Dear NCSY JOLT Israel Family,

I hope this email finds you well. I am currently writing this to you 38,000 feet in the air, after having slept for 7 hours. The kids are all spending their last few hours together and the energy of the group is palpable.  The past few days have really been meaningful and I want to share them together with you.

Monday was an amazing day and a meaningful one as well. We started off our day with an AMAZING breakfast. It was really excellent and it was personally nice to see the kids eat like adults and have adult conversations at their respective tables. After leaving the hotel we went to our first stop, the Emek Tzurim dig.  We sifted through buckets of dirt that were illegally dumped by the Wakf after illegally doing construction on Har HaBayis. Many of the over 40,000 tons of dirt contain priceless and significant archaeological artifacts. So we sifted through countless buckets and found pottery shards, animal bones (Most likely from Korbanos), mosaic tiles and even a coin. Being involved with this type of activity immediately following Tisha B’av really hit home the stark realization of what was and what is no more.. Following this amazing activity we made our way into the Gush for a wonderful lunch at Oz V’Gaon, which is the park that was established in memory of the three young yeshiva boys who were killed several years ago. We heard a bit about the place and then had an amazing lunch set up for us. From there we went to one of my most favorite spots in Israel called the Alon HaBoded- The lone tree. This was the tree that the refugees from Gush Etzion were able to see when they would stand in the hills of Jerusalem. I explained to the kids that this tree represents our hopes and dreams, but even more so it represents our destiny as Jewish people. In my last real meaningful talk with them, I explained that after the amazing summer that we had we need to reevaluate our wants and dreams. Do we want to be the trees of the past that saw our destruction and pain, the trees from the most difficult moments of Jewish history or are we the Alon HaBoded, the tree that symbolizes our return and our reclaiming our destiny!

After the Alon HaBoded we made our way to Pat B’Melach where we learned about bread making and had the opportunity to do so. It was awesome and the owner told me that JOLT Israel was the best group she had the entire summer. I actually got it on tape….We made our way into Meah Shearim and went to Manny’s. Due to the great generosity of Touro College every kid on JOLT Israel was able to buy a sefer at Manny’s Seforim store. What an awesome opportunity for our kids and if I could only explain to you the level of excitement to buy seforim!! Ashreinu SheZachinu!!

Tuesday was out last full day together as a JOLT Israel family and we spent it doing an awesome little hike called Ein Prat or Wadi Kelt. The smell, the views the experience is something that was remarkable and unique to Israel. Walking through wild fig trees and lime trees, seeing wild grape vines and raspberries if only you could see it in your mind the way we did. Natural pools of water cutting through the valley were home to fish and other animals. We just borrowed time in their natural habitat and jumped into cool off. It was a wonderful last day hike. We went to Ben Yehuda and the shul to give everyone some free time to buy gifts and relax together. At about four we went back on the buses and went to the hotel for some down time. Most of the kids spent the time getting ready for banquet and at seven we loaded the buses and went to Yaffala, a small home style restaurant where we had the most amazing summer end banquet ever!

Everyone came dressed up nicely and many of the kids came wearing their JOLT Israel sweatshirts and t-shirts that I handed out the day before. Besides the food being amazing, we started with our evening with four teen speakers who spoke about their summer and why it was truly the best summer ever for them. We had a rap by Hannah and Ally and then a video produced by my close Talmid Avi Schuckman. It was beyond amazing! The advisors sang a beautiful sing that they wrote in honor of the kids and then we turned our area into an energy filled dance party (Mechitza of course). It was so much fun! The Kids loved it. We made our way to the Kotel to say good bye for the last time on this trip. After a few minutes of silent reflection we started an impromptu Kumsitz at the Kotel. Imagine 70 JOLT Israel people, staff included, singing songs on a cool breezy night in Jerusalem, and slowly people from all walks of life came in to join us. It was just perfect! WE had to get to the busses and the kids continues singing together, arm in arm all the way back.

We went back to the hotel to daven Maariv and then handed out awards to each one of the kids. They didn’t have a curfew last night and many stayed up all night. We made it through the airport with relative ease and soon we will be landing in JFK.

This was the summer in which memories are made. It was everything that I had hoped for and more. If I could only tell you how much growth there was for each and every person! I am so proud of my NCSY JOLT Israel kids. They exceeded my expectations in every way. Do you know that we had over 92% of our kids learning B’Chavrusa throughout the summer? How about the fact that kids were finally able to open up about things with advisors and myself that gave them clarity about things in their lives. I mean the list goes on and on. My point being, JOLT Israel is more than just a post 10th grade summer tour, it is an actual investment in your child’s growth as a person, an individual and a Ben or Bas Torah. Every person in their own way and at their own level. There is no cookie cut child and we do not see them as that either, They are respected for their individual views and ideas and NEVER judged. Every question is valued and every desire to DMC is taken advantage of. Some of our kids were not used to having the bar set as high as it was, however they all raised themselves to the occasion. I am proud of their growth as people and thinkers and I encouraged them to be in touch with me throughout the year and beyond like so many of my students do. Like I always say, once a person is in my life as a students I am always there for them.

