Share your successes.
Let us know what you've heard.
We want to hear from you if Project Reconnect has made a difference. Let us know what you've experienced. Send your stories, photos and videos to us at
reconnect@uscj.org.
T'fillin in Action!
Rabbi Jeremy Weiderhorn, a former Far West USY regional president who is now the spiritual leader of Congregation Midbar Kodeshin Henderson, Nevada, teaches congregant Jordon Doctors how to lay tefillin for the shul’s Sunday morning minyan. Jordon’s mother, Tiffany Welt Doctors, also used to belong to Far West USY.
NERUSY Presidents Unite!
Through the almost magical powers of Facebook, 14 past NERUSY presidents have been collected in a small group. Rachel Wilgoren and I connected and now I am delighted to say that we are colleagues! Rachel is the Associate Attorney, and I am the Paralegal, of Riemer and Associates, a disability law firm located just across from Grand Central in Manhattan. She is also active in good and important work outside of the office, raising awareness of and funds for pulmonary fibrosis in memory of her mother Toby Neipris Wilgoren (z"l); learn more at www.TeamToby.net. In my spare time I enjoy continued involvement in my sorority (Delta Gamma) alumnae network, my alma mater (JTS, BA '04), as well as trying to make Rachel join me at alumni events for Brandeis (Rachel: BA '95, Audrey: MA '07) and Columbia (Rachel: MSW, JD '02; Audrey: BA: '04)! --Audrey Shore
Far West/Pacific Southwest Region Alumni and USY Shabbaton...
57 Far West Region USYers and Nativ alum staff were recently hosted by Project Reconnect Chair, Jackie Saltz, at her home on the beaches of Oxnard Shores. Their theme for the weekend was Israel, as the group was comprised of those USYers who have been on pilgrimage programs for the last two years, those planning to go next year and the Far West USY Regional Board. They realized how much they missed being in Israel and decided to call Rabbi Paul Freedman and Nina Freedman and do their rendition for them of "Menucha V'Simcha". They loved the weekend so much that they want to do it again (hope Jackie will) and other alumni from the region have gotten the word and are now offering their homes for Shabbat dinner, etc. The USYers loved the feel of spending time together in a home atmosphere, hearing stories about the way "things used to be" and it certainly is helpful in helping the costs to be kept down so that more USYers can take advantage of more programs such as this.
Bogrim Program Reconnects alumni
The Bogrim Program was just launched and unexpected "reconnecting occurred". In helping a synagogue in Crusy/Great Lakes and Rivers Region, Project Reconnect Chair Jackie Saltz inadvertently got reconnected with friends from high school and will now be having lunch together with four of them now living in California and one living in New York City.
Crusy Regional Manager Noah Sudow, living in Ohio, reconnected with an old friend who was the daughter of a synagogue Bogrim Chair in Michigan.
North American Yellow Pages And People Finder Success Story
You never know what you may find and how you may reconnect when searching through the Yellow Pages and People Finder.
An alum discovered names she was looking to contact with in her region by searching the People Finder. She wanted to reconnect with people after having been away from her home town for quite a length of time while completing her professional studies. She contacted a friend from her USY days and they decided to meet up and do lunch together. In checking our North American Yellow Pages he discovered that she is a pediatrician and he and his wife were looking for one. She is now the pediatrician for his two small children. They joined the same shul and are now in the same havurah. She now uses his law firm. They also discovered an alum physician who is the emergency room doc at the hospital closest to them. They are all now talking car pool for USY events when their kids get to be old enough.
An alum is making movies
Have you seen the movie The Illusionist? Did you know that Joey Horvitz was one of the executive producers of the award winning film? Joey is a Far West Region USY and Nativ alum and has been in contact with many of his old friends since discovering Project Reconnect. He promised to let us know when his next film is being released and we shall be sure to keep you posted on "Have You Heard?".
Metny Alum Co-Authors Best Seller
Eli Spielman (former Metny USY President 1970-71) just co-authored a book with Jim Nantz, the great CBS sportscaster. It's called "Always By My Side" and it made the NY Times Best Seller list this past week at #11.
It's a wonderful story told by Jim Nantz about father-son relationships.
PROJECT RECONNECT IS AN INITIATIVE OF THE UNITED SYNAGOGUE OF
CONSERVATIVE JUDAISM (
USCJ ) THAT SEEKS TO IDENTIFY AND ATTRACT ALUMNI OF
USY ,
NATIV ,
KOACH ,
THE CONSERVATIVE YESHIVA, ATID, AND RELATED PROGRAMS TO RECONNECT
WITH OTHER ALUMNI AND WITH USCJ.
57 Far West Region USYers and Nativ alum staff were recently hosted by Project Reconnect Chair, Jackie Saltz, at her home on the beaches of Oxnard Shores. Their theme for the weekend was Israel, as the group was comprised of those USYers who have been on pilgrimage programs for the last two years, those planning to go next year and the Far West USY Regional Board. They realized how much they missed being in Israel and decided to call Rabbi Paul Freedman and Nina Freedman and do their rendition for them of "Menucha V'Simcha". They loved the weekend so much that they want to do it again (hope Jackie will) and other alumni from the region have gotten the word and are now offering their homes for Shabbat dinner, etc. The USYers loved the feel of spending time together in a home atmosphere, hearing stories about the way "things used to be" and it certainly is helpful in helping the costs to be kept down so that more USYers can take advantage of more programs such as this.
