By Rabbi Rob Toren, Executive Director, Amy Amiel, Senior Program Director, Samis Foundation, Seattle
We commend the JTNews on its recent J-Teen insert in the October 12 edition. What a pleasure to hear first-hand from these impressive young Jewish adults their reflections on their engaging experiences with other Jewish teens in rich Jewish contexts. No doubt these teens’ excitement regarding these opportunities stems from the very thoughtful, passionate and intentional efforts of these programs’ professionals. We at the Samis Foundation feel a sense of privilege in having supported the programs which nurtured these teens: NCSY, Nesiya and the Northwest Yeshiva High School. For us at Samis, these programs share a common feature: Experiential immersion in Jewish life with friends. With Samis’s support and the support of many others in our community, we sincerely wish for these programs to go from strength to strength, to continue to impart the deeper meanings of Jewish life to more and more of our community’s teens.