I want to take this opportunity to thank our amazing staff that worked tirelessly to make sure that your children had the BEST. SUMMER. EVER. Ben Book my assistant director, Hannah Backer, Davida Respler, Ally Orgel, Lauren Aduculelsi, Yonatan Glicksman and Yehuda Colton. Each advisor went above and beyond in order to make sure that you children were well taken care of and had a summer that they would never forget. Our Israeli staff Yoshie, Josh, Yifat, Shira and of course Iris our bus driver, this summer would not have run as smoothly as it did due to your great work. Of course, Achron Achron Chaviva, my wife Nechama. She is a role model in every way to the kids who come with us each year, this year being no different. She is focused on seeing each child reach their highest potential and does not accept mediocrity. The kids love that about her and I suppose they also enjoy watching her put me in my place every now and then as well. The great success of this program from the behind the scenes is due to her hard work together with the Israel staff.

I suppose what I am trying to say is that there were so many different facets which comprise JOLT Israel and are responsible for the amazing success that we had this summer. I am already planning for JOLT Israel 2020 so spread the word to family and friends. Let them know how amazing the program is, how much your children loved it and how much they were loved by all of us.

Thank you again to each of you for believing in me and my product as well as NCSY Summer. It is a tremendous Zechus that I have to work with the best in the business. David Cutler, without his support and close friendship this program would never be where it is now. Elliot Tanzman there is no one quite like you. Every time I see Elliot he is checking up on the kids and following up on issues making sure everyone is doing well. Amy Mauskopf you are amazing and your work behind the scenes is so much of why everything works the way it does. Rachelli Schwartz, your good work and constant encouragement has been a great source of strength for me.

Lastly, I thank HaKadosh Baruch Hu for giving me the Zechus to inspire and lead a generation of children who need guidance and hope more than ever before.

If any parent ever needs me for any reason, you have my number and I am always available for to you for anything and everything. Thank you for believing in me and what I do it is fueled by a deep care and concern for each one of your children.

May Hashem bless us all with good health and happiness, Nachas from our children and the ability to continue to guide them all in the right way. May rejoice with their healthy maturation as Bnei and Bnos Torah.  Amen Kein Yehi Ratzon.

Rabbi Weinberg

Dear NCSY JOLT Israel Family,

I hope this email finds you well and you are having an easy and meaningful fast. I wanted to share with you our experiences from Thursday till now. It was really a perfect lead up to Tisha B’av and from all accounts it has been extraordinarily meaningful. Thursday morning, we woke up to the tragic news that a young yeshiva student was killed by Arab terrorists. It turns out that this young man was the neighbor of our tour guide Yifat. Israel is like that, everyone always know someone and each tragedy effects everyone. Our day Thursday took us into Yehuda V’Shomron but because the army was carrying out investigations some of the places we had on the schedule we were barred from going to. Most places were fine and we were able to navigate accordingly. We went to our first stop which was a magnificent outlook in Peduel.  We spoke about the life of being a Mitnachel or settler as well as the complexities and the great honor and merit inherent in that. I also spoke to the kids from that outlook about the message we were sending by coming to Yehuda V’Shomron on a morning after hearing such horrible news. I discussed that teenagers nowadays have such few opportunities to make meaningful statements through their actions. I’m sure everyone reading this email remembers the days of rallying for the release of Russian refuseniks or other important causes. Coming to an area that most shy away from in general and certainly on a day when hearing such tragic news allowed us to send a message to the Jews living in Yehudah V’Shomron and the world. We will not be afraid nor will we be forced to live our lives in fear. The response to the senseless and tragic murder of an innocent Yeshiva boy who was on his way back from buying a book for his Rebbe, is to come and show support for our brothers and sisters in droves! Not to shy away from or hide in fear. Over Shabbos, one of the questions that was asked in our “Shoot the Rabbi” session was, was there a specific moment that made you proud to be a Jew? I didn’t think of it then, but it makes sense to me now that walking in the heartland of ancient Israel as a Jew, holding my head high and not being afraid made me proud. I hope it made your children proud as well. 

From the lookout in Peduel we split the group up into two. Half of the group went to the home of a women who lives on a hilltop. She actually became frum through NCSY in San Diego. She and her husband live on a hilltop in a place called Givaot Olam. It was amazing to hear her story and her passion for Israel, the Jewish people and being a leader. The other group went sheep herding in Itamar. What an awesome experience! We think of sheep herders as uneducated boors who just stand around all day. The truth of the matter is that it takes a lot of technique to do it right. We were working with only a handful of sheep and we had a tough time getting them from point A to point B. I can’t even imagine how it is possible for people to move herds of hundreds. Part of doing it successfully requires one to be respectful of the energy of the sheep. In many ways the shepherd looks to direct his herd in small increments all the while understanding the nature of his sheep and when to stop them, when to start them and when to let them veer off a bit. I suppose that is why so many of our Jewish forefathers and leaders were shepherds. It wasn’t just a meaningless job it was the holiest “Hachana” or preparation that one could do before leading a people. We all came together for lunch and had fresh baked pizza and then the groups switched. After finishing that activity we made our way to the beautiful Yeshiva in Itamar and just outside was an outlook. We saw and spoke about Har Gerizim and Har Aival as well as Yosef HaTzaddik who is buried in Shechem. We davened Mincha in the cool breeze with these two mountains in the distance. It was really unbelievable. 

We made our way back to Kibbutz Ein Tzurim for our last night there and after Maariv, Josh and Yehoshua (our medics, security guards and logistic guys) ran an army night activity. It was such a bonding experience for the kids and I made mention of the fact that coming into the summer people were so anxious and didn’t know people and now everyone was standing next to someone whom they didn’t know before but it felt like they were friends forever. To me there is no greater sign of success than that!  

