Our Tradition... It's In You To Give

Dear Friends and Supporters,

For three years since Oct 7, we dreamed of bringing a group of Jewish mothers back to Israel through NCSY’s TJJ (The Jerusalem Journey) for Moms. This summer, that dream finally became a reality. Led by NCSY Family Director Hennie Black, in partnership with Birthright Israel Free Spirit, 20 mothers from Toronto and Montreal travelled together for a journey of volunteering, touring, Torah learning, inspiration and friendship. What made it especially meaningful was that 15 of these mothers had children participating in TJJ in Israel at the very same time.

These mothers experienced Israel not simply as tourists, but as people coming to contribute, connect and grow. They volunteered, met Israelis, heard their stories, explored the history and spiritual meaning of the land, learned Torah together, and shared honest conversations about Jewish identity and parenting. Along the way, they were inspired by incredible speakers and experiences, including Anat Ishai, known as The Challah Mom and an NCSY alumna; Dikla Mizrachi, mother of Ben Mizrachi z”l, an NCSY Vancouver alum and one of Israel’s heroes who was killed at NOVA on October 7; and Rami Davidian, who saved more than 750 lives at NOVA. For one beautiful Shabbat, their journey came together with their children’s. It was far more than a trip. It was an opportunity for two generations to experience Jewish growth together.

We often invest tremendous energy in providing transformative experiences for young people, and rightly so. A teenager may return from Israel inspired, moved, and eager to make changes, but inspiration does not always come with instructions. Sometimes a teenager returns home having changed, only to discover that their home has remained exactly the same. That is why parent programming is so essential.

The Torah expresses this idea in the first paragraph of the Shema: “V’hayu hadvarim ha’eileh asher Anochi m’tzavcha hayom al l’vavecha. V’shinantam l’vanecha.” “These words that I command you today shall be upon your heart, and you shall teach them to your children.” The order is significant. Before the Torah tells us to teach our children, it tells us that its words must first be placed upon our own hearts. Jewish education is strongest when parents are not merely telling their children what Judaism should mean, but are continuing to discover what it means for themselves.

That is what made TJJ for Moms so powerful. The mothers and children did not experience Israel in precisely the same way, but they returned home with a shared vocabulary. When a child speaks about a meaningful moment in Israel, the mother can now understand more than the words. She has felt its complexity, beauty, pain, and holiness herself. And when the initial excitement begins to fade, as excitement naturally does, the parent can help transform inspiration into action. A child can return home with a spark, but when a parent understands that spark, protects it and adds fuel to it, the spark can become a lasting flame.

With gratitude,

Rabbi Glenn Black

CEO, NCSY Canada

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Ongoing excavations in Jerusalem’s City of David are revealing how organized and prosperous the capital remained shortly before the Babylonian conquest. Seal impressions belonging to royal officials, administrative markings on storage jars, and traces of imported vanilla point to a functioning government and trade networks stretching from Jerusalem to Africa and India.

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Yad Vashem To Open Munich Center, Focusing On Holocaust’s Victims Lives

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READ THE ARTICLE HERE

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The gathering gave NCSY alumnae an opportunity to reconnect while passing Jewish tradition forward to their daughters. It reflected the enduring strength of the NCSY community, where relationships formed during the teen years continue into adulthood and help shape the next generation.

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Historic Discovery: Rashi’s Burial Site In France Confirmed

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To learn more and secure your spot, contact Brian Schiffman