LEFTY Leadership ~ LEFTY Assembly
The LEFTY Assembly is the main body of leadership for the Temple Isaiah Teen Community. The Assembly consists of a number of slated positions filled by individuals who express an interest in taking on leadership positions. Please see the attached description of LEFTY Positions and Responsibilities for more information.
Being on the LEFTY Assembly is a serious responsibility and time commitment – each member of the Assembly works together to provide positive and meaningful Jewish programming throughout the year for other LEFTYites. Before slating, please think carefully about your schedule for next year and how you can make the best contribution to the LEFTY Assembly.
Slating Info Session: TUESDAY, APRIL 9 (8:15 PM – 8:45 PM)
THE SLATING PROCESS
LEFTY Slating is the process of selecting the LEFTY leadership for the following year. All incoming 9th -12th grade students have the opportunity to potentially be a part of next year’s LEFTY Assembly.
Anyone in the teen community who is interested in a position on Assembly is invited to write a letter of intent to inform the Slating Committee of their interest. The Slating Committee is comprised of active seniors, Sharon Weisner, Alicia McGee, and Emily Messinger with the support of the clergy. Once letters are submitted, the Committee meets over several weeks to slate the new Assembly. The process is strictly confidential.
If you are interested in being a part of the Assembly you must do the following:
- Speak with Brittany Bladd (LEFTY President), Alicia McGee, or Emily Messinger about your interests and intentions regarding slating BEFORE you write your letter. This step is extremely important as it is a time to ask questions about specific responsibilities, positions, and time commitments. Discussions can take place in person, over the phone or by email.
Brittany, Alicia, and Emily will be available during the following dates and times to meet with you about slating.
April 23: Alicia (3:00-5:30 in room 26), Emily (3:00-5:00 in her office)
April 30: Alicia and Brittany (3:00-5:30 in room 26), Emily (3:00-5:00 in her office)
- Submit a LETTER OF INTENT to the Slating Committee. No one will be considered for an Assembly position without a letter of intent. Letters are kept strictly confidential and will be read only by the slating committee. Letters should be in a sealed envelope labeled “LEFTY SLATING” and returned to the LEFTY mailbox in the copy room NO LATER THAN TUESDAY, MAY 7. Please include your name, home and cell phone numbers on your slating letter.
- All slating letters must be submitted with a signed PARENT CONSENT FORM. It is very important for parents to clearly understand the commitment and responsibilities that are required of LEFTY Assembly members.
What does the committee look for in an Assembly Member?
The Committee will look at:
- your past involvement in LEFTY
- any leadership roles that you have assumed within the LEFTY (being an overall, writing a service, participating in MAZON or Purim, etc)
- leadership experience in other settings (school, other extracurricular activities)
- how you work within a group setting
- what you could bring to the dynamic of the leadership of LEFTY
- your individual leadership potential, creativity, spirit, drive, sense of commitment and determination, etc.
Letter of Intent
Using the criteria above to draft your letter of intent, you should help the Slating Committee understand all of your current and potential leadership abilities. In other words, tells the committee who you are, why you want to be a LEFTY leader, and what you have to offer.
In your letter of intent, it is also imperative to state the positions that you would like to be considered for and why you feel you are qualified for those positions. Attached to this e-mail is a description of all Assembly positions - use that document! Be specific: what can YOU bring to a specific position? How you would fulfill your duties, if slated into that position? Take advantage of those individuals who currently hold positions that you may be interested in – ask them questions, pick their brains!
Please be specific with regard to positions that you DO NOT want to be considered for. The Slating Committee will not slate somebody for a position that they don’t want – but they only know what you tell them! Letters of Intent are due by Tuesday, May 7 in the LEFTY Mailbox.
Elections
The final piece of the slating process is LEFTY elections. This year elections will take place on Tuesday, June 4 at 5:30 pm in the LEFTY Lounge. Slated Assembly members will be officially voted into their positions during LEFTY Elections.
