How are the teens traveling to New York?
Where will be the teens be housed?
What social action opportunities will the teens participate in?
What New York sites will the teens visit?
How will the teens spend Shabbat?
What are the expectations/rules for the teens?
Who should I contact if I have questions?
How are the teens traveling to New York?
We’ll be traveling as a group on United Airlines. The flight leaves Thursday, Feb. 16, 2017, at 8 a.m. from O’Hare Airport and arrives at New York’s La Guardia Airport at 11:10 a.m. The return flight leaves La Guardia at 6 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 20, and arrives at O’Hare at 7:49 p.m. In late January, parents will receive detailed information about the travel arrangements, including meeting spots for participant send off and pick up.
Where will be the teens be housed?
For the duration of the trip, we will be based at the Hilton Garden Inn Ridgefield Park, NJ, just 10 minutes from the Big Apple. We’ll be spending an inspiring group Shabbat there, too, with traditional Shabbat meals prepared by Five Star Caterers.
What social action opportunities will the teens participate in?
The teens will be visiting several Jewish nonprofit organizations in New York, where they will be involved in hands-on volunteering. These organizations include Masbia and Tomchei Shabbos, which feed the hungry, and Hatzalah, the largest volunteer ambulance corps in the United States. Representatives from Hatzalah who were first responders at 9/11 will also meet our group at Ground Zero to share their first-person accounts of terror – and heroism.
What New York sites will the teens visit?
Our group will be visiting some of the city’s top tourist attractions, including Times Square, Rockefeller Center and Statue of Liberty. We will also tour Jewish Brooklyn, and get into the spirit of Shabbat by shopping for many traditional Shabbat favorites in Brooklyn’s all-kosher supermarkets and eateries.
Please note: All aspects of the trip are subject to change at any time.
How will the teens spend Shabbat?
We will be spending Shabbat together as a group in the hotel. Our goal is to make everyone feel comfortable and welcome. We will offer traditional prayer services, as well opportunities for meditation and Jewish learning. Over the course of Shabbat, we will discuss what Heroism and Service mean from a Jewish perspective. We will offer interactive Jewish learning sessions, and special guest speakers will share their own stories of challenge and triumph.
Who will supervise the teens?
The trip will be led by Midwest NCSY Chicagoland Director Levi Zeffren and former Midwest NCSY Northshore Director Rabbi Yehuda Polstein. They will be joined by 6 volunteer college-age advisors, who will serve in the role of mentors for the teens throughout the trip. This translates into a staff-to-teen ratio of nearly 1:5.
What are the expectations/rules for the teens?
Midwest NCSY has a No-Tolerance Policy for sex, drugs, alcohol and bullying. Participants who violate these rules will be sent home at their own expense.
Teens can use their phones to take pictures throughout the day, but we ask that they do not text or post during programming. They will have time at the end of the day to post their pictures.
On Shabbat, we have a “no public use” policy for cell phones in order to create and maintain a Shabbat-friendly environment that is comfortable for all participants.
Who should I contact if I have questions?
If you have questions about finances, forms, cancellation policies or JUF, please contact Amanda Hammerman at amandahammerman@juf.org or at 312-357-4772.
If you have questions about the trip, please contact Midwest NCSY’s Big Apple Adventure team:
Malka Levitansky, levitanskym@ncsy.org
Levi Zeffren, zeffrenl@ncsy.org
Jeremy Schaechter, schaechterj@ncsy.org
Or call the Midwest NCSY office at 847-677-6279. We look forward to hearing from you.