NCSY Changed My Life

I find myself saying this, with deep gratitude, to both myself and to all those around me: NCSY changed my life. I am profoundly blessed and eternally grateful for the life I lead today, a life that I now share with my own family—thanks to the unwavering support and guidance of this remarkable organization.

My journey began in Grade 11, when I attended a public school with little connection to the Jewish community and only a basic understanding of Judaism. At first, I viewed NCSY’s after-school program simply as a means to earn another high school credit. Little did I know, it would become the catalyst for a profound transformation in my life.

The unconditional love and support I received from NCSY—something I continue to feel to this very day—ignited within me a deeper interest in my Jewish heritage and a strengthened belief in Hashem. Through Shabbatons, weekly Shabbat meals, insightful classes, and Learn-and-Learn sessions, I was surrounded by mentors who spoke to me with humility, authenticity, and genuine warmth. I asked questions, many questions, and was met with thoughtful, meaningful answers. Gradually, I embraced more and more mitzvot, with each step bringing me closer to a life of deeper spiritual fulfillment.

Though my path was not without challenges, I navigated my teshuva process with respect for my parents and a commitment to living as a kiddush Hashem. Today, I am proud to lead an observant life, married with four children who attend frum schools, where they too experience the love of Hashem in their daily lives.

Each morning, I reflect on what my life—and my family's life—would have looked like if it weren’t for NCSY. What would my family look like? My husband? My children? What would our Friday nights have been like? What kind of Jewish home would we have built without the guidance and inspiration I received through this organization?

I am forever indebted to the chessed that NCSY has shown me. This fundraiser represents my small way of giving back, with the hope, Be’H, that another teenager will be blessed with the same transformative experience that forever changed my life.

Please join me in supporting this incredible cause, so we can offer this same gift of growth, connection, and spiritual enrichment to others.