What is VBS USY?

United Synagogue Youth is an International organization which has a membership of over 25,000 young people across the United States and Canada and even has a sister program - NOAM - in Israel. It consists of 17 Regions. We are a part of Far West Region which recently became the largest Region in USY with a membership of over 1800 teenagers. Our Region covers Southern California, from Thousand Oaks and Santa Clarita to San Diego, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and Hawaii.

Kadima
Kadima is the first stage of involvement in our USY Community. Kadima meets approximately 2 times a month for social activities, sometimes revolving around the Jewish Holidays. In addition, Kadimaniks can participate in USY Social Action projects, Regional Kadima Days and the Kadima Kinnus, a weekend held at Camp Ramah each year.

United Synagogue Youth
The philosophy of USY is to engage today's teenagers in a program of informal Jewish Education and social involvement that will help to insure the continuity of the Jewish people. As you can see from the cover of our annual brochure, we are busy doing many things, all the while having a great time. USY meets regularly throughout the month with a variety of programs - educational, cultural, social, athletic and religious. There are many opportunities for leadership development - working on a committee, chairing a major program or becoming an elected officer. There is room for everyone - all one needs is to have the desire to share one's talents.

Leaving the World BETTER than we found it!
SATO - Social Action Tikun Olam is a big part of the USY program. There are two parts to this. Social Action Projects are Community Service projects. These might be collecting canned food for the VBS Food Bank and/ or SOVA, serving a meal at the Valley Shelter, and collecting clothing for the homeless or bedding for the residents of Beit Tshuvah. Once a month we lead services at the Jewish Home for the Aging and then return to a USYer's home for Shabbat Dinner. VBS USY is involved in many worthwhile Social Action projects. We welcome all suggestions.

Tikun Olam is the Tzedakah Fund of USY. Internationally, over $250,000 is raised annually by USYers and then is allocated to over 250 worthy organizations and causes - all chosen by the USYers themselves. In addition, a portion of all T.O. money is returned to the USYers in a scholarship form, which is available to USYers for Israel programs and other USY Kinnusim and Conventions.

Kinnusim & Conventions
Throughout the year, there are many opportunities for USYers to come together. Several USY Chapters host a kinnus (3 different ones) at their synagogues. These are weekends where over 300 teenagers come from all over the Region to celebrate Shabbat together, studying, praying, singing and dancing. There is usually a special social Saturday Night Program and Sunday is usually dedicated to a SATO project. Kinnusim are extremely popular and there is almost always a waiting list. In the fall, Far West Region hosts LEAD - Leadership, Education And Development, a weekend retreat for leaders of the Chapters and the Regional Board. Other weekends during the year are the Religious leader's Shabbaton (a Shabbaton devoted to working with the Religious leaders in each Chapter) ,the Hesche! Shabbaton (a Shabbaton devoted to learning for those USYers who want a little bit more serious study) and Hechalutzim (a Shabbaton devoted to learning about Israel). There is also Regional Convention over Memorial Day Weekend where over 450 USYers come together to celebrate Shabbat, study, pray, play and elect the Regional Officers.

Summer

Far West on Wheels - a three week bus trip that travels around a portion of the Western United States with USYers seeing the sights and living and learning together as Jews.

USY Israel Pilgrimage - USY offers a variety of Israel Trips during the summer:

Above and Beyond – Special Associations

Abraham Joshua Heschel Honor Society - This special group is for those USYers who participate in Jewish Study, attend Services regularly and do Community Service.

Hechalutzim - This unique group is for USYers who take a special interest in Zionism and the State of Israel

613 Mitzvot Club - This group is for those USYers who make an extra donation of $6.13 to the Tikun Olam Fund and concern themselves with performing mitzvot.