NCSY (formerly known as the National Conference of Synagogue Youth[1][2]) is a Jewish youth group under the auspices of the Orthodox Union. Its operations include Jewish-inspired after-school programs; summer programs in Israel, Europe, and the United States;[3] weekend programming, shabbatons, retreats, and regionals; Israel advocacy training; and disaster relief missions known as chesed (kindness) trips.[4][5][6] NCSY also has an alumni organization on campuses across North America.[7]
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| Predecessor | Torah Leadership Seminar |
|---|---|
| Formation | 1954 |
| Founder | Harold and Enid Boxer |
| Type | Jewish youth organization |
| Legal status | Subsidiary of a 501(c)(3) non-profit religious organization |
| Headquarters | 40Rector, New York City, New York, United States |
| Location |
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| Coordinates | 40°42′19″N 74°00′50″W / 40.705279812590774°N 74.01396840186057°W / 40.705279812590774; -74.01396840186057 |
| Owner | Natan Cohen |
International Director | Rabbi Micah Greenland |
Parent organization | Orthodox Union |
| Website | www |
Formerly called | National Conference of Synagogue Youth |
In 1959, NCSY hired Rabbi Pinchas Stolper as the first National Director in the United States.[8]
During the social upheavals of the 1960s and 1970s, the Orthodox youth of NCSY opposed social change, choosing instead to emphasize religious tradition.[9] In this period, at least one NCSY chapter took public action on this point, passing a resolution rejecting marijuana and other drugs as a violation of Jewish law.[9] At the 1971 NCSY international convention, delegates passed resolutions in this vein, calling for members to "forge a social revolution with Torah principles."[9]
According to the Orthodox sociologist Chaim Waxman, there has been an increase in Haredi influence on NCSY since 2012.[10] Waxman based this on NCSY's own sociological self-study.[11]