Nachas in New England!
The Connecticut Jewish Ledger’s published list of “Movers & Shakers” in the CT Jewish community includes two important members of the NCSY family!
Congratulations to Stamford chapter advisor Isaiah Rothstein, and West Hartford NCSYer Miriam Young! Check out the full story here: http://www.jewishledger.com/
Isaiah Rothstein grew up in the Chabad community of Monsey, N.Y., the son of a white father and a black mother who raised their three sons to believe in the power to influence the world for good. As an undergraduate at SUNY Binghamton, he delved into the multiple layers of identity that had shaped his early life. “That’s where I discovered my love and passion for Judaism and the success of its continued development,” says the self-identified “Jew of color, a direct product of the Civil Rights movement,” who is slated to receive ordination from Yeshiva University’s Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary in May.
Last fall, he was hired as youth director at Young Israel of Stamford (YI) and as advisor of the Stamford chapter of NCSY (National Conference of Synagogue Youth). Correction: Last fall, Rothstein took by storm the YI and NCSY youth programs in Stamford.
“Isaiah has been a tremendous asset to the Young Israel of Stamford and to the Stamford Jewish community as a whole,” says Shara Israel, member of the YI Youth Committee. “His passion for music, his outreach to and caring for people from all different backgrounds, and his love of and devotion to Judaism make him an ideal role model for our youth. He makes everyone, young and old, feel welcome and loved. He encourages participation in the many varied programs he designs and runs with personal phone calls and one-on-one encouragement. His great ear for music and harmony always brightens up a Shabbat table with song, or a kumsitz with his guitar. He is a very hard-working and creative leader.”
Leah Perl, board liaison to the YI Youth House and Rothstein’s supervisor, praises the youth director for his enthusiasm and inclusiveness. “Isaiah wants everyone to be able to participate in his different programs and loves to talk to anyone who has ideas for him,” she says. “When he sees that there is an opening for him to create a program or a group, he comes up with an idea and makes it happen. People love to talk to him because of his easy-going nature and desire to listen to one and all.”
Rothstein is considered “a major force” at NCSY, says Devora Weinstock, interim regional director of New England NCSY. “At our regional conventions, he runs standing-room-only sessions and enhances our Shabbat and Havdallah with his musical talents,” she says. “In Stamford, he’s taken his chapter to the next level, empowering the teens to take the lead on projects and bringing quality monthly NCSY Shabbat programming to the Stamford community.”
Noah Marlowe, Stamford NCSY chapter president and National Board member, agrees. “Isaiah has become an advisor to the stars, molding friendships, facilitating spirituality, and, most importantly, educating the Jewish future.”
Some political activists find their calling early in life. Miriam Young caught the bug as a kid, taking an unusual interest in the history of politics while still in elementary school. The Hebrew High School of New England (HHNE) junior has taken AP Government and Politics and is currently studying AP U.S. History. Last year, she interned in the Democratic Campaign Headquarters’ West Hartford field office during the Obama reelection campaign.
Now Young is on her way to the prestigious Senate Page Program in Washington, D.C. Appointed by Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Young will join 29 other accomplished students from around the country in the spring 2014 Page session from February to June. The Senate Pages’ typical duties include delivery of correspondence and legislative materials within the Capital, preparing the Senate Chamber for session, taking messages for Senators, and carrying bills and amendments from the presiding officer’s desk. Pages are required to work into the early hours of the morning in cases of important business, filibusters, and emergency situations. They attend school before the official Senate day begins at 9:45 a.m.
The daughter of Michael Young and Ruth Alcabes of West Hartford, Young says she’s “honored” to get an up-close view of procedures and policies on Capitol Hill, and plans to build on her new understanding of government and politics as she continues on to college.
Young is currently an intern for the Democratic State Central Committee in Hartford, developing youth resources, assisting with the coordination of social media, participating in outreach, and conducting research. She serves as chief of staff of the national board of the High School Democrats of America. She was also one of only 50 students selected by the Junior Statesman Foundation of America to attend the Democratic and Republican national conventions.
She is also a Hebrew school teacher for grades 3 through 7 at Congregation Beth Ahm in Windsor, teaching classes in ethics, Jewish lifecycle and Jewish culture, as well as a youth counselor at the Young Israel of West Hartford. She is active in the youth theater program at the Mandell JCC of Greater Hartford and a member of the HHNE varsity girls’ soccer team.
“Miriam is enthusiastically civic-minded and her selection as a Senate Page will enable her to fulfill her passion for government and politics,” says Rabbi Daniel Loew, HHNE head of school. “I know that this will be a wonderfully educational experience for her and it will enable her to further her ambitious aspirations.”