Friday morning we got up early and made our way to Har Hertzel for a very meaningful and important tour. I spoke at a few places and and then Yifat took over and spoke. We had some readings from some of our NCSY JOLT Israelers which was particularly meaningful. Like I said before, everyone knows someone and we heard from Yehoshua who spoke at the grave of one of his friends who was killed during Tzuk Eitan. One of the things I tried to hit home was the fact that we need to work on creating a legacy for ourselves. We need to be people who are proud and strong but also individuals who write a story that we can be proud of. Har Hertzel is a place full of stories. How do we want to live our lives and how do we want to be remembered. From Har Hertzel we went to the center of Jerusalem and the kids had some free time to buy stuff for Shabbos and just chill out. 

Shabbos began with a beautiful Kabbalos Shabbos. We heard from Rabbi Burg from Mevaseret who is the Mashpia of NCSY Summer programs and he spoke about taking advantage of every moment and the possibilities open to us if we take advantage of our time. We ate our Seudah together and by all accounts it was delicious. I always know how good the food is by using my most picky eaters as a gauge.  From dinner we had an oneg where Rabbi burg spoke to us again and we sang together and just enjoyed each others company.   

Shabbos morning, after davening, we had kiddush, our round robbin Divrei Torah given by the kids and some down time until lunch. Lunch was awesome and then we davened Mincha and had the afternoon to relax. Of course many of the kids took advantage of the time to learn with advisors or to attend optional Chaburas. We came back together as group for “Shoot the Rabbi”. The questions were really excellent and it shows that the kids are thinking on a high level. It is also interesting for me to watch the evolution of the questions. As the kids get more comfortable and feel safer in our family their questions are less generic and more specific. It is an interesting statement of their comfort level and one which I am proud of. 

We had Shalshudes together and then a beautiful ebbing. I spoke for a bit about the power of Tisha B’Av and how the fasting allows us to reclaim our own pain and hurt as well as that of our nations. It is a call to us to look back as well as move forward. After Shabbos was over we davened Maariv and loaded the buses for the Herodian. The Herodian was a palace constructed by King Herod on an artificial hill near Tekoa. It is believed that he is buried there but also it was the last place the Jews who took refuge there were able to see the burning of the second Beis HaMikdash. It was taken over by the Romans in 71 CE right after the destruction of the Beis HaMikdash.  We sat amongst the ruins and sang Eicha. We heard Ben Book speak about the pain of the night and we had the most magnificent Kumsitz. The place emptied out from most people, and it was just us, the cool mountain breeze and these ruins that tell a story of Jewish defiance and tragedy.

This morning we had a beautiful Kinnos presentation by several of the advisors and most of the kids are currently doing the Kotel Tunnel tours. It’s an amazing experience and certainly one which is beyond powerful on a day like today. We will daven Mincha and give the kids some free time to relax and then we are off to the Kotel for the famous NCSY Summer Kumsitz of the world. 

We only have a few days left and the kids are starting to feel the heaviness of leaving each other. It will be a meaningful next few days for sure. 

I have been inundated by emails from you asking me how you can help JOLT Israel going forward. The only thing I would ask is that you spread the word of the great work that we do. We have all put in tremendous time and effort to give your children the best summer in the world. They had the opportunity to express themselves as individuals, explore religion in a way that was new and refreshing, create relationships with new kids from across North America and simply have the opportunity to live like normal teens in a wholesome setting without judgment or criticism but rather love and care for each and every child. I have seen tremendous growth with so many of the kids, each on their own level. It is also gratifying for me to hear how much they love Israel and how they see it in a different light after this trip. One of the facts that I am most proud of is the large number of kids that over the years have come with me to Israel for the summer and decided to make Aliyah because of the love they gained for the country. NCSY JOLT Israel is more than just a five week summer program. It is a family that will always be by your side, it is an experience in which everyone grows each in their own way but none the less profound. Most of all it is a new chapter for each one of us that helps push us a little closer to being the people that we truly want to be. 

So keep spreading the word and help me give other kids the amazing and unique opportunity that your children had.

Wishing you all an easy and meaningful fast. May we be Zoche to see the rebuilding of Jerusalem speedily in our days and may we only know good health and happiness, Nachas from our children, Yishuv Ha’daas and the ability to guide our children in the right way so we may be able to rejoice in seeing them as mature and accomplished young men and women in their personal, professional and religious lives.   

I look forward to being in touch with you soon.

With warmest wishes

-Rabbi Weinberg

Shalom NCSY JOLT Israel Family,

Shabbos is coming and there is so much that I want to share with you. We had an amazing few days leading up to Shabbos and I will write about it in depth on Sunday when we have some down time. As for now we are in the beautiful Dan Jerusalem for the rest of our time in Israel. The kids are excited to be in a super nice hotel (and so am I). Shabbos promises to be beautiful together and we will spend a meaningful Tisha B’Av in Jerusalem.

I am fully expecting Moshiach to come on Sunday morning and thus I am looking forward to celebrating with you all on Sunday evening! If by some slim chance this does not happen….well we will deal with it then.

Have a Beautiful sweet Shabbos and I looking forward to seeing you all in Yerushalayim Sunday morning. 

