When I found out that I was recently selected as chair of social action on the Northeastern NCSY Regional Board, I was excited and hopeful. I felt optimistic because I knew I now had the capability to share my ideas with my fellow board members and make a real difference in the NCSY community, a community that brings Jewish teens together regardless of their backgrounds.
As chair of social action, I will be responsible for spearheading at least one region-wide chesed project, either ongoing throughout the year or on a regional shabbaton. I will also be able to work with other chapters to promote local chesed events, and I will have the chance to lead a committee of general board members. For me, this position is crucial because chesed is such a big part of NCSY and the Jewish community at large.
This coming year, I look forward to sharing my chesed project proposals with my co-board members and watching our collective work come to fruition. I already have a few ideas brewing, and will be working hard this year to put them into action. As of now, my team of general board members has not been chosen, but I look forward to finding out who I’ll be working with and hearing suggestions from my fellow members. Previously, the chair of social action conducted chesed projects region-wide, such as writing letters to Israeli soldiers, a day of kindness and more.
NCSY has been a meaningful part of my life since my freshman year of high school. I used to attend Stamford’s “Soosh and Shmooze” every Thursday night and participated in chapter shabbatons, regional shabbatons and chapter roadshows.
The summer after my freshman year, I went on NCSY’s TJJ Ambassadors program with two of my friends from school, Shira Haron and Sydney Hoffman. During this Israel trip, I realized the importance of NCSY in terms of hands-on leadership training. Our group not only had a blast in Israel, but we learned why advocating for Israel is so vital. We also studied with advisers who got to know us and created special connections. Even though we all came from different places in the U.S. and experienced Judaism differently, during the trip our group connected and formed our own bonds.
One of the lessons I learned during my chevruta sessions in Israel was the importance of chesed and why we as a nation value it. Since that time, I have often thought about the fact that the concept of chesed appears in the Torah 190 times. Sometimes, the simplest act of kindness, like opening a door for a stranger, can lift someone’s spirits dramatically. This is why I chose to run for chair of social action, and I can’t wait to see the difference our region can make.
Julianne Katz is a rising senior at BCHA and a summer intern at The Jewish Link.
