USY Participates in 'Light the Night' = Walk

USY Participates in 'Light the Night' = Walk
by = Eliyahu=20 Krigel
Director of Education and Youth Advisor

During the traditional standing prayer, = the Amidah,=20 we insert a very important and extremely relevant line in the High = Holiday=20 services all of us should remember every day: =93And they should = become one=20 community, so that they can do Your will wholeheartedly.=94 How do = we become=20 one community? By following the example of leadership and = compassion=20 modeled by United Synagogue Youth (USY) as demonstrated in this = article of=20 staying together through the difficult times and supporting all = who need=20 comfort and assistance. USY at Congregation B=92nai Shalom have = taken this=20 line from the Amidah to heart this year by planning all inclusive = programs=20 that not only uplift the spirit, but also socially motivate our = members to=20 do =93Your will wholeheartedly.=94 We do this by taking = responsibility for=20 friends in our community who need our help. USY took the notion of = community service to the next level on October 10th, when the = group=20 participated in the =93Light the Night=94 walk and fundraiser. The = =93Light The=20 Night=94 walk is The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society=92s = nationwide evening=20 walk to raise both awareness of blood cancers and financial = backing for=20 cures. USY supported =93Light the Night=94 both financially and in = our hearts.=20

USY has=20 raised a total of $2,500 so far and we still have more checks = coming in.=20 The USY connection to =93Light the Night=94 was through USY = Freshman Stacy=20 Judson and Jordana Katzki. Stacy and Jordana share a common = beloved=20 friend, Simone Weinstein, who unfortunately is fighting the most = difficult=20 battle of Leukemia, may she continue to stay in good health. = Participants=20 in the walk carried red illuminated balloons to celebrate and = remember the=20 many lives touched by cancer. Funds raised for the walk support = the=20 Society=92s mission: cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin=92s disease, = and=20 myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their = families.=20 The walkers in the event, and everyone supporting them, help save = and=20 sustain life in so many ways and are truly coming from a place = that is=20 heartfelt.

Jordana and=20 Stacy also organized a car wash at CBS and raised $300 that helped = contribute to our total. CBS President, Rayna Arnold, attended the = walk=20 with her family. She said, =93It was wonderful seeing the = USYer=92s pull=20 together for such a meaningful cause. They were fighting for a = friend,=20 they were joining together to do a mitzvah, and they were involved = in=20 something that one of us alone couldn=92t accomplish. I think = their example=20 represents the lessons we all want to teach our children.=94 =

Jordana=20 added, =93I met Simone at sleep away camp and then we started = going to the=20 same school. It was so devastating to me that someone so close to = all of=20 our friends had this terrible disease. I=92m happy so many people=20 participated from our Temple and it made me really proud to be = part of=20 this community. I was interested in this because it was a great=20 opportunity for our youth group to help people. I=92m inspired by = Simone=92s=20 life, because she=92s so strong and confident. =93Light the = Night=94 was fun and=20 interesting in a very meaningful way and I felt like I was giving=20 something back to the community when I raised money for this = cause.=94=20 Parents Dan and Lisa Katzki commented, =93We=92re both very proud = of Jordana.=20 She has the heart of an angel. She did this fundraiser for the = love of her=20 friend.=94

Stacy further=20 remarked on the walk by saying, =93Light the Night=94 was fun = because you=92re=20 with your friends and you=92re there for a good cause, and you = know you=92re=20 helping people. Simone told me she was so happy that she knew her = friends=20 cared about her and wanted to help her. I know it meant a lot to = her and=20 she really appreciated all the support. Our actions did make a = difference.=20 This money will help others in the future who have this disease = because=20 with these funds the Society hopefully will find a cure in years = to come.=20 During the walk, I saw blocks and blocks of red balloons blinking = and=20 people walking together. It made me really proud of USY and CBS = because so=20 many people showed up to support and participate in this important = event.=94=20 Parents Jill and Craig Judson said, =93It was absolutely fantastic = to see=20 the students support Simone the way they did.=94

Stacy and=20 Jordana wanted to add a special Todah Rabah, Thank You, to = everyone who=20 contributed to the event. =93We want to especially thank USY = members for=20 helping and arranging all of these details for this successful = fundraiser.=20 It=92s not too late to support the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. = All you=20 have to do is go to their website at http://www.lightthenight.org/.=94

When asked=20 about =93Light the Night,=94 Co-President of USY Scott Judson = commented, =93I=20 really liked seeing all the USYer=92s come out and walk in support = of=20 Simone. Seeing the support of our chapter in a social action cause = made me=20 feel very proud. I know our chapter is going to do great social = action=20 events and programs this year. In the four years I=92ve been in = USY, this=20 has been the best start yet. Michael and I are really excited to = have the=20 membership up to 30 students after one event and the possibilities = are=20 boundless. I know our successes will fit together nicely in our=20 end-of-the-year scrapbook.=94

USY also had=20 a sleepover in the Sukkah last month. On October 2nd, 28 USYer=92s = had a=20 program called Sleepin N=92 da Sukkah. The memories will last a = lifetime as=20 USYer=92s prayed Havdallah in the CBS Sukkah, sang songs around = the=20 campfire, and discussed important and relevant issues regarding = our=20 support and relationship with Israel by having a real time, live=20 conversation with Ori Danieli who lives in Tel Aviv. When = considering the=20 USY overnight, Co-President of USY Michael Needel added, =93We had = a great=20 turn out at this event and it was a very wonderful program. I know = this=20 year we have a group that will become close-knit friends and = we=92re off to=20 a great beginning.=94

USY members=20 are looking forward to their next event at Q-zar Laser Tag on = November 7=20 from 12:00-4:30. The fee for this program is $18, which includes = lunch, 2=20 games of laser tag, and 12 tokens for games. For more information = about=20 USY and to register for the laser tag program, contact Eliyahu = Krigel at=20 eliyahu@bshalom.org.

November 2004