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Nava Hymowitz!
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Membership Madness!!!
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CLICK HERE to download the New Members packet Top 10 Reasions we Love USY:
USY Memories: Mindy once said, “I don’t wanna grow up, 'cause baby if I did, I wouldn’t be a USY kid.” Almost two years later, I can still vividly remember my first “official” day in USY. During the summer, a bunch of freshmen, sophomores, one junior, and one senior all met up with our Rabbi at our synagogue, Herzl Ner Tamid, to help brainstorm some ideas for making USY better for the upcoming year. In the past, our chapter had been a fairly good one, but lately our membership was down and the Rabbi wanted some ideas from incoming freshmen and other high school students at our synagogue to help improve our chapter. I had only attended a few USJ events before that meeting, and I didn’t really have much fun at them, so when I was first asked to attend a USY brainstorm meeting, I immediately assumed that USY would be just as boring as my USJ experiences had been. I showed up at the meeting thinking I would just go to the meeting, help come up with ideas, and then never have to do anything USY again. Boy was I wrong. In fact, that simple summer brainstorm meeting was the first day that I fell in “like” with USY. As it turns out, a lot of my friends from synagogue, as well as group of other kids I didn’t know, showed up at the meeting as well. In addition to helping brainstorm, this little group of teenagers spent time laughing, joking, and getting to know one another. Whether it was planned or not, the Rabbi and former chapter president, Seth Goldstein, had reached their goal; by the week after the meeting, practically everyone who had attended it had joined USY, with a majority of us becoming executive board members. It’s been about two years now; two years of ice skating/broomball events, cosmic bowling nights, dances, Shabbatons, youth minyans, Kinnusim, and among everything else, Regional Conventions. As a freshman in USY, I knew a few people here and there, but never in my wildest dreams did I think that I’d have made so many close friends in USY. As the end of this year approaches, I find myself becoming increasingly melancholy because this year, in addition to the new freshmen and sophomore friends I made, I became friends with some AMAZING seniors. After only one year of amazing USY memories, I wish I had gotten to know them as a freshman, because now they’re all leaving for college. BUT while this does make me really sad, I also really do think that we’ll keep in touch. The bonds of friendship that you make in USY are not ordinary ones; after years of inside jokes and memories, these bonds are tough as, as Lindsay Alt said (when I asked her what she thought the toughest metal was), “ununbium”. This has been yet another amazing year, and I can’t wait until the next one. Another year of silly pictures, inside jokes, and wonderful memories with all of my USY friends, old and new. Mindy R.—Seattle Achim P-PI-PIN NOW WHEEL IT BABY Reena says, My favorite USY memory would have to be my food allergy experience at International Convention 2005. You see, when it comes to food, I struggle at USY conventions. I have sooooo many food sensitivities and allergies that it is super difficult to get normal food. However, USY is amazing (as you should know) and the Mashiach (the Hebrew word for the person who watches over the kitchen and makes sure its all hunkey dorey) at every convention makes sure to give me my "special" food. Unfortunately it takes a while to get it, so I don't end up eating with the whole convention. Okay, so imagine a few HUMUNGOUS dining halls in a very large hotel filled with Jewish teens (about 1200 or so) and a few close friends sitting outside those dining halls on the carpeted floor. Mostly those people have food allergies and need to be away from the dining hall that has that certain food that is very dangerous to them. I come to sit and wait for my delicious hard-boiled egg and vegetables as we are chatting about our terrible reactions to foods and how we are super special for having a little food allergy club. More people join the group and we end up laughing and talking about silly adolescent things (which are wonderful, by the way). But see, the best part is talking freely with people who you barely know. Sitting around in a small circle, playing music (one boy I met played the guitar and sang with his buddy) and talking. My point: you will always find someone in USY who likes you the way you are, allergies and all. Reena Saks
I love USY because it is so easy to meet people. Not only is everyone ready to make new friends, but USYers in general are great people, easy to talk to and eager to be friends with everyone. I love how in USY everyone is on the same level. I have many great friends who are seniors as well as friends who are freshmen. In USY anyone can be involved and become a leader if they want to and give it a try. Hooray for USY! Rachelle Grossman
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