Dear Friends:

As a parent of a teenager at the Tree of Life, I am writing to ask you and your teenagers to become involved with and participate in the Youth Commission, the United Synagogue Youth (USY) for 8th to 12th graders or the Kadima group for 5th to 7th graders. We are looking for people with fresh ideas and energy, no experience is necessary. Everyone is welcome.

I feel it is important to help our young people become involved with Jewish activities and to encourage their participation. We would love to have you, as a parent, join the Youth Commission, which meets once a month, usually on the first Tuesday, for about one hour. We meet with the advisors for USY and Kadima, two wonderful students from the University of Pittsburgh, both of whom were active with USY when they were in high school. On occasion, the Youth Commission receives and reviews scholarship requests from our active USY members for travel to Israel or for attendance at USY programs and trips or to Camp Ramah. We sell gift certificates to help raise funds for youth events and seek out donations for our scholarship fund. If you join the Youth Commission, you would be able to help our teenagers and our USY and Kadima groups.

Your teenagers can participate in either USY or Kadima, whichever is age appropriate. All Bar and Bat Mitzvah students receive a free membership in USY for their 8th grade year. There are social events, community service projects, travel to USY or Kadima regional events in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Ohio or Kentucky, USY summer excursions and camp, just to name a few. Currently, Rabbi Heimer is looking for a USY member to serve on the synagogue’s new Ritual Committee. There are other leadership opportunities, such as serving on the USY or Kadima Board or as an officer of one of the groups. There are also regional boards and officer positions. Any of these leadership spots would look great on a college application.

It is important for you and for your teens to be involved in Jewish activities and to be involved with Tree of Life. With our new Rabbi starting this month, involvement will also give you and your teens the opportunity to get to know him and to help him and our Congregation grow together. The efforts of you and your children can help to make youth activities at Tree of Life a more fun and enriching experience for everyone.

Most sincerely,
Carol Sikov Gross, Youth Commission Chair