• “This Program Can Fill a Void in Today’s Families”

    on May 17, 2016

    Pat Bruner, senior participant in Better Together Phoenix delivered this speech at our end of year celebration. I’ve been giving a lot of thought as to what to say about the Better Together program and what it has meant to its participants, along with what it should mean to all of us. To my fellow


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  • Senior Citizens I Will Always Remember

    on May 17, 2016

    By: Ryan Toughill,  6th grade participant in Better Together, Phoenix Ryan was the winner of our local Better2Write contest For more information about joining Better Together – please email bettertogetherphoenix@urj.org Until I joined Better Together I had never taken the time to sit down and get to know the seniors other than those that are


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  • The time I helped lead an Easter service

    on April 26, 2016

    By Max Cohen, NFTY-SW Religious and Cultural Vice-President Leading services has always been a passion of mine. It’ actually the reason why I learned to play guitar. Last month I had an incredible and unique experience. I had the honor of helping to lead the Youth Group Service Friday night at my temple for Shabbat, 


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  • Metzora – Creating a place of Inclusion and Acceptance

    on April 21, 2016

    By Alex Elbogen – Editor, NFTY-SW This week’s Torah portion is surely one that is hard to forget. To put it in teenager terms, it’s like a movie that you took a girl to go see hoping that she would get scared so that you’d be there to comfort her, but you end up being


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  • #NotOneMore: NFTY-SW Addresses Gun Violence

    on March 22, 2016

    By Alex Elbogen, Temple Kol Ami NFTY-SW Editor With Spring Kallah fast approaching, it’s starting to hit me that my NFTY-Southwest experience is coming to a close. As I reflect on my time with NFTY, one thing pops out at me as being particularly special. What I love is that the minute I enter a


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  • The Power of One – The Power of Community

    on March 17, 2016

    Hineini, here I am. In February, 2015 at NFTY Convention, NFTY passed a resolution focusing NFTY’s study on the strength of the individual. It stems from the Hebrew word hineini, meaning “Here I am” which is found in Genesis with Abraham’s declaration to G-D that he was there and ready to act. As teens and


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  • We’ll See YOU in the Windy City! #NFTYConvention 2017

    on March 2, 2016

    NFTY Convention is a one of a kind experience – bringing together more than 1,000 Reform Jewish teens from across North America. Come join us and be part of something bigger (it’s NFTY’s biggest event!), experience shaping a Movement, and have a great time.


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  • Spread the Light – a NFTY-SW project

    on February 2, 2016

    By Shir Attias, NFTY-SW Religious and Cultural Vice-President   There is no doubt that the Jewish holidays are a special time for NFTY-ites. The Jewish holidays bring  matzah ball soup and phones flooded with texts and facebook posts wishing you a “Chag Sameach.” Yet, this feeling is perhaps strongest during Hanukkah, when– unlike the rest


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  • Why I Stand for Gun Violence Prevention

    on January 10, 2016

    By Eva Turner, Songleader, NFTY-SW Please close your eyes for a second and picture, if you will, today. Except five years ago. Think about where you were, who you were with, what you were doing. As I think back to that day, I can recount to you exactly what happened, where I was, as if


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  • Taking Action – parashat Vayeshev

    on December 22, 2015

    By Alex Elbogen – Temple Kol Ami Temple Youth This week’s Torah portion of Vayeshev tells the story of Joseph, the son of Jacob and Rachel. Many people know of this story through its portrayal in movies and musical theatre, but not everyone is aware of its meaningful elements. Much of the story’s emphasis is


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