Shalom to the Temple Emanuel community! My name is Sarah Paleg, and this year I will be serving as the President of our congregation’s youth group, KESTY. I am a Junior at Richard Montgomery High School in Rockville, MD, and last year I served as KESTY’s Social Action Vice President as well as a member of the advisory cabinet for the Mid-Atlantic Region. This past summer I spent 3½ weeks at the URJ Kutz Campus for Reform Jewish Teen Life in Warwick, NY, where I took classes in Judaic Studies, basic conversational Hebrew, and guitar. It was an absolutely amazing experience, and I’d love to talk to you about it! Now back in Maryland and back in school, a lot of my time is spent preparing for a wonderful year of KESTY events.
Since undergoing a revival process in 2005, KESTY has experienced a major membership boom. Our events last year attracted as many as 20 participants, and this year we look forward to continuing to develop a vibrant youth group that is a vital part of our Temple community. I’m really excited about taking a greater leadership role in the youth group this year, and about sharing my skills and my ideas with KESTY. Collectively, we will be continuing our initiative to increase the presence of KESTYites at regional events. These events are typically three-days/two-nights long, and are hosted by synagogues in the Mid-Atlantic Region (MD, VA, DE, NC) about once every two months. Last year we had about 10 participants at the Spring Kallah (Conclave), and we anticipate even more participation this year.
Parents of 7th – 12th graders will be receiving more information later on in the year. We also have a full calendar ahead of us this year. Our kickoff event on September 23rd was to help the Jewish Group Home in Silver Spring, MD by building and decorating a Sukkah for the residents there, combining community service, Judaism, and some serious arts & crafts into one fabulous event! Ninth through 12th grades should join us on October 21st as we head to DC for an escapade at the Spy Museum, followed by lunch and a scavenger hunt on the mall. Keep your eyes peeled for more information about our event on December 15th.
This year I urge all parents to look out for flyers that are sent home from Hebrew School. We will also begin to send out event flyers via snail mail, which will serve as yet another reminder of the when/where/who of our events. Feel free to contact me with any questions, comments, or even if you’re just looking to get more involved! My email address is sarah@paleg.com. This year will build upon our previous ones, as we continue to grow in membership, as a part of this community. I can’t wait to meet you,
-- Sarah Paleg
5767-5768 President
We are a member of The Union for Reform Judaism (formely the Union of American Hebrew Congregations)
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