One of my favorite parts of directing NCSY Alumni is the interesting places I run into Alumni and the great things they are doing! In the past week I ran into Elaine (Witty) Komito and her husband Larry at an event in Lincoln Square; Isaac Galena who started http://www.bangitout.com a really awesome website with his twin brother Seth; Dennis Rimkunis who is quickly rising the corporate lawyer ladder and Yisroel Schulman. I met with Yisroel because he is known in the NY area as a very involved supporter of Jewish causes (about helping us find support to open more JSU public school clubs). Then it turned out we knew each other from working on birthright together as he pioneered the Mayanot program and built it into one the top three birthright trips while I brought NCSY to number 6. He was very interested in helping JSU and eventually I asked my most important question: Where you ever involved with NCSY? Well, guess what!? He was first turned on to Jewish life in the NCSY chapter in Eugene Oregon!
Well, I’m looking forward to hearing many more stories of NCSY alumni as I head off to the OU convention in Israel and attend what is looking to be an awesome NCSY reunion in Jerusalem Motzei Shabbat at 8pm in the Renaissance. ( Register at www.ncsyalum.org ) I look forward to seeing many of you there and PLEASE SEND ME YOUR STORIES FROM YOUR NCSY DAYS, I’d love to hear them!
Have an awesome Shabbat,
Rabbi Dave Felsenthal
Director NCSY Alumni
Ps Check out the below article about the upcoming Ben Zakkai Reception http://ouradio.org/images/uploads/events/

As Yaakov (Jacob) approached his father Yitzchak (Isaac) for the Divine blessings for material sustenance, he did so dressed as his coarse twin, Esav (Esau). This scheme was undertaken in accordance with the prophecy of his mother Rivka (Rebecca) that Yaakov - who was already destined to receive the Divine blessings for the spiritual and national providence promised to their grandfather, Avraham (see Beraishis/Genesis 28:3-4) - would need this blessing, too, if he was to survive.

Continued at http://torah.org/learning/kolhakollel/

You are cordially invited to attend the
11th Annual Ben Zakkai Honor Society Scholarship Reception honoring

Rabbi Ralph & Rebbetzin Shirley Pelcovitz       Shira & Rabbi Daniel Reifman
Enid & Harold H. Boxer Memorial Award  Ezra Ben-Zion Lightman Memorial Award
and
Rabbi Pinchas and Rebbetzin Elaine Stolper
Alumni Service Award in memory of Aviva Sontag Ghatan a”h

Alumni in the News

Rabbi Ari Solomont Rides the “Wheels of Love”

 

It began almost as a serendipitous lark: nine intrepid riders rode around the country five years ago and managed to raise $65,000 for Alyn Hospital. Now known as "Wheels of Love," this year's ride included 325 cyclists - aged 15 to 77 - from nine countries. Over half were from Israel, the majority of them immigrants of English-speaking origin.

While each participant must commit to raise a minimum of $2,000 in sponsorships, the average is much higher and the aim this year is to raise $2 million for Alyn, the only rehabilitation hospital for children and adolescents in Israel.

Our Alumnus Rabbi Ari Solomont was one of those cyclists who actually completed the entire 450 - kilometer route from the Golan to Jerusalem (just in time for his 41st birthday – Happy Birthday!).

Come to the NCSY Alumni Reunion Motzei Shabbat Nov. 25th in Jerusalem to see Ari, his wife Sarah Beth and over 100 other alumni registered so far!  http://www.ncsyalum.org