With warmest wishes

-Rabbi Weinberg

Good Morning NCSY JOLT Israel Family,

I hope this email finds you well. Thank you so much to all of you for your feedback from yesterday’s email. I am happy that you all appreciated where it came from. Many of you had questions and that’s great, it’s exactly what I want, namely, to open up a dialogue. Please don’t hesitate to reach out any time you want. 

Yesterday was really awesome. It was a day that really speaks volumes about the resiliency of the Jewish people. We began out day going down south, into the Negev, to the Shvil HaSalat or the Salad trail. It is one of my favorite places to visit because its success is a message of hope and life. I also happen to be a shtikle agriculturist. I hope my enthusiasm for this miracle of plant life came through with the kids.  Nestled among sand dunes and desert is a flourishing agricultural center. We had the opportunity to learn about agricultural techniques in arid landscapes and saw first hand a desert blooming with herbs, fruit and vegetables. We picked fresh carrots, cucumbers and tomatoes and ran through beautiful mazes of passion fruit vines. It was really an amazing experience for everyone. After the salad trail we made our way to Sderot and gave the kids time to buy food in the outdoor mall. Some of the kids went to Gregs, some went to Sushi (I mean in fairness how long can one go without Sushi) and some stood on line to get Mehadrin Pizza Hut. I obviously stood online to get a stuffed cheese crust Pizza. Following lunch we broke the kids up and had a really fun scavenger hunt. The kids loved it and so did I. They loved it because it was fun and they were asked to do some wacky things. I loved it because having kids involved in wholesome activities instead of sitting on their phones and swiping through Instagram and Snapchat all day is a meaningful experience.

We loaded the buses and went to a park right next to the the Hesder Yeshiva in Sderot, where we heard from one of the Rebbeim who teach there. Rabbi Katz is an American native and told us about the realities of living in Sderot. He shared his take on the political situation as well as the many miracles that the community has experienced while under rocket attack. It’s very sobering to walk through this beautiful children’s park in which every single structure is painted bright colors with cute butterflies or caterpillars but also doubles as a bomb shelter. Rabbi Katz explained to us the beauty of Sderot as well as the harsh reality that every child in the city has PTSD on some level. We took a walk together to one of the satellite buildings of the Yeshiva where the pockmarked facade still bears the scar of receiving a direct hit just a few months ago. As Rabbi Katz explained to us, the beauty and strength of the Jewish people could be seen by way of the Beis Midrash being open the next day. 

We loaded the buses and went to Cheitz Shachor or Black Arrow. It is a lookout about 1 Kilometer from the Gaza Border. It was an opportunity for us to speak a bit about the complexities on the ground regarding the current situation. We dispelled some myths and the kids shared opinions and even some facts.   These moments are wonderful opportunities for everyone to hear from each other and share with each other in a safe way and in a safe place. 

We loaded the buses and made our way back to Kibbutz. We were treated to a delicious dinner of Lasagna, potatoes au gratin, and salad. This was followed by Maariv and a lot of chill time with several optional Chaburahs for those interested.

This morning we did the Coca Cola factory in Bnei Brak. It was really amazing!!! I have never been there before and it was very well done!!  We traveled to Machon Ayalon where we learned about the brave souls who manufactured artillery for the Jewish forces in secret. It was unbelievable. I am happy that we had the opportunity to share this with the children. I am sitting now and finishing this up while the kids are outside eating lunch. From here we are going to the Agam museum and then Ben Book will be making a Siyum on the beach. It’s been 4 days without Fleisch and we are all getting a bit antsy…..

Anyway, I look forward to speaking with you tomorrow IYH

With warmest wishes

-Rabbi Weinberg

Shalom NCSY JOLT Israel Family!

I hope this email finds you well. I know it’s been a few days since we have spoken last and I really appreciate the outpouring of parents who have told me how much they look forward to my updates. It’s been an amazing and hectic few days but I am happy to have some time now to review a bunch of things with you. As we near the end of our BEYOND AMAZING summer together, I am getting inundated by the kids wanting to have DMC’s with me after Maariv (as well as all of our other advisors). As important as it is to me to keep you informed, I think we could all agree that your children come first, certainly when it comes to speaking about religion, personal issues and general self development. 

Everyone got picked up and dropped off without an issue and enjoyed their free weekend. We all (myself, Nechama and our fantastic advisors included) got some much needed rest. The time away gave me an opportunity to reflect on the previous 3 1/2 weeks of NCSY JOLT Israel 2019. I have seen 60 kids from North America move out of their comfort zones, navigate social anxiety and create friends that will last for a lifetime! When I have more than a few kids come over and ask if we really need a free weekend because they don’t want to leave our family, I know we are doing something right. When our NCSY JOLT Israel kids chat, blows up on Friday and Motzei Shabbos with pictures of everyone running into each other saying how much they miss one another, that speaks volumes!!!!

Over these past few weeks I have had the opportunity to recalibrate the way my NCSY JOLT Israel kids view themselves and others. I have used different techniques with different kids. Some simply need the attention that they so badly crave, others need tough love, some need to learn how to move out of their own way and still others just need a dose of reality therapy. Everyone has grown this summer and it is evident to me because I see them in concentrated form. We are with them every day, every hour and every minute. We take note of each child as he or she enters the program and together plan as a staff how to work with each one. We track that growth and improvement throughout the summer and Baruch Hashem we have seen tremendous success. In many ways, the kids this summer have learned about themselves as people and as Jews, but they have also learned the importance of looking deeper into other people and how to get along and connect with those who are different.

