Im ein kemach, ein Torah; Im ein Torah, ein kemach.

“If there is no bread, there can be no Torah; If there is no Torah, there can be no bread.” Pirke Avot, the “Teachings of the Fathers,” reminds us all of our obligations to our synagogues and to our greater Jewish community.

NFTY Dues

We have learned from our tradition the importance of joining and supporting a community (Ki Tisa, Exodus)

“. . . 11] The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: …13] This is what every one who is entered in the records shall pay: a half-shekel by the sanctuary weight – twenty gerahs to the shekel – a half-shekel as an offering to the Lord.”

NFTY’s heartbeat is at the local level-we are only as strong as our members (spiritually, financially, and programmatically). NFTY (our Reform youth movement) exists because of our congregational youth groups (TYGs) and serves as catalyst towards bringing young people together where we have a shared vision, language, devotion to Reform Judaism. NFTY is divided into 19 regions that span throughout North America. Each of these regions holds regional and sub-regional events to bring together their membership to create a safe place for our Reform Jewish youth. NFTY dues allow the regions, the NFTY North American office and the respective youth boards to do the work of NFTY (support and guide the local TYG and regional programs, allow the NFTY youth voice to be heard in Reform Movement, and special projects guided by the NFTY North American board)

How are NFTY dues paid?

The TYG (which is part of the Reform Movement’s Youth Movement-NFTY) submits a form for all of their members each fall.

• Each NFTY region provides a regional dues form for congregational youth advisors to fill out and return to the NFTY regional office.
• It is suggested that if TYGs collect local dues to offset their programmatic costs for the year that they also include a portion to be allocated to the NFTY regional dues at the same time. Even those that do not collect local dues are required to send in their regional dues to cover their NFTY membership (this includes regional and national).
• Each NFTY region then sends their North American portion ($10.00 at par) to the North American office.
• NFTY dues are mandated by the NFTY Constitution and voted on by NFTY’s general board and upheld by the North American staff.
• Per the NFTY Constitution, only NFTYites who are dues paying members attend regional and North American events.
• In addition, per the NFTY Constitution, regional board members are given NFTY voting privileges based on their submission of their regional dues to the North American office every fall.
• Per the NFTY constitution NFTY Dues are currently locked in at 10.00 per person (at par) through the end of the 2010-2011 school year.

What do regional dues pay for?

Some of the items that regions might cover with their dues from local TYGs:

• Regional Event Scholarships
• Transportation equalization
• Day to day operations for the NFTY regional office are supplemented by regional dues
• Scholarships for North American leadership events
• Transportation scholarships
• Event Fee reduction
• Regional Board expense
• Resources (e.g. leadership manuals, documents)
• Newsletters for NFTYites
• Purchase items to sell in the NFTY store (profits are donated to local tzedakah projects and/or special regional projects)