UNITED SYNAGOGUE YOUTH
INTERNATIONAL BOARD WEEKEND
FALL 2005
“Dugma Ishit”
Goal of Program: All too often, USY leaders get bogged down in the day to day tasks of their jobs. The goal of these exercises are to help USYers explore what it means to be a dugma ishit and how through their positions, they can set an example for other USYers. The program is designed to be done in three stages—first looking at their personal assessment, then a look through their position on board, and finally within the context of a regional team.
Objectives
1. To enable USY leaders to think, discuss and put into action the values that they want to transmit to their constituents.
2. To enable USY leaders to “step back” and think philosophically about their positions and their missions as leaders in the Conservative Movement.
Part I: (15 Minutes)
In pairs, USYers will be given a list of values. They should discuss the items on the sheet and then designate which values they think are important for leaders in USY and which ones are not as important for leaders in USY.
After they have been given time to review this, ask the pairs to link up with 3 other pairs to form a larger group, and see if there are any commonalities within their lists. This is our first step in defining what it means to be a dugma ishit as a USY leader.
Part II: (20 Minutes)
Group will be divided by office/counterpart groups. Discussions will be led by the officers. The group will have 20-25 minutes to discuss what they see as their mission – what values do they want to transmit to their USY constituencies?
In leading the discussion, let the following guide you:
a. You should not be discussing specific programs or goals. This is the time to think in the abstract.
b. What values do you want the USYers you work with to learn over the course of your terms?
c. Why did you run for the office that you did? What inspires you? What is it that your office “stands for” or represents?
d. What do you want to “teach” in the realm of your portfolio?
Make a list of these values. Each person in the group should keep a running list as they will need them later. We will then rejoin together as a full group. Each office will be asked to present its values to the full group for a 2-3 minute presentation.
Part III:
The group will then divide by region. Regions with only one person at the program will form its own group.
Each regional board should discuss they feel are the values they want to transmit as a group is and how they plan to conduct themselves within their regions to share their values.
Think about the following:
a. What is important to you as a regional board?
b. What kind of image do you want to project as a regional board?
c. What are the values that you want to convey to your constituencies?
d. What would you like to leave as your “legacy” to the USYers that follow you?
Again, this should not focus on specific programs – it should focus on thoughts, ideas, goals, hopes and dreams! That is what these programs are built on – so take a step back and think about how you are going to make these dreams come true.
A USY leader who is a dugma Ishit must….
Keep Shabbat and Kashrut
Go to Israel on one of USY’s programs
Plan on going on Nativ
Be knowledgeable about Israel’s history and the history of Zionism
Be knowledgeable in Jewish text and t’fillot
Be able to read Torah and lead services
Attend Jewish studies of some sort (Hebrew High, Day School)
Not do anything illegal, such as drugs or alcohol, even outside the context of USY
Must not participate in any event that includes people who are doing anything illegal
Must not participate in Lashon Hara even in private
Must honor their parents and their neighbors
"כבד את אביך ואת אימך" ו- "ואהבת לרעך כמוך"
Is a Dugma Ishit even outside the context of USY