NCSY Canada gala to launch ambitious youth outreach program, honour supporters
Nobody said that reaching 18,000 Jewish youth across Canada would be an easy job, but for NCSY Canada it’s a mission at the very heart of its existence. The organization is aiming to inspire these young people to learn about and embrace their traditions and heritage. A fundraising dinner to be held in Toronto on Nov. 28 will officially launch the program, as well as recognize community members who support the effort.
“Our strategy over seven years is to leverage a $54 million campaign to reach out to these youth to ensure that no Jewish child is left behind,” says Rabbi Glenn Black, CEO of NCSY Canada. “Our belief is that if we do something ambitious and bold, it will remind the Jewish community how important it is to reach out to our teens and embolden families to care and connect in a way that’s meaningful to them.”
In recent years many Jewish schools have closed, contracted or been amalgamated. The cost of a Jewish education is beyond the financial reach of many families. NCSY Canada has filled the gap with Torah High and its sister school, Jewish Virtual High School, the first Jewish online school offering courses for high school credit. Successfully reaching a member of the community through the outreach program might include these educational experiences or other touch points, from weekend retreats to a trip to Israel, or the Jewish Family Experience (JFX), a whole family religious and cultural program.
The inaugural gala will present awards to program supporters Gerald and Sheryl Hartman and Jeff and Honey Rubenstein. The event will also honour the memory of Harold and Pearl Jacobs, founders of NCSY, with the establishment of a posthumous fund to support the outreach campaign.
“The common denominator of the people being honoured at the dinner is that they are recognized as investors in the future of the Jewish people,” says Rabbi Black. “The Hartmans are always looking for ways to connect the next generation to their Jewish heritage. They’ve opened their home to international speakers; organizations seek them out to launch their programs. And the Rubensteins can’t say ‘no’ to a good cause. They support hundreds around the world, including Toronto hospitals. More than most, they understand that if we invest in our children and who they are today, they will be able to connect with their heritage and identity going forward.”
Jeff Rubenstein grew up in an observant home and was educated in the parochial school system, while Honey Rubenstein was raised in a traditional home. Both their children attended Hebrew day school until university. They say they support NCSY Canada because programs such as Torah High are working hard to provide young people with the cultural and religious experiences from which their family has benefited.
“I learned about these programs a few years ago and was immediately impressed with what they’re trying to achieve,” Jeff Rubenstein says. “I made a commitment to continuing support right there. When you’re a teenager, the people you associate with have a great influence on the person you become. Bringing Jewish kids together in their teens to learn about their history and traditions is the right formula for outreach.”
The Hartmans and their children have all been touched by NCSY Canada programs, including Torah High. Gerald Hartman first attended an NCSY weekend retreat in 1973.
“When I had the opportunity to explore my heritage later in life, I never forgot that experience,” he says. “We’re extraordinarily impressed with NCSY Canada because they’re not simply satisfied with reaching the lower-hanging fruit of kids living in large cities. They’re going into the smaller communities and trying to give everyone the chance to connect to their heritage. They work hard to deliver the metrics of success they set for themselves.”
NCSY Canada’s outreach campaign was soft-launched several months ago. It’s already reached 2,400 youths.
“Building on that early success, the future headline I want to read is that the Jewish community is thriving and that kids are embracing their heritage and culture,” says Rabbi Black. “Through this outreach program and the efforts of supporters like the people we are honouring at our gala, that vision is becoming clearer.”