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This Monday, March 27, nine nationwide centers for Jewish youth at risk will unite in the second annual Youth Giving Day.

Today’s young men and women have unprecedented opportunities to actualize themselves, contribute to their communities, and impact the world. But with unprecedented opportunities come unprecedented challenges—and these organization are standing up together to be heard, for they have made it their mission to hear, and respond to, the voices of your children.

For those honest enough, and brave enough, to address children’s realities today, to look our youth in the eye and guarantee them they have an irreplaceable place in the Creator’s plan and in our people’s mission—this is the Giving Day you’ve been waiting for!

A project of Aryeh Young of “Our Place” in collaboration with Charidy, and sponsored by Pomegranate, this year’s campaign marches to the rhythm of a legendary song of faith and belonging. Just Walk Beside Us seeks to educate about and destigmatize many of the personal and collective challenges boys and girls must overcome in order to find balance, stability and Jewish fulfillment in an ever-rapidly-changing world.

“It’s all about education—not just schoolwide, but community-wide. It’s time for parents and families and schools and rabbis and communal leaders to partner as one,” shared Rabbi Zvi Gluck, the Founder and executive director of Amudim.

He continued, “False stigmas and fear of shame paralyze many. We aim to create the tools to share this information with the community, through awareness programming and counselling training for rabbis and communal leaders, and with increased professional staff and quality professional service.”

“A new at risk phenomenon that we are seeing increasingly is that of yeshivah boys and girls who talk the talk, and, to the outside world, walk the walk, but behind closed doors they’ve already left Jewish observance,” described Simcha Lebowicz LMSW at Project Extreme.

He added, “We must dig deeper within our own spiritual resources, as well as make use of professional wisdom and every opportunity to make Judaism relevant and fun, and together give those who are most precious to us and the future of our nation—our children—what they need to lead happy, healthy, successful and meaningful lives.”

To stand up and address this issue as a community—and as a family—please visit www.charidy.com/walkbesideus