USY - July News
An exciting month for our youth! Over Memorial Day Weekend, USYers from all over SoCal, AZ, and Nevada gathered virtually for Far West Regional Convention. Mazel tov PJTC USY and its incredible teen leaders for achieving nationally-recognized Chapter of Excellence status for the third year in a row—and this year was not an easy one! Congrats to PJTC USY President Leah Laska-Sandleman for receiving the Jackie Saltz Spirit of USY Award, and to Religious/ Education VP Noah Kronsburg for receiving the Ahavat Torah Award, going above and beyond in tefillah (prayer). You make your PJTC community very proud!!
USY was also thrilled to have our last event of the year back in person (with a Zoom option, of course!) We said goodbye to our beloved Seniors, watched an outdoor movie, chatted with alumni, and elected next year’s PJTC’s USY Chapter Board.
As our youth department continues to grow, so does the interest in Jewish summer camp from PJTC families. But with such a tough past sixteen months of job losses, many families needed more help than ever affording camp. PJTC Sisterhood and Men's Club to the rescue! These groups combined forces with LBSRS and USY to deliver about $17,000 in financial aid to families who could not otherwise have sent their children to a Jewish summer camp this year. This is an unprecedented number, and truly speaks to the generosity of our affiliate groups and their commitment to the next generation of Jews. Interested in making a contribution to our Camp Scholarship Fund to ensure any child who wants to attend Jewish summer camp is able to do so? Contact melissa@pjtc.net.
by Melissa Levy, Director of Congregational Engagement