Many years ago,I wrote an article explaining why growing up in a tiny Jewish community, such as the one that I did, was so beneficial to me socially. I didn’t appreciate it at the time and it was super tough for me in certain ways, especially coming from where I did to MTA in the early 90’s. A real “out of towner” being thrust into a culture that was totally foreign to me. But in retrospect, growing up the way I did, in a class of 17 kids graduating 8th grade and 6 kids in my 9th grade class, taught me how to be friends with everyone. I had to work on finding a way to make a connection with each person irrespective of how different they were. One of the challenges that so many of our kids who come from big Jewish communities have is that there are millions of kids exactly like them. There is no need to move outside their comfort zone and befriend someone different. If I have 30 people exactly like me why take the time to learn about someone different, after all they will also have 30 people in their social circle. Inevitably, never the twain shall meet. What I have tried so hard to do this summer, is to teach my NCSY JOLT Israel kids this important technique, one that I believe will make them truly successful in life. The ability to befriend people who are different and learn how to connect with everyone. If I did this right, and by the way things have played out and the myriad new relationships that have been formed, I think I did, ultimately, all of your children will be the great beneficiaries of this. The caveat to this is that it takes two to tango. One of the other issues that I have been dealing with is teaching some of the kids that they need to be active participants in this process. Some assume that things will just come to them and fall into place and unfortunately that isn’t the way it works. Learning how to be social is a skill like any other skill. Just as with anything else in life we need to practice those skills in order to perfect them. It is true with anything and everything. What better place to learn these skills in a safe place like JOLT Israel. No judgments or pressure,  just a safe, warm and nurturing environment where we can work with everyone in a caring way.   

 My next observation is one that I share with parents every summer because it’s true and I see it first hand. Parents who make their kids nervous all the time, who are totally overbearing and are helicopters do a great disservice to their children. The kids who integrate most effectively are the ones whose parents give their children room and freedom to explore and learn how to navigate situations on their own i.e homesickness, illness, social struggles…… The parents who are overly involved, create an unhealthy dependency and restrict their children’s ability to create their sense of self and individuality. While it may make parents feel safer it is harmful to children in the long run. The reason why I address this in a public forum is because it is important for everyone, across the board, to hear this. Additionally, if there are parents who may feel like this applies to them (there are every year) I am happy to give guidance and be a resource to you as part of my commitment to your children’s ultimate health and well being. 

Just reach out and we can begin the conversation. 

Let’s jump into a recap of the past two days. Sunday was great. We made our way from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv and started our day at the Palmach museum. I go there almost every year and each time I am further impressed with how well done it is. The interactive story brings the kids into this historic period of time in the establishment of the State of Israel. As someone who is a Jabotinsky Jew, I am always happy when potentially politically sensitive subject matter is presented as factual rather than with a political slant and agenda. After the museum we made our way to Kikar Rabin where we heard about the historical significance of that place and of course the assassination of Yitzchak Rabin. We also had the great Zechus to hear from Dov Landau. The great grandfather of our tour guide Yifat. He is an old Polish Jew, 92 years old Ad Meah V’Esrim Shana, who survived five concentration camps, two ghettos and a death march. Mr. Landau saved the life of former chief Rabbi, Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau in Buchenwald and after coming to Israel he fought in Gush Etzion only to be taken prisoner by the Jordanians and put in a Jordanian jail for 11 months! What an unbelievable story of strength, heroism, courage and Jewish survival. He finished speaking and stood up and sang with us. We danced around with tears in our eyes and lined up for Brachos from this holy Jew. After this amazing experience we did the interactive Independence trail. Every kid got an iPad and earphones and followed a trail around the city seeing important historical sights. It was really a very interesting activity. From there we went to Kibbutz Ein Tzurim which is our new home for the next week. 

Monday (yesterday), was awesome!! There was an Omes Chom (Heat Wave)  so we rearranged things in order to fit everything in, in a safe way. We began our day with a trip to the Kibbutz Makolet so the kids could buy water. Some of the kids are still learning, after a billion announcements, that if they don’t drink water they will dehydrate. There is clearly a learning curve for everything :-)…. We are almost there with 100% of the kids complying. GO TEAM!!! After Chaburah’s, we loaded the buses and traveled to the Beit Shemesh area to Chirbat Midras, which are Bar Kochba era underground caves. These caves are as fun as they are important historical reminders of the lengths that our Jews forefathers went to resisting the Roman occupation of our ancestral homeland. During the 9 days, this is one activity that I really believe our kids benefit greatly from. Living the lives that we do and the lives that our kids do, it is easy to lose perspective. We forget the great lengths Jews have gone to preserve Judaism and the Jewish people. Crawling on our arms and legs through dark and narrow tunnels gives us but a small and important glimpse. From Chirbat Midras we made our way to the mall where the kids relaxed in the air conditioning and were given money to buy lunch. 