Timeline of the Slating Process (2013)
Tuesday, April 9 Slating Info Session (8:15 – 8:30 in the LEFTY Lounge) - open to all current 8th -11th graders (and their parents)
Tuesday, April 23 Slating Meetings with Alicia (3:00 – 5:30)
Tuesday, April 30 Slating Meetings with Alicia and Brittany (3:00 – 5:30)
Tuesday, May 7 Slating Letters due to LEFTY mailbox (in the copy room)
May 28 – May 29 Slating Calls (please be home and provide us with a cell phone number). Calls will be made between 6pm - 9pm
Thursday, May 30 Slate will be made public
Tuesday, June 4 LEFTY Elections (5:30 pm in the LEFTY Lounge)
Friday, June 7 Installation Service
Lastly, slating can be a difficult experience and the last thing we want is for people to be confused. If at any point during the process you have questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact Brittany Bladd, Alicia McGee, or Emily Messinger. It is also important to recognize that there are many ways to be an active part of LEFTY outside of being an Assembly member. LEFTY is only as strong as its membership.
Brittany Bladd, LEFTY President (781-799-1941 or bbladd09@gmail.com)
Alicia McGee, LEFTY Advisor (781-862-7160 or amcgee@templeisaiah.net)
Emily Messinger, Director of Youth Programs (781-862-7160 or emessinger@templeisaiah.net)
What is LEFTY?
Sign Up for LEFTY NOW!!!
LEFTY (Lincoln Street Federation of Temple Youth) is Temple Isaiah’s adolescent youth group, serving teens in grades 8 through 12. LEFTY strives to make the teachings of Judaism a functioning part of the social outlook of all its members as well as to promote an understanding and practice of the values and traditions of Judaism. LEFTY’s main goal is to provide a space for Jewish youth to meet, develop friendships, and learn in a Jewish setting.
LEFTY is one of the largest and most active youth groups in NFTY-NE, the Northeast Region of the North American Federation of Temple Youth. NFTY-NE holds regional events throughout the year that meet the social, educational, and spiritual needs of its members. There are approximately 70 youth groups in NFTY-NE. For more info on NFTY go to www.nfty.org. Please note that NFTY-NE Events are only for 9th -12th Graders.
It is extremely difficult to put down on paper the vibrant spirit of LEFTY. We are fortunate enough to have a community in which all members are fully welcome and feel they can play an important role. LEFTY is entirely teen-run under my guidance. LEFTY strives to reach out to all adolescents in the Temple Isaiah and greater Lexington community, and our members are an enthusiastic, caring, friendly, and welcoming group.
Below is a sampling of a few of our annual LEFTY events:
LEFTY looks forward to welcoming Temple Isaiah's 8th graders into its community this year. 8th graders will be able to join LEFTY (at a reduced membership fee) and will be welcome to attend LEFTY events.
Please sign up for LEFTY through our online HS registration process. Once you sign up then Alicia McGee will be in touch with more details.
URJ Health & Safety Form 2012-2013
Questions about LEFTY? Contact Alicia McGee, LEFTY's Advisor, at amcgee@templeisaiah.net
NFTY & NFTY-NE
For almost seventy years, the North American Federation of Temple Youth (NFTY) has offered thousands of young people the opportunity to explore and live Reform Judaism.
Today, over 750 Reform congregations throughout North America sponsor Temple Youth Groups, bringing the NFTY experience to more than 10,000 high school-age young people in grades 9 thru 12. Through involvement opportunities offered by congregations, our 19 NFTY regions, and on the North American level, NFTYites strive to forge an identity in consonance with the goals and values of Reform Judaism. LEFTY is part of NFTY-NE, the Northeast region of NFTY.
NFTY-NE brings together Reform Jewish Teens from Upstate New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, and Montreal, Canada. Our members come together at many times during the year for learning, fun, worship, community service, and fellowship to help young Jewish adults throughout the region build and strengthen lifetime ties with each other and Reform Judaism.
Stemming from a historic tradition of both Jewish and non-Jewish European youth movements, the North American Federation of Temple Youth (otherwise known as “NFTY”) is the Reform Jewish religious youth movement that fosters leadership at the national, regional and congregational level. It is advised by a set of adult Jewish youth professionals. Comprised of over 750 local synagogue youth groups, NFTY also functions as a youth organization, an affiliate of the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ), as well as a program of the Union for Reform Judaism. There is a healthy balance between those aspects of NFTY that are youth-led and those that are directed by its adult advisors.
Whether functioning as an organization, program, or youth movement, NFTY is a Reform Jewish community for high school students. NFTYites forge and build friendships, lifelong Reform Jewish identities, and leadership skills through community building, worship, social action, and experiential youth-led Jewish educational programming. Many NFTYites serve as NFTY leaders on the local TYG, regional, and even North American levels. Many NFTY Leaders continue on to become both lay and professional leaders of the Reform Jewish Movement.