Chanukah is a time for making the world brighter. Each night of Chanukah we’ll be featuring stories from teens serving on the Jewish Teen Alliance of Chicago (JTAC) sharing how adding their Jewish experiences add light to our community. JTAC members are representatives of Chicago’s amazing teen programs. For the eight night, we will hear from Molly about her experience with NFTY.

My name is Molly Schless, and I am on the regional board for an organization called NFTY. NFTY stands for the North American Federation of Temple Youth. It is a place for Jewish teens to stay connected to their religion whilst having fun with their peers.

What has kept me involved in NFTY is how welcoming the environment is. From my first program in 6th grade, I could just tell how inclusive and inviting everyone was. There is such a diverse group of participants within NFTY that it is easy to find your people and quickly feel at home. For me, NFTY is a second home and a place where I can truly be myself.

My favorite event ever was the spring weekend retreat that I went to in 8th grade. My sister was very involved in NFTY at the time, so she told me stories about all the events that she went to, but this was my first high school event ever. I loved every second of it, from small things like a conversation I had with a new friend, to getting to participate in programs that were planned and led by teens. At the end of every spring retreat, every senior gets to talk about their experience in NFTY and what they will take from it since this would be their last event. I remember watching all the seniors, my sister included, with such joy in their eyes while they talked about NFTY like they could go on forever. Their words really stuck with me, and they inspire me to be the leader I am today. This event was the start of 3 years filled with amazing memories and even more amazing people. 

About the Author: Molly Schless is a junior at Buffalo Grove High School. She enjoys singing in many of her school’s music programs such as vocal jazz, acapella, and choir. Molly also loves to read, cuddle with her pets, and spend time with her friends. 

Chanukah is a time for making the world brighter. Each night of Chanukah we’ll be featuring stories from teens serving on the Jewish Teen Alliance of Chicago (JTAC) sharing how adding their Jewish experiences add light to our community. JTAC members are representatives of Chicago’s amazing teen programs. For the sixth night, we will hear from Toren about his experience with No Shame On U.

My name is Toren Strauss and this year I am representing No Shame On U on the Jewish Teen Alliance of Chicago (JTAC). Founded in November 2014, No Shame on U is a non-profit organization dedicated to eliminating the stigma associated with mental health conditions and raising awareness in the Jewish community and beyond. The goal is for the people who need help to seek it, for family members and friends to know how to provide proper support and to save lives.

As a teen I understand that struggling with your mental health is incredibly challenging, and to not be able to be open about it without fear of being isolated or cut out is even more challenging. It not only is an important cause to me because of my experiences, but mental health stigma has also affected my friends and highlights how many people the stigma affects. My favorite NSOU event that I have taken part of is the Virtual Yoga with a special focus on mental well-being and mindfulness every Tuesday led by Mary Zimmerman. I enjoy giving myself 30 minutes to relax and I can feel the physical, emotional, and therapeutic benefits directly after and throughout the rest of the week. Being in the present allows me to reflect on my week and recently myself for the upcoming challenges of the week. The yoga sessions have allowed me to even practice it on my own time. Before I play sports or do any work or homework, I always start with some mindfulness exercises to help me get started. I am an extremely busy person and the relaxation and stretching for just 30 minutes a day makes all the difference. 

About the Author: Toren is a sophomore at North Shore Country Day School; prior to high school, he attended Chicago Jewish Day School for 10 years! In his free time, Toren is active and enjoys golf, basketball, baseball, and skiing with his friends and family. He also loves to read fantasy books. Toren is a member of Am Yisrael Conservative Congregation, and he enjoys eating Jewish foods - his favorite is matzo ball soup. 

Chanukah is a time for making the world brighter. Each night of Chanukah we’ll be featuring stories from teens serving on the Jewish Teen Alliance of Chicago (JTAC) sharing how adding their Jewish experiences add light to our community. JTAC members are representatives of Chicago’s amazing teen programs. For the sixth night, we will hear from Justin about his experience with NFTY.

My name is Justin Rubenstein and I represent NFTY on the Jewish Teen Alliance of Chicago (JTAC).  

Throughout the year,  NFTY-CAR (Chicago Area Region) runs a ton of programs and events, both in person and virtual, in Chicagoland.  

These events are based on social action, Israel, Jewish culture & prayer, song leading, and fun. NFTY is open for primarily 9-12 graders with a 6-8 grade program. NFTY also is led by a group of teens who are elected to be on the regional board. There are also Va'adot which are committees of people focused on a specific aspect of NFTY. For example, I am on the Social Action & Programming  Va’ad, but there are also many more, including song leading, Israel, 678, and social media.

I first came to NFTY in 7th Grade where I wanted to see camp friends, meet new people, and be part of the Jewish community. My favorite event in NFTY was the NFTY 678 Kallah I went to when I was in 7th Grade at OSRUI. I had a lot of fun staying overnight and going to a waterpark and enjoying the community. Another event I really liked was the Kolbo, our final event of the year and the first event on Zoom right as the pandemic was starting. This was my first high school event, and I had a lot of fun being welcomed into the full Jewish community and enjoying being with other people since we were all stuck at home. NFTY is a community I love and cherish so much, and I hope you consider coming to a NFTY event because it is a great way to get involved in the Jewish Community. 

About the Author: Justin is a sophomore at Vernon Hills High School. He is a member of Student Council and #vhgive and is the Director of Activism for JSA (the school’s political, debate, and activism club). Justin is actively involved in his synagogue, Congregation Or Shalom and their youth group ‘Jew Crew’. He loves NFTY and spending summers at OSRUI.