After lunch we went to Tel Azeka. A high point overlooking Emek HeElah, the famous Biblical spot where Dovid HaMelech fought Golias. It was really a remarkable experience. The view and the overall opportunity to stand on the same ground where these stories that solidified us a nation and a people took place was not lost on us.  From there we split the group up into two. Those who wanted to go biking went on one bus and those who wanted to see a legit demonstration of glass blowing went on the other bus. I was told that the glassblowing was very interesting and it’s not a common activity for kids to see so I am happy they had the chance to do so. I went biking…It was awesome. We rode through the Shfela as the sun was going down. We biked along fields of hay and produce and enjoyed the warm breeze in our faces as we sped along the road. We had an opportunity to break up into two more groups. One group did a more adventurous trip back and the other took the more docile route. We came back to the starting point, returned out helmets and bikes and were treated to ice pops! The simple pleasures in life. When we got back to the kibbutz, we had supper and then came back together at 9:25 for a lecture by Shoshana Keats Jaskoll. Shoshana is an author and women’s rights activist. She spoke to us about her good work and the importance of standing up for things that we believe in. The kids were enthralled and taken by her passion and delivery. It was a real honor to have her come speak to us. 

Today is another awesome day. We are down South near Sderot. We are doing the salad trail this morning followed by a Pizur lunch and then some other really awesome activities. I am always amazed when I come to this part of the country at how we have been able to literally make a desert flourish. It is the most amazing thing. The miracles in this country are in plain view for everyone to see.

I am sad to say that our program only has 8 days left together. The kids don’t like to speak about it because who wants to admit that the best summer of your life is coming to an end. I am so blessed that each and every child came with me this summer and has grown in so many ways. I am looking forward to what the next week brings. 

May we be blessed to never see the smiles on our children’s faces leave them. May they continue to learn and grow as Bnei and Bnos Torah, lovers of this magnificent country and her people…our people.  

I hope to speak with you soon. 

With warmest wishes

-Rabbi Weinberg

Shalom NCSY JOLT Israel Family,

I hope this email finds you well. Baruch Hashem we are 99% back on track and we are all excited to move forward.  Everyone feels great and relaxed in beautiful Kibbutz Lavi. The food is beyond awesome and everyone is eating and enjoying the hotel. Today is a relaxed day. We swam this morning and now we are onto the beautiful Rosh HaNikra and the Grotos there. The plan is to get back early for some well needed chill time. 

Last night we had an important group reflection session discussing our time with Simcha LaYeled. It was a closed and safe conversation that we all had together in which we spoke about our take aways from the week and how it impacted us. I was so proud to hear what each one of the kids had to say. It is truly remarkable to the growth and sensitivity of so many of our NCSY JOLT Israel participants. Many spoke about the difficulty of the language barrier and how they overcame it and others spoke about the way in which it helped to recalibrate the way they think about life and what they are appreciative of. I have been super busy and working on pretty much no sleep as many of you know (3 and 4 A.M. phone calls…seriously my pleasure as always) so I haven’t had the time I need to send out my typical detailed emails. I hope to have time today to send out an email with more thoughts on our experiences and give you a State of the Union at the half way point of NCSY JOLT Israel. 

Regarding tomorrow, there has a been an important schedule change to accommodate some of the intricate logistics. We are going to be dropping off the kids in Jerusalem first. The plan is to be at the OU center at 5. It is located on Keren HaYesod. All the kids will leave their big luggage in storage there so that they don’t have to schelp it with them. They will be packing their overnight bags tonight. We will be dropping off at the Alozorof station in Tel Aviv between 6:15 and 6:30.

Pickup in Jerusalem on Sunday morning will be at the OU center at 9:oo A.M. and at the Alozorof Station in Tel Aviv at about 11:00 A.M. 

If you have any questions please reach out to me. I am here for you like I am here for your children, so don’t hesitate to be in touch. 

Thank you so much and I look forward to being touch with you soon.

With warmest wishes

-Rabbi Weinberg

Dear NCSY JOLT Israel Family,

Baruch Hashem we had an amazing week with our Simcha LaYeled kids! It was a moving and growth filled experience for all of us. Things have been pretty hectic these past two days but I plan on writing a bit more about our experiences for you later today or tomorrow. For now I want to let you know that Chasdei Hashem  almost everyone is back to themselves and the virus is nearing the end. Most of the kids were not effected at all and the ones who were are on the mend. We stayed in a beautiful camp ground in the Golan. It is earthy and outdoorsy but the fresh air is healthy for everyone. To be clear we are not in tents we are in air conditioned yurts. It is “glamping” if you will. Everyone has a mattress, pillow, sheet, blanket and towel. Some love it, some do not but EVERYONE will remember it.   Also, as with every place we have stayed, the food here is awesome. Even many of my most finicky eaters told me how much they enjoyed dinner last night (This is a real accomplishment).

Today is going to be an awesome day in Teveria doing raft building, eating out together in a really nice restaurant and then free time on the boardwalk. and then we will be pampered for the next two days in Kibbutz Lavi. Tomorrow there is an expected heat wave so we will have some local stuff planned with a relaxing day which will do everyone a lot of good! 

Let’s talk about the free shabbos. The game plan is to be at the Alozoroff station in Tel Aviv this Thursday between 4-5 P.M. and in Jerusalem in front of the OU Center in Keren HaYesod between 5-6 P.M. I will have more exact times to tell the kids to share with their host families as we see the traffic on Thursday. This is a pretty solid time frame to work with. My hope is to hit the earlier time and not the later ones. If anyone has any questions or needs clarifications on this please don’t hesitate to be in touch.

Sunday morning the drop off in Jerusalem is 9:30 A.M. at the Har Hertzel parking lot and about 11:00 A.M. at the Alozoroff station in Tel Aviv. 

