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Young Israel
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National Council of Young Israel (NCYI) or Young Israel (in Hebrew: Yisrael Hatza'ir, ????? ?????), is a synagogue-based Orthodox Judaism organization in the United States with a network of affiliated "Young Israel" synagogues. NCYI was founded in 1912 by Rabbi Israel Friedlander and Rabbi Mordecai Kaplan to combat the wave of assimilation by Jews into secular American society.
y in the 20th century, American Jews were striving primarily for social and economic advancement, often leaving their religious observances behind.
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Encyclopedia
National Council of Young Israel (NCYI) or Young Israel (in Hebrew: Yisrael Hatza'ir, ????? ?????), is a synagogue-based Orthodox Judaism organization in the United States with a network of affiliated "Young Israel" synagogues. NCYI was founded in 1912 by Rabbi Israel Friedlander and Rabbi Mordecai Kaplan to combat the wave of assimilation by Jews into secular American society.
History
Early in the 20th century, American Jews were striving primarily for social and economic advancement, often leaving their religious observances behind. Because most jobs required working on Saturdays, observance of the Jewish Sabbath was rare, as were many other traditions. The Young Israel movement aimed to provide a positive Orthodox synagogue experience for newly arrived immigrants and their future generations. The organization used the traditional communal synagogue to provide educational, religious, social, and spiritual programming. The first Young Israel synagogue was established in 1913 on East Broadway, on Manhattan's Lower East Side.
Today, NCYI serves as the national coordinating agency for nearly 150 Orthodox congregations of nearly 25,000 member families throughout the United States and Canada. NCYI also serves as a resource to its sister organization in Israel, entitled Yisrael Hatzair - "The Young Israel Movement in Israel", encompassing over 50 synagogues in Israel. It is a grass roots organization administrated on the congregational model, taking its direction from local and national lay leadership as well as rabbis and professional staff. Its socio-cultural outlook is strongly influenced by the Religious Zionist Movement, with strong support of Israel as the homeland for the Jewish people. Congregations belonging to NCYI are generally named "Young Israel of...", followed by the name of the city or neighborhood.
NCYI is a not-for-profit service organization, as defined by their 501(c)(3) status. The main headquarters is located in Manhattan, with regional offices in Florida, California, New Jersey and Jerusalem.
In 2006, after lengthy litigation, Young Israel sold its 3 West 16th Street national headquarters and moved its small staff to leased office space in lower Manhattan; the sale of the building was the subject of litigation by what was then the Young Israel of Fifth Avenue, which was based in the building and would have been evicted if the sale went through as planned by the National Council. The organization had been subject to an investigation by then New York State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer's Charities Bureau.
In the Summer of 2008, the National Council of Young Israel sparked a controversy among its member Synagogues by announcing that the National Council would have to approve all rabbinical hiring made by any member synagogue. The NCYI further alienated its members by declaring that no women or converts to Judaism could serve as President of any synagogue affiliated with NCYI.
Young Israel Council of Rabbis
The Young Israel Council of Rabbis is the rabbinic arm of the organization.
Divisions
Two components of the organization are the Women's League and the InterCollegiate Council (ICC).
Books
Kraut, Benny "A Modern Heretic and a Traditional Community: Mordecai M. Kaplan, Orthodoxy, and American Judaism" American Jewish History - Volume 86, Number 3, September 1998, pp. 357-363
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