The Seaboarder
www.seaboardusy.org
September 2016
UPCOMING EVENTS!!!
FALL KADIMA KALLAH
October 28-30, 2016 at Capital Camps

USY FALL CONVENTION
November 18-20, 2016 at the Capital Retreat Center

USY INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION IN DALLAS, TX
December 25-29, 2016
LINK TO REGISTER: 

Welcome to the Israel Update section of this month's  Seaboarder ! Israel Update will consist of current Israeli news, both political and otherwise, as well as wacky facts and cool trends happening in Israel.  Recently, Uber has unveiled its new self driving cars in Pittsburgh, PA, which couldn't have been done without Israeli self-driving car technology. Other car companies, such as BMW and Ford, are looking to use Israel's self-driving car technology as well. In addition, the U.S. has recently approved a record $38 billion aid deal with Israel, which will help maintain Israel's defense forces. Speaking of which, the terror wave that has been occurring since last October appears to be dying down, with the amount of attacks per month dropping significantly. On a much sadder note, former President and Prime Minister, Shimon Peres, was rushed to the hospital on Tuesday, September 13th due to a severe stroke. Peres died on September 28, 2016. Peres dedicated his life to service of Israel as a politician in search of peace. May his memory be a blessing.
  B Y EVINA DENENBERG
        
     When I hear "USY," a ton of positive thoughts and memories come to mind. I think of all the close friends I've made and all the good times we've had together. USY has impacted my life in a way that is unimaginable. Becoming a member of this incredible organization has been one of the best decisions I've ever made.
     In the past, I had attended a few chapter and regional events, but decided that they weren't "my thing." However, last year I decided to try it out again, mainly because I wanted to be more active in the teenage Jewish community. When I signed up for Encampment, Seaboard's weeklong end-of-the-summer convention, I was nervous that I wouldn't make any friends, but as soon as I arrived everyone was super friendly and welcoming. The only thing I regret is not joining USY sooner. Now, I only have two years left in USY, and I plan on making them extremely memorable. Today, my USY friends are some of my closest friends. We created a special bond with each other that is indescribable. The USY community is very supportive and inclusive of one another, which creates a positive atmosphere and keeps me wanting to come back.
     Not only do the people that surround us help shape the atmosphere, but the programming is amazing as well. Programming at conventions vary anywhere from social action projects to great religious experiences and so much more, making sure to incorporate both Judaism and fun. One of the main reasons I joined and love USY is because it allows everyone to be a leader. I have taken advantage of the opportunity to be more involved in the leadership aspect of USY, where I hold two Regional General Board positions.
     All in all, USY offers Jewish teens great experiences and memories that will last a lifetime. Recently, I talked one of my friends into attending a regional convention with me and he loved it! He had told me that he was very appreciative and thankful that I introduced him to such a wonderful organization, and that he will definitely be a regular attendee of events. Make the right choice and become of member of our Seaboard Region USY family. Registering to become a USY member is very simple and definitely a decision you will not regret! From USY, you can gain tons of friends, Judaic knowledge, leadership skills, and so much more. USY is my "home away from home" and I couldn't imagine life without it!

Shana tova, Seaboard! This is the first edition of the  Seaboarder , Seaboard USY's monthly newsletter. I would like to give a huge shout-out to Gabi Shapo and Julia Feldman, who are the  Seaboarder editors. These lovely ladies work on organizing, brainstorming and editing every edition of the S eaboarder . They have worked so hard this month to make this edition fantastic and they are thrilled to be sharing it with you! In this month's edition, you will find thoughts and updates from each of the Regional Executive Board members on what they hope to accomplish this year and what to expect as the year progresses. Also, we have added two new sections to the  Seaboarder : the Parents' Corner and the Israel Update. 
   
