Summer Success for RSY-Netzer
Wednesday, 02 September 2009
Despite the credit crunch, more young people than ever enjoy RSY-Netzer summer experiences.
RSY-Netzer has had its most successful summer to date, with more than 700 10-18 year olds participating in activities, including Shemesh camps and Israel Tour.
RSY-Netzer Mazkir, Daniel Lichman commented: "It has been an amazing summer of activities. We are delighted that we have been able to involve so many young people in a Jewish experience which will stay with them forever. People have made friends for life and learned more about what it means to be Jewish."
Parents and chanichim (participants) have all benefited from the recently upgraded RSY-Netzer website where they have been able to read regular reports from Shemesh and daily updates from Israel Tour.
Due to the difficult financial climate, more applications for bursaries for summer camps and Israel Tour were received than ever before, a rise of 45% on last year, with parents also applying for larger subsidies.
To meet this demand, as well as to contribute to the ongoing cost of running programmes for youth and young adults, a special appeal was launched in June. The appeal raised in excess of £13,000, with 83 young people benefiting from financial assistance this year.
Reform Movement Chair, Stephen Moss, commented: "The Reform Movement, together with Reform synagogues and the UJIA, have been able to give a contribution to every applicant, to ensure that no child missed out on the opportunity of going on Shemesh or Israel Tour due to lack of funds. We consider these experiences to be a key part of strengthening our children's Jewish identity and Jewish education. This is our next generation of youth leaders and our community leaders of the future. We must invest in them now."
New RSY-Netzer Movement workers, Joshua Martin and Ben Jacobs have joined the team this month, with Gemma Gluckman and Daniel Lichman leaving and Shaliach, Ben Jardine staying on in his role for a second year. Ben Jacobs grew up within Finchley Reform Synagogue and graduated from Cambridge University this summer, with a degree in Economics and Social & Political Science. Josh Martin grew up as part of Kol Chai Hatch End Reform Jewish Community and has just graduated from UCL where he studied Physics.
For further details, please contact Andrea Newman, Public Relations, the Movement for Reform Judaism.
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
