NCSY, the National Conference of Synagogue Youth, is the most effective and respected educational Jewish Youth movement in the world.

Offering programs to bring Jewish teens back to their heritage, NCSY is at the forefront of the battle against assimilation. Although most of NCSY's effort have been in North America, now NCSY in Israel is trying to bring back Israeli teens to their roots as well.

NCSY is a multi-faceted Jewish Youth group which is open to all Jewish youth regardless of background and affiliation. Offering social and educational programming in hundreds of communities across the U.S. and Canada, NCSY is a leader in bringing unaffiliated youth an awareness of what Judaism is all about. For Jewish teenagers, NCSY is a relaxed, fun environment to learn about their own heritage.

NCSY's programming really begins on the chapter level. There are many hundreds of local NCSY chapters across the country which offer educational and social events for Jewish teens. Usually located in the local synagogue, these chapters reach out to teenagers in the local community and introduce them to NCSY. All chapters are part of an NCSY Region. There are 15 NCSY Regions in North America. Each region runs programs bringing together the various chapters within its geographical area.

NCSY's history dates back to the 1950s when chapters around the country began to form and were slowly woven into a National Organization with well defined Halachic Standards (standards set by Jewish Law). Today, NCSY reaches out to both public school and yeshiva students who wish to increase their commitment to Judaism. It is not rare to find second generation NCSYers at NCSY events around the country. More exciting than its past, however, is NCSY's future. Still growing every year, NCSY is constantly adding new members and developing in new communities.

Seattle NCSY was founded in 1968, and has been successfully and consistently reaching out to Jewish teenagers ever since. While in the past Seattle has been a member of the West Coast Region, the chapters in the Northwest have grown so large that we have now become our own region—the Northwest Region, which includes Seattle, Vancouver, Portland, Eugene, Victoria, Edmonton, Calgary, and Anchorage. Rabbi Stephen Berger is the new Regional Director, and his contact information is available at www.vncsy.com.

Seattle NCSY has a devoted committee of parents whose purpose it is to insure the strength and continuance of our chapter. With public school clubs at Bellevue and Mercer Island High Schools, we are always looking to start more. With activities ranging from lazer shows to Jewish reggae, our chapter is committed to reaching as many teenagers as possible while still having a great time.