The Movement for Reform Judaism

RSY-Netzer's Leadership Course, Course Hadracha, has finished on a high for this year with record numbers and levels of success. A hundred 15-17 year olds, from Reform synagogues across the country, enjoyed their last leadership training weekend of the year at the end of March in Harrogate. Course Hadracha has encouraged its teenage participants to become leaders on social issues of the day, as well as teaching them leadership skills and helping them to boost their own confidence.

The outstanding commitment of the young participants, who have been attending monthly training workshops and weekends since November 2006, was celebrated at Graduation Ceremonies held at Sinai Synagogue (Leeds), Wimbledon & District Synagogue, and the Sternberg Centre, Finchley, for the Northern, Thames Valley and North London participants respectively.

Some participants were inspired by the Course's focus on multiculturalism to attend the ‘Faith Culture in Diversity' conference, run by the Central London Youth Development Trust, on the 21st February 2007. Deborah Blaustein, a participant on Course Hadracha, explained: "The conference was a fantastic opportunity for members of RSY-Netzer to meet young people from other faiths and communities and hear from distinguished speakers about the importance of tolerance and dialogue".

Other participants even managed to organise their own interfaith activity for their local synagogue club, at Radlett & Bushey Reform Synagogue, as they combined the leadership skills and values that they have learnt on the Course. The trainee leaders organised all the logistics and content of an evening, shared with Christian teenagers, that focused on being a young religious citizen. Lucy Michael, a Course Hadracha participant and one of the event Coordinators, enthused that "the evening was a great success."

For further details, please contact:
Andrea Newman, Movement for Reform Judaism Public Relations Officer

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