United Synagogue Youth (USY), Kadima, and Machar
Details | Register | Upcoming Events
PJTC offers three social groups to engage our youth: United Synagogue Youth (USY) (Grades 7–12), Kadima (Grades 3–6), and Machar (Grades TK- 2). Through these award-winning groups, we aim to create lasting Jewish friendships through meaningful, fun programming.
Typically, USY programming is offered twice per month, Kadima programming is offered once per month, and Machar programming is every other month or so. Our events and programming usually occur Saturday evenings or Sunday afternoons, but vary based on the availability and interests of the youth group members. These programs can be as simple as an outdoor movie night on our giant inflatable screen or as deep as a program discussing the ties between Israel and antisemitism. We schedule frequent field trips to take advantage of all that the LA area has to offer.
For USYers, we also have special “Catering” opportunities throughout the year where our teens learn kitchen safety and cooking skills by catering B’nai Mitzvah luncheons. USY Catering serves both as a fundraiser and valuable learning opportunity for the teens, in addition to providing a service to the community, as they learn to cook.
Whether it be a sleepover in the Sukkah, making a music video, spending the day volunteering in the Pasadena community, going to a trampoline park, celebrating a Jewish holiday in an engaging new way, or playing frisbee until the stars come out, our local chapter has created a haven for any young Jew to come in and feel at home with both old friends & new. We have a thriving & empowered teen leadership board. Members of our youth programs also have the opportunity to attend regional and international USY & Kadima programming–meeting peers from the valley next door and from the other side of the world. Our Youth Director Emily Catalano is happy to answer any questions and can be reached at emily@pjtc.net.
REGISTRATION: To participate in our regular academic year programming, you must fill out a set of permission/liability forms each year. Click HERE to register for USY, Kadima, and Machar through our ShulCloud system.
Logging in to ShulCloud: If you are a member of PJTC, please log into ShulCloud before filling out the registration. If you registered for religious school at PJTC this year or last year, use the same password you used then. If you have forgotten your password, or if you are a new PJTC member and have not yet signed up for ShulCloud, follow this link, enter your email address, and click "email password." This will allow the payment process to run smoothly when you register.
If you are not a member of PJTC (many of our teens are from families that are members at other nearby synagogues), you can still register for USY or Kadima as a guest in the system. There is no need to log in first.
PJTC USY & KADIMA MEMBERSHIP DUES: All of our dues are on a "pay-what-feels-right" basis. Those who can pay more will help those who cannot. Once you become a dues-paying member, the programs you attend will be free or at a lower cost to you than to non-dues-paying participants. You must become a dues-paying member to have access to program & summer camp scholarship funding.
MACHAR (TK-2nd Grades): Pay-what-feels-right! We suggest between $30-$75 per member.
KADIMA (3th-6th Grade): Pay-what-feels-right! We suggest between $50-$95 per member.
USY (7th-12th Grades): Pay-what-feels-right! We suggest between $70-$115 per member.
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WHAT IF I JUST WANT TO TRY IT OUT FIRST? Sure! You are welcome to attend local PJTC USY/Kadima/Machar events without becoming a dues-paying member. That just means you might have to pay more for the first few local events you attend before you are totally hooked and realize you should just become a member! smiley We’ll still need a parent/guardian to fill out the permission forms above.
HOW TO PAY: Through the same system where you register, you will have the option to pay by credit card, bill your account (if you are signed into your ShulCloud account), or read the instructions for sending a check.
Please go to https://www.pjtc.net/calendar to see our upcoming events! To RSVP for events, unless otherwise noted, all you have to do is email Emily at emily@pjtc.net or text her using the phone number in the Youth Group emails. Not getting our emails? Email Emily to get added to the list!