Happy reading and wishing you all a wonderful new year,
Renana
 
UPDATES FROM THE
REGIONAL EXECUTIVE BOARD
President, Jordan Moshe Kalfon
Hey Seaboard! This year, the Regional Executive Board and I are looking forward to planning conventions and other programs that will bring our region together as a strong community. From raising money with Tikun Olam activities to learning more about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, our programs will be both fun and educational. Feedback on programs is always welcome and encouraged. We are excited to hear your thoughts and implement them to improve our region! I look forward to an incredible journey this year and cannot wait to see how our region grows! Feel free to email me at president@seaboardusy.org anytime!
B'Ahava,
Jordan

Executive Membership and Kadima Vice President, Hannah Wandersman
Hey Seaboard! I'm super excited for this upcoming year, and I have so many goals that I want to achieve. As for keeping you updated on what is happening for the rest of the year, look out for USS Membership Week, a pump up week happening later this year, where USYers can earn points for their chapters by posting about the given theme. Also, you may have noticed the Parents' Corner in this month's newsletter. Parents' Corner is a new feature to the Seaboarder, where USYers have the ability to share their amazing experiences with interested parents. If you want to be featured in next month's "Parents' Corner," contact me at memkad@seaboardusy.org! If you ever have any questions, feel free to email me anytime. Thank you all for your support, I'm looking forward to making this an incredible year!
With much love,
Hannah

Israel Affairs Vice President, Matan Admi
Howdy Seaboard! This year is going to be the best year yet for Seaboard USY and Kadima, and I have tons of goals and initiatives that I am excited to share with you. The most important thing I want to achieve while serving as your IA is to keep everyone up to date on the happenings of Israel and to immerse all USYers in Israeli culture. To do this, we're launching new initiatives such as adding the Israel Update feature to the Seaboarder, expanding our Israeli music playlist, Shira B'Seaboard (which can be found on Spotify), and continuing past initiatives such as 'Rael Talk. If you'd like to contact me about anything, please feel free to email me at matanadmi@gmail.com! This year is going to be an amazing year Seaboard, and we need your help to make it the best year ever!
B'shalom,
Matan

Religion and Education Vice President, Matthew Kaminow
Shalom Seaboard! This year, I have developed two amazing new projects that are currently underway. The first one, which I am very excited about, is the Leading Learning Club, a new opportunity and initiative for USYers to learn how to lead and participate in services at both conventions and their synagogues. I can't to work with all of you on this! If you would like to sign up or have any questions, please email me at reled@seaboardusy.org. The other super exciting program that I am currently working on is a holiday calendar, which will encourage multi-chapter events in each sub-region of Seaboard for every holiday throughout the year. So Seaboard, I look forward to seeing each and every one of you enjoying these projects throughout the year! Hope you have have a wonderful Rosh Hashanah and a meaningful Yom Kippur.

L'hitraot,
Matthew

Social Action and Tikun Olam Vice President, Zack Sieff
Hello Seaboard! I am so pumped to be the SATO this year! I have a lot of goals for this year, but my main goal is to balance our focus on Social Action along with Tikun Olam. It is important that we start increasing our focus on social action outside of conventions, just like we do with Tikun Olam at chapter events. I also want to make sure everyone's ideas are heard and implemented in the best way possible. How are we going to do this, you may ask? Well the International SA/TO Publicity Committee will be sharing all international "social action" days, such as National Smiles Day for example. If you have ideas or questions to share, please email me at sato@seaboardusy.org. Have a great day Seaboard!
With a SA/TO smile,
Zack

Communications Vice President, Renana Harris-Blumenthal
SEABOARD!!! I am so excited to share with you the magical world that is communications! Communications is something I am so passionate about so I am ready to make the most of my position this year! Over this year, I hope to grow as a community with our verbal and online communication and presence. We will find new and effective ways to work together as a region to make our friendships stronger, reach out to new members, and encourage them to join in our incredible youth group! Please know that I am always here as a resource to all positions and I want to help you achieve your goals and share your passions! I love getting emails so please contact me at comm@seaboardusy.org with your ideas or questions whenever you want!

With lots of comm love,
Renana

THANKS FOR READING!
That's all for this month's edition of the Seaboarder. Hopefully, you've learned a little bit more about each of the Regional Executive Board Members, gained a new perspective on what it's like to be part of USY, and exposed yourself to the culture and politics of modern Israel. If you would like to learn more about any of your regional officers or events, check out www.seaboardusy.org. Also, if you would like to be featured in the Seaboarder, please email Renana at comm@seaboardusy.org. Thank you so much for reading! Chag Sameach!