arutz Sheva: Walter's World (begins at 11:20) eJewish Philanthropy: Israeli Summer Camp Service Learning Initiative Expands American Israelite: Cinti students bring ‘Counterpoint Magic’ to Israeli youth at risk Baltimore Jewish Life: Y.U.'s Israeli 'Summer Camp' Service Learning Initiative Triples in Size, Expands Reach Jewish Post and Opinion: Indiana student helping Israeli youth at risk this summer (page 20) Related Advertisements: Jerusalem Post | Jewish Week TORAH U'MADDA IN ACTION Summer Learning & Internships CJF Program Emphasizes Professional and Religious Leadership in Communities Across the Country This summer Yeshiva University once again hosted an assortment of learning and internship programs in cities across the country. In partnership with local Jewish communities, the YU Summer Learning and Internship Series featured adult and youth programming, shiurim [lectures] and Torah and Talmud study for both men and women. Some 45 YU students, kollel members and faculty oversaw programs that took place in Atlanta, Georgia; Chicago, Illinois; Denver, Colorado; Houston, Texas; Kansas City, Missouri; Los Angeles, California; South Bend, Indiana and Stamford, Connecticut. Related View the flyer for the Summer Programs In the News Jewish Ledger: Yeshiva U summer program in Stamford Kansas City Jewish Chronicle: Yeshiva U dean visits BIAV this weekend UNITING THE JEWISH WORLD CJF Tisha B'av Programming Film Produced by Orthodox Union and Center for the Jewish Future screened at Synagogues Worldwide on Tisha B'av Thousands of Jews in more than 100 communities around the world joined together this Tisha B’Av to view an inspirational video presented by Yeshiva University and the Orthodox Union (OU). The video, titled “Making Tisha B’Av Meaningful to Us Today,” was a project of YU’s Center for the Jewish Future (CJF) and the OU, and was screened in some 250 synagogues across the U.S. and internationally in Australia, Canada, Israel, Poland, South Africa, South America and the United Kingdom. Related All CJF Tisha B'av 5772 programming Tisha B'av To-Go 5772 Tisha B'av 5772 Video Presentation Tisha B'av shiurim on YUTorah Rabbi Dr. Jacob J Schacter's Tisha B'av 5772 Webcast

yu.edu/CJF Yeshiva University's Center for the Jewish Future home page YUTorah The Marcos and Adina Katz YUTorah, with over 60,000 shiurim YUConnects Resources for shidduchim and relationships YUSpeakers  The Yeshiva University Speakers Bureau Kollel Yom Rishon  The Abraham Arbesfeld Kollel Yom Rishon Sunday Morning Learning Program for Men Midreshet Yom Rishon  The Millie Arbesfeld Midreshet Yom Rishon Sunday Morning Learning Program for Women Experiential Education  Certificate Program in Jewish Experiential Education Torah Tours Torah Tours registration for synagogues and YU students Championsgate Championsgate Leadership Conference Chicago Torah The Yeshiva University Torah Mitzion Chicago Community Kollel Toronto Torah The Yeshiva University Torah Mitzion Zichron Dov Community Beit Midrash of Toronto Rabbanan.org Rabbinic resources, drasha materials and more YUTorah on Facebook Like YUTorah on Facebook YUTorah on Twitter Follow YUTorah on Twitter

Our mission is to shape, enrich and inspire the contemporary Jewish community by convening the resources of Yeshiva University, infusing the student body with a spirit of leadership and a sense of responsibility to the Jewish people and society in general, building, cultivating, and supporting communities, and their lay and rabbinic leaders, and creating a global movement that promotes the values of Yeshiva University Yeshiva University's Center for the Jewish Future 500 West 185th St. Suite 419 • New York, NY 10033 • 212.960.5263 • cjf@yu.edu

 

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