March 2005
Adar II 5765

Welcome to Meh Hadash B'No'ar Hadash: What's New in No'ar Hadash.  In this newsletter from the Youth & Camping Department of the JRF you will find: news about upcoming No'ar Hadash events all around the country, sample programs for you to try out in your own community, and reports on what Reconstructionist youth have been up to recently.

On April 1st and 2nd, Congregation Or Hadash in Fort Washington, PA will host the No'ar Hadash Mid-Atlantic Youth Kallah on the theme "B'tzelem Elohim: Tzedakah in the Modern World."  We’ll gather from Pennslyvania, New Jersey and Delaware for 24 hours of learning, praying, art, and fun.  Click here for more information.

For a weekend in February, No'ar Hadash of Ramat Shalom in Plantation, Florida, hosted a Kallah with the theme, "Changing of the Tides."  In addition to Ramat Shalom members, the kallah was attended by No’ar Hadashniks from places as far-flung as Chicago, IL and Salem, OR.

Participant and organizer Mark Wilco had this to say about the experience:

"Throughout the weekend, we discussed the traditions of our ancestors, the traditions of today, and those of the days to come.  During the teen-led Kabbalat Shabbat service, we read about the history of the prayers that we say every week.  On Shabbat morning, we studied Exodus 25, the building of the Tabernacle, with Rabbi Andrew Jacobs and Cantor Sharon Hordes.  We described our views of Judaism in the form of illustrations on cloth, and, later that night, erected them as a Tabernacle on the beach, underneath a silvery moon that grinned at us from its loft in heaven.

"The people that came this weekend never ceased to amaze me.  At any given point, in between Israeli dancing, Dragon Boat races, Havdalah at the edge of the ocean and a bright orange bonfire that illuminated our eyes and reflected the warmth in our hearts, there would be nothing but laughter, love, and bonds being formed that last lifetimes."

Click here to see pictures from this amazing event.

More than 80 sixth through twelfth graders gathered at Camp Henry Horner outside of Chicago for a weekend in January for the 4th annual No'ar Hadash Midwest Kallah.  We played in the snow, drank lots of cocoa, sang and prayed, and had many conversations about the intersection of Judaism with our political beliefs.  Because this was also a Camp JRF reunion, in addition to the Midwestern crew we had participants from Massachusetts, New Jersey and Florida.  For some of the Floridians, it was their first time seeing snow! 

Click here to see pictures from this great weekend.

Here is a creative and engaging havaya (informal educational program) from the Florida Kallah that you can use "straight out of the box" for your youth group.

"JUDAISM IS LIKE"

 
No'ar Hadash Mid-Atlantic
Youth Shabbaton
April 1 - 2, 2005

Israel Celebration Day
New York Semi-Regional
Youth Event
April 3, 2005

Chesapeake Teen Program
Spring 2005

Camp JRF
June 26 - July 17, 2005

We are also looking for energetic, creative, and talented young adults to be cabin counselors.  Positions are available for college students to spend 4 weeks truly making a difference.

For more information, visit the camp website at www.campjrf.org.