This summer has been remarkable in so many ways. I am humbled by the growth I see in the kids and inspired by their own development as leaders. The feedback that I am getting from all of the parents who have been in touch with me has been beyond encouraging and I am thrilled that your children are having the time of their lives. It is my greatest pleasure to provide this experience for them and I can’t wait to see what the next two and half weeks brings. 

As always thank you for trusting your children to my care. If I can be of help in any way please do not hesitate to be in touch with me. I am always excited to hear from you all and get your feedback.

I look forward to being in touch with you in the coming day.

With warmest wishes

-Rabbi Weinberg

Dear NCSY JOLT Israel Family,

A Git Voch and a Gezinta Voch. The past two days have been amazing. Let me start by saying that we had a slight stomach bug go through our group and it is nearing the end. We have had to teach the kids a lot of about personal hygiene and general rules of how to take care of themselves. The truth is that some of the kids are still not drinking or eating normally. When this happens and your body is weak it takes longer for your body to recuperate. Most of the kids understand this by now and hopefully it will be another important life lesson learned on NCSY JOLT Israel.

Friday was a pretty chilled day actually. We spent most of the morning rafting down the Jordan river. We spent those hours splashing each other and dumping over each others rafts. It was a ton of fun and we laughed the whole time. When we returned to the rallying point we had fresh pizza, pasta and salad waiting for us. From the rafting place we went to a supermarket in Katzrin where the kids were able to buy treats and Nosh for Shabbos. We came back to the hotel and got ready for Shabbos. 

After getting dressed we all came outside to take our Erev Shabbos pictures together. We had a beautiful Carlebach Kabbolos Shabbos and then our Seudah and Oneg.

Shabbos morning we had a late wake up and davening. It was important for the kids to catch up on their sleep (It’s also the reason why they had an early curfew tonight). After lunch we had a beautiful Kiddush followed by a Round Robbin learning for our kids. We went straight to lunch and then had Mincha and Menucha. Many of the kids slept and some of them learned with advisors. We came back together at 6:15 and I spoke to the kids about the importance of finding your individual self and embracing it and why that essential for healthy relationships between others and Hashem.  We went to Shaleshudis and then had a beautiful ebbing outside. 

Shabbos ended with our famous NCSY JOLT Israel Havdala and dance party. The kids hung out for a bit and we took care of those that needed our attention. We had a Melave Malka and the kids all were in their rooms cleaning up and getting things together. 

Tomorrow we have another awesome day at the DeKarina chocolate factory and visiting some important sites from the Yom  Kippur war. 

I am hopeful that by tomorrow everyone will be back to normal and maybe even a bit wiser regarding how to take care of themselves in order to stay healthy.

Please feel free to reach out if you need anything or if I can help provide insight into how your child is doing this summer. I will be forthright and honest (as I always am)  and maybe even be able to give you a perspective of your child that you don’t see at home….. 

Looking forward to speaking soon.

Rabbi Weinberg

Dear NCSY JOLT Israel Family,

I hope this email finds you well. Te past two days have been fantastic and really caused us to come even closer. I am amazed at how so many of our NCSY JOLT Israel kids have connected so quickly and deeply to our Simcha LaYeled campers. I look around at any given time and they are sitting together, singing together and enjoying each other. Even though language is a difficult barrier to break through, both groups have found a way to connect despite barriers that may exist. 

Yesterday was interesting as it was inspiring. We went to a robotic milk farm in Avnei Eitan in the Golan. We got a tour of the “Refet” or cow shed, fed baby cows, made butter and learned about all of the high tech innovations Israel is making in the area of dairy farming. Obviously the highlight was getting fresh chocolate milk! We had an awesome lunch of fresh falafel, pita and salads which we ate in the shade of fruit trees bearing delicious plums and nectarines. We actually continued our day together picking fresh fruit from the trees. We learned about the agriculture industry in Israel and of course the special Mitzvos Teluyos BaAretz. We learned what we can eat and what we can’t as well and when and where each thing could be eaten. The truth is that it is pretty complex but so very beautiful. Even the fruit here are holy.

When we got back to the hotel we had a camp wide scavenger hunt with all the kids. It was fantastic and highlighted how close all of the kids became over this past week. In truth it is pretty remarkable. The one thing that I hear constantly from everyone who comes to visit us is how great our NCSY JOLT Israel kids are. I couldn’t be prouder. 

We had a movie night last night and our kids manned the popcorn machine and nosh/drink station. The kids loved it and so did our kids. Besides for our JOLT Israel kids connecting with the Simcha LaYeled kids they are Mamesh connecting so closely to one another. I love seeing the new friendships. There is nothing that I enjoy hearing more than their requests for a later curfew so they can just spend time together!!! 

This morning we traveled to the Galil for a breathtaking hike called Nachal Amud. It was a beautiful walk down to the stream on the bottom. Even though it was hot out, the walk was worth it when we finally got an opportunity to jump into the cool water. We made our way back up the hill and had Shawarma and Schnitzle waiting for us. After the hike we went straight to Teveria and had an awesome boat ride on the Kinneret. One boat for the girls and one for the boys. The water was an emerald green and contrasted the pale yellow dry mountains around it. The contrast was in and of itself gorgeous.   

