Youth Activities

747 Minyan is a nationally recognized award winning morning minyan program geared towards local jewish high school students. Our minyan meets every other Friday at 7am for an abbreviated 22 minute service followed by bagels, coffee, donuts, etc and a brief discussion on a current Jewish topic of interest. This years first meeting will take place on Friday Sept 16. See you there

Junior Congregation begins this Shabbat, Sat Sept 10 at 10:30am

Junior Congregation

The Junior Congregation of the Center is a learning service for our young people aimed at students ages 6-11 yrs. which begins at 10:30AM on Shabbat mornings on the lower Activities Level in the Board Room. The services are conducted by our teen leadership corps and the students are given many opportunities to actively participate in the services a highlight of which is the Torah reading and Torah procession often followed by an enactment of Sedra scenes. Each service concludes with a snack downstairs after which the students come up to the Main Sanctuary to take part in the final prayers from the bimah. The first Junior Congregation this season will be held on September 10th.

Matt Wilkins USY Advisor

Hi I'm Matt Wilkins and I am very excited to begin working as the USY adviser this year. I was born and raised in Los Angeles, California until I moved out to New Jersey to attend Rutgers University for college. I received a degree in Cell Biology and Neuroscience in May 2010. While in school I was actively involved with numerous clubs, including New Student Orientation, Rutgers Academic Union and Rutgers Club Volleyball, and played in many intramural sports.

I am currently working as a lab technician in a biology lab at Rutgers University on the Newark campus. I live in Jersey City and in my free time, I play ice hockey, rock climb, act like a kid and eat delicious food. Since graduation I have realized that research life is not for me, I enjoy working with people, specifically young adults, too much. Taking this position is my first step out of the lab into a more enjoyable and rewarding career.

Although this is my first time as a USY adviser, I have a lot of experience working with high school aged kids. For 12 straight years I have attended a one-week sleep away camp in Big Bear, California, having volunteered as a counselor for the past 6. As a high school student I was also president of a student-led peer relations club called Oakgrove that I am still actively involved in as an alumni.

I am really looking forward to meeting everyone and having an awesome year! Please do not hesitate to call/email me with any questions or concerns you may have (parents or students!).