Call for Mount Zion Host Homes!

February 2013 / Adar 5773

Dear Friends:

In just a few short months the teens of NFTY Northern are coming to Mount Zion! We are absolutely thrilled that SPORTY will be hosting the NFTY Northern Region’s Spring Kallah from Thursday, April 4 through Sunday, April 7. Approximately 150 teens (in grades eight through twelve) from across Wisconsin, Minnesota, and the Dakotas will come together for a weekend of Jewish learning, social action, singing, seeing old friends and making new ones, praying, and having a great time. NFTY events are always a much anticipated chance for teens to reconnect and learn together!

We are thrilled to have so many teens descend on the Twin Cities, and this means we will have many teens traveling from out of town. In order to accommodate all of the out-of-town participants, we are asking for your help in housing 3 or 4 (or more!) teenagers for the weekend. Even if you don’t have teenagers of your own at home, many families find it fun, rewarding, and even refreshing to host some of our young adults for these few days.  Please note that all teens, including local teens, who participate in Kallah must stay at one of the NFTY host homes – you may not stay “home alone” during the event. As an added incentive, participants who host teens in their homes will receive a discount of $25 for Spring Kallah. If you decide to be a host family, the names of teens staying with you will be determined by the NFTY NO Regional Office and will be provided at the beginning of Kallah.

Hosting requires a couple of commitments on your part.

    • The teens will need transportation to and from your home during the event. They will need to be picked up from the event in the evenings (at approximately 10:30 PM on Thursday, Friday and Saturday) and dropped off again in the mornings (at approximately 8:30 AM). Please note that for safety reasons this driving must be done by someone over the age of 21.

 

  • We ask you provide breakfast on Friday, Saturday and Sunday morning each day to the participants staying at your home (something small and easy is fine – bagels and cereal are perfect for breakfast). The rest of the meals will be provided during NFTY’s programming.
  • The teens staying with you just need floor space to roll out their sleeping bags and get some sleep. They will be asked to bring their own toiletries, towels, sleeping bags and pillows.

There will be an informational meeting on the first night of the Kallah for host families while the teens are in programming, approximately 30 minutes before the pick up time. At this meeting we will provide you with a schedule and list of locations for the weekend, as well as take time to answer your questions about NFTY and about our events. Your attendance at this meeting will be required in order for you to take your teen guests home with you.

Families find hosting a rewarding experience. They enjoy the excitement, the hustle and bustle, and most of all, the joy of life that teens bring to your home. Our participants are bright and energetic and have a great deal to share with all who come into contact with them!

This Kallah will not be possible without your support. We need approximately 50 families to host our region’s teens. We would greatly appreciate your help in continuing our success. Please fill out the online form  by March 1, 2013. If you would like to volunteer but are unable to access the form online, please call the Mount Zion Office at 651-698-3881. A confirmation letter for families who are hosting will be sent out approximately two weeks prior to the event. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Elliot Borg at Eborg@urj.org or Ana Apter.

Thank you for your time, and in advance for your help.