Where What When

Turn SAT into Shabbos

In 1965, Dodger hurler Sandy Koufax captured national attention when he refused to pitch the first game of the World Series, which fell that year on Yom Kippur. This difficult decision propelled him to legendary status and remains a common subject of discussion today.

Koufax did not go on to become a baal teshuva. He did not suddenly cease playing on Shabbos or change his dietary habits. He simply took a small step forward and in doing so made an enormous kiddush Hashem that has impacted the lives of millions. Yom Kippur continues to be the most identifiable day of the Jewish calendar.

In the world of professional outreach, success is not measured by how many glamorous punk-to-pious stories you produce. Kiruv is about celebrating the smallest of changes that happen along the way. Every mitzva, every dawning awareness, every word is incredibly precious. Whether this person ever embraces Torah Judaism is never the focus. The goal is merely to demonstrate the joy that comes from choosing to lead a meaningful life, and letting them decide on their own.

Nobody knows this better than NCSY. For over 50 years, we've never pressured, demanded, or set unreasonable expectations from our teens. We encourage them to set small goals, and celebrate together like mad when they complete them.

This school year, NCSY is launching a new initiative that will give Baltimore many Sandy Koufaxes to speak about. Each year, the College Board administers the SAT exam to qualify students for scholarships and entry to the universities of their choice. The SATs are always scheduled on Saturdays. However, by producing a letter from their clergy stating that it would violate their religious beliefs to take the test on that date, they are excused and allowed to take the exam on the following Sunday.

NCSY operates four JSU (Jewish Student Union) clubs in public/private schools here in Baltimore. Weekly meetings are held at Pikesville, Owings Mills, Franklin, and McDonough, where we meet with close to 120 active students. Many of our young people have made great strides in raising their consciousness about Judaism and mitzvot; they are on their way.

For many kids, you simply must take the SAT with your friends; it's like going to a concert or amusement park. Imagine the kiddush Hashem if a group of public school students presented themselves as ineligible for the Saturday SAT because of a religious conviction. That would be huge!

To encourage this switch, we've announced that the first 35 students to do so will be awarded with a deep discount to a future Shabbaton. Switch SAT to SUN and get Shabbos! Enrollment is underway and the response has been positive, as expected. If you would like to learn how you can play a part in this monumental kiddush Hashem, please give us a call at 410-358-6279.

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Article List - November 2009