We returned back to the hotel and after dinner and a break we played “Minute to Win It” and ended with a dance party! The kids loved it. Some of our NCSY JOLT Israel kids are able to maintain high energy with the Simcha LaYeled kids indefinitely and others do it in doses. Everyone is different and that is respected and appreciated. 

A quick note about dehydration…I am very serious about the “no hat no water no hike rule”. Most kids are adhering to these hiking rules, the problem is that some kids are not taking care of their bodies and are not drinking enough or will take their hats off in the middle of hikes. There are two serious pieces to this. The first issue is the fact that some kids have a hard time following directions. This is both normal teenage behavior and it is also the result of conditioning (more on this at a later time). The other piece is that these few children are not taking care of their bodies and it is of a real concern to me. It would be a good idea to reinforce with your children, the importance of taking care of their bodies by constantly drinking, eating enough and wearing a hat while we hike. Heat emergencies are not a laughing matter.  A word to the wise is sufficient.

Tomorrow we have an awesome day planned with a large majority of the mornings activity rafting down the Jordan River!!! It is going to be great and the kids are super pumped. The energy is high and positive, the kids are having an awesome time and everyone is growing in their own unique way. I am beyond impressed with the fact that we are at 80% of our kids learning with someone on staff B’Chavrusa!! I hope you realize how amazing that figure is!!!  

I am happy to hear any feedback that you would like to share with me. In addition, if you want to discuss my observations of how your child is doing I am always down to have that conversation.

As always feel free to reach out for anything via email or Whatsapp.

I am looking forward to speaking tomorrow before Shabbos. 

With warmest wishes

-Rabbi Weinberg 

Shalom NCSY JOLT Israel Family,

I wish I could explain to you how amazing it was when our Simcha LaYeled kids came yesterday. We had been waiting for this moment since coming to Israel. We have been speaking about this for days and preparing in all sorts of ways. Everyone had a job, everyone knew what they were supposed to do and everyone was on “Shpilkes” waiting for  our kids to finally arrive. The music was ready, our luggage handlers were ready, popcorn and cotton candy was waiting for them and we had our NCSY JOLT Israel kids lined up making a human bridge so that when the kids got off the bus they would walk under the bridge and start dancing. 

The idea is that the more we keep them occupied and we move out of our own comfort zone, the easier it is to lessen the anxiety of the kids from Simcha LaYeled whom, for many of them, it is the first time they have ever been away from home. At 12:47 our Simcha LaYeled bus pulled up with almost 50 kids who would become members of our new family. Off the bus they ran under our human bridge and straight into the dancing. It was simply awesome!!  I am sure that I’m not doing it justice but I wish you would have been there to see it with your own eyes.I stood off to the side and was overcome by emotion. It is always very emotional for me to see these things at the beginning. I think of how much love these children need and deserve and the extreme deficit that exists because of family circumstances. I think about the week that awaits them and how much love they will receive and it hits me at my core. 

After a bit of dancing we went inside with them and gave them fresh popcorn, cotton candy and drinks. Some of our kids brought their luggage into our multi-purpose room and the others had them sit in their respective groups. We made quick introductions and I welcomed everyone to Machane Hachi Achi. That is the name of our camp. Everyone was excited and the positive energy was at an all time high. From there I sent all the kids to lunch. It was an excellent meal of hot dogs, chicken, schnitzel and tons of side dishes. From lunch we loaded the buses and went straight to our first hike-Majrase is a hike along the water of the Daliyot stream which flows down from the Golan into the Kinneret from the north-east. The water was clean and refreshing. Obviously it ended with a massive water fight! Everyone had an amazing time. From there we went back to our hotel and had some time to relax before supper. Any JOLT Israel kid that was interested in going to buy some food in the Chispin Makolet had the opportunity to do so (almost everyone). Dinner was another winner! Hamburgers fresh off the grill and french fries with different toppings.  

The evening continued with the most amazing night activity I have ever seen in my life. I have never done a drum circle before and I thought it would be a nice thing for our JOLT Israel kids to do together with our Simcha LaYeled kids. It turned into the most amazing night activity ever. We were all going crazy with the drums and drumsticks. It was non-stop dancing and banging and singing and laughing. I haven’t had that much fun in a long time. Everyone left the night activity with huge smiles on their faces. We ended the night with some well needed chill time for the kids and then a pretty late curfew.  

Davening started at 8:00 this morning and after a delicious breakfast of eggs, salads, yogurts, puddings and pancakes we got our stuff together and traveled to the Chatzbani also known as Nachal Snir.  It is the longest of the Jordan river tributaries. Beginning in Lebanon, it is 65 kilometers long. We walked along the cool water with wild fig trees, grape vines and other vegetation growing. The natural smells along the riverbank were absolutely divine. Obviously we had another water fight. What can I say, who doesn’t love a good water fight.

From the Chatzbani we traveled to Teveria for some fun in the sun at Aqua Keif. While the girls were enjoying their time in the water the boys were having a massive water fight on the beach and vice versa.

We returned back to Chispin, davened Mincha and had dinner. Once again, it was amazing! Two types of chicken, meat, salads and side dishes. After dinner, we had another winner of a night activity called “Mystery Envelope”. It was amazing and the kids absolutely loved it. We danced and laughed and all of us enjoyed our time together.

The kids are in bed and I am going to sleep as well. We have an awesome day planned tomorrow and I am really looking forward to it. 

Speak to you soon,

Rabbi Weinberg