2009 Scout Shabbat
Patch Design Contest



Calling All Scout Artists!!

The NJCOS has announced a Scout Shabbat Patch Design Contest for the 99th anniversary of Scouting to be celebrated on February 7, 2009.  The contest is open to all Jewish Scouts up to the age of 18.  In addition to having your patch designated as the official NJCOS Scout Shabbat Patch, the lucky winner will receive $100 toward a campership at a BSA Scout Camp, High Adventure Base, or the 2010 National Jamboree.  Click here to see patches from past Scout Shabbatot.  The  Deadline for entering is November 17.
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Has your Cub Scout earned a Jewish religious emblem?  Find out more about the Maccabee and Aleph Emblems?  Click here for the Maccabee workbook or the Aleph workbook. 

2010 National Jamboree

The NJCOS will again be providing Jewish Scouts and Scouters with an exciting program at the 2010 National Jamboree.  In addition to making provisions for Kosher food, the NJCOS will  again sponsor an exhibit in the Relationships Area, two Shomer Shabbat troops, Sabbath services, and a Sunday morning program.  The committee is seeking volunteers for the Relationahips Exhibit and Kosher food services.
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National Council Appoints
 New NJCOS Advisor

 
Keith Walton

Charles Holmes, Team Leader of the Community Alliances Team based at the National Council, has announced the appointment of Keith Walton to be the new Advisor to the National Jewish Committee on Scouting.  Dave Richardson, the Committee's Advisor since 2001, was recently promoted to be the Scout Executive at the Theodore Roosevelt Council in Massapequa (Long Island), NY.  Dave was a true friend and advocate for the interests of Jewish Scouting across the country.  Keith was most recently the Associate Director of the Venturing Division at the National Council.

Western Region NJCOS
Announces Appointment
 of Three Council JCOS Chairs

Ellen Marks, Chair of the Western Region Jewish Committee on Scouting, has announced that she has secured the appointment of three chairs of local council Jewish Committees on Scouting.

Phil Bevins, Scout Executive of the Las Vegas Area Council, has announced the appointment of Joel Levin as Chair of the LVAC Jewish Committee on Scouting.  The Council serves Nevada, and parts of Arizona and California.  In recent years, Las Vegas has been consistently ranked as one of the fastest growing Jewish communities. 
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Alicia M. Lifrak, Director of Field Service/COO of the Chief Seattle Council in Seattle, WA, has announced the appointment of Burton Sternoff as Chair of the Council's Jewish Committee on Scouting.  The Council serves Western Washington State.
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The Santa Clara County Council (San Jose, CA) has announced the appointment of Dr. Steven Linder as Chair of the Council's Jewish Committee on Scouting.  The announcement was made by Mark Lazzarini, VP Membership and Eric Stein, Scout Executive.
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   NJCOS Scholarships Awarded

Jay Schnapp, Chair of the NJCOS Scholarships Committee, announced at the May Annual Meeting, the selection of the 2008 scholarship recipients.

He noted that this year, a record 36 Scouts applied for the $7,000 in awards, more than any two years combined in the history of the scholarship program.  According to Schnapp, "This made our decisions especially difficult as there were many more exceedingly qualified applicants than we had scholarships for."

Read more about this year's recipients.
 

Rabbi Peter Hyman -
NJCOS National Chaplain
Representing Jewish Scouting:




Delivers Invocation to the U. S. House of Representatives

On July 30th, Rabbi Peter Hyman delivered the opening prayer to the United States House of Representatives in Washington.  Read the text of his prayer as published in the Congressional Record of the 110th Congress, Second Session.

Appointed to National BSA "Speakers Bank"

Chief Scout Executive Robert J. Mazzuca has announced that Rabbi Peter Hyman, NJCOS National Chaplain, past Chairman, and a 2006 recipient of the BSA's Silver Buffalo Award, was appointed as one of the four charter members of the newly established "Speaker's Bank" along with former National BSA President Rick Cronk and former National BSA Commissioners Don Belcher and Earl Graves.

Listen to Rabbi Hyman's moving keynote address to the "Duty to God" breakfast at the 2006 National Meeting in Washington, DC. 

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE
NJCOS ANNUAL MEETING

The NJCOS Annual Meeting was held on Wednesday, May 21, 2008 in San Diego as part of the BSA National Annual Meeting.  The minutes of the meeting will be posted after they have been approved at the October, 2008 meeting.

BSA National President William F. Cronk and Chief Scout Executive Robert J. Mazzuca  appointed A. J. Kreimer to succeed Jay L. Lenrow as Chair of the National Jewish Committee on Scouting.
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The Chairs' gavel was passed to A. J. Kreimer, past President of the Burlington County Council  in New Jersey by Jay Lenrow, who served as Chair for the last three years.  Kreimer also assumed the Jewish Committee's seat on the National Religious Relationships Committee and the National Relationships Committee.

A seminar entitled "Scouting - Serving Today's Jewish Youth" was presented by  A. J. Kreimer, the new NJCOS Chair and Dave Richardson, Associate Director of the Relationships Division and National Council Advisor to the NJCOS.  The session was designed for senior Council volunteers and  Professional Scouters attending the National Meeting.  Click here to view the PowerPoint presentation.

The Executive Committee unanimously voted to appoint  Ivan M. Rosenberg, PhD, as the newest member of the NJCOS.  Dr. Rosenberg is a Past President of the Western Los Angeles County Council of the BSA. 
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