Har Sinai Region

National Conference of Synagogue Youth

 

 

Allow me to explain Har Sinai NCSY’s new transportation policy and the history that led to its formulation.  In the past, each individual chapter was responsible for coordinating its own shabbaton transportation.  People paid one convention fee to the region and an additional

transportation fee to the chapter.  Unfortunately, under this system, I received more complaints about transportation than any other aspect of Har Sinai’s program.  For example:

1. Because not every chapter has a chapter advisor each year, the transportation was often poorly managed, planned at the last minute, and unsatisfactory.

2. Transportation prices varied wildly from chapter to chapter and event to event.  (One Spring Convention a certain chapter was faced with a transportation cost of over $80 per person until the region stepped in to help and brought the cost down to $50 per person.)

3. In some cases one chapter would charter a bus for two or three chapters, but would never receive payment from the chapters that it had assisted.  As such, one chapter (and sometimes an individual chapter advisor) would be left holding a bill for several hundred dollars with no means of enforcing collection.

 

TRANSPORTATION SOLUTION

As a result of these issues, the regional youth commission and I have developed a new policy.  As a service to the chapters:

1. The region has assumed responsibility for all transportation coordination.

2. The pick up times and locations for each chapter will be printed on the shabbaton application and available on our website at least one month prior to an event.

3. The convention fee now includes transportation and will be paid directly to the region.  Please note:  in most cases the total cost has not increased, it is simply being paid in one installment rather than two separate checks.

4. Those from the host chapter or those who choose to make alternative transportation arrangements must pay the full convention cost.  (See below for scholarship information.)  Because almost every chapter will host one event over the course of the year, and because

almost every chapter will enjoy transportation that, in actual fact, costs well over $40 per person, it is our expectation that the total transportation dollars will even out over the course of the year.

 

 

Although the region has assumed the massive responsibility of making the logistical transportation arrangements, we simply don’t have the funds to subsidize the transportation for chapters or individuals.  In the past, transportation subsidies have been the burden of each chapter or community.  In consultation with the Rabbis of all of our sponsoring synagogues, regional NCSY will not give transportation scholarships.  However, transportation subsidies will continue to be available from your local Rabbi’s discretionary fund or from your local chapter.  Chapter boards are planning special fundraisers to help raise money for transportation scholarships.  As always, Har Sinai NCSY will continue to provide scholarship assistance for those with financial need for the shabbaton programming portion of the convention fee through the generosity of the Allen Hurwitz Scholarship Fund.

 

This service has been received with great relief and gratitude by parents, advisors, and NCSYers across the region who have been involved in the monumental task of coordinating transportation in the past.  If you have further questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me at 212-613-8145.  Thank you, in advance, for you cooperation in this matter.

 

Effective 8/2/04