CONTACT US: If you have any questions please contact one of our co-chairs:

• Bruce Streger, 631-981-0453
• Ken Spiegel, 631-286-2329

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2002 JEWISH CONCLAVE WEEKEND, PRESS RELEASE
Issued to: Smithtown Messenger/ Smithtown News group/ Huntington News group/ Long Islander/ Suffolk Life/ News12.com/ Suffolk Navigator/ LI Jewish World/ LI Jewish Week/ BSA National Religious Relationships Division (Irving, Texas).

SCOUTS OF ALL FAITHS PARTICIPATE IN JEWISH CONCLAVE WEEKEND

Following the theme of “World Peace” for the weekend retreat, 30 youths and 17 adults participated in the Jewish Committee on Scouting of Suffolk County Council (BSA)’s annual Conclave Weekend. Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts, an Explorer Post and a Sea Scout Ship spent the two nights in their tents or in cabins at Baiting Hollow Scout Camp (in Wading River, Long Island). They experienced camping and attended Sabbath services while being Sabbath Observant and learning more about a variety of religious beliefs on the April 19-21 weekend.

The program’s events included scouting skills as well as religiously related activities, under the direction of the volunteer members of the Jewish Committee on Scouting of Suffolk County Council (Boy Scouts of America). The scouts of all denominations and beliefs attended Sabbath Services at the Jewish Chapel on Friday night and Saturday morning and afternoon. A presentation on religious emblems presentations was made so Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, and Girl Scouts could learn how to earn the religious emblems of their own faith. Following the weekend’s theme of “World Peace”, there was a discussion of how all religions are interrelated. Information about materials regarding the Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Protestant, and Jewish scouting religious emblems was discussed by Bruce Streger of the Jewish Committee on Scouting. All youth were able to meet in small groups as well as individually with the appropriate religious relationships counselors to begin (or continue to) work on their individual faith’s emblems.

The scouts also had many opportunities and choices of things to do during the weekend event. They participated in making crafts, discussions of various skills and beliefs, or in getting instruction in how to tie knots. The youth were organized into two provisional patrols of 10 scouts each for the weekend (mixing Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts, and Boy Scouts from the nine different scouting units from all over Suffolk County Council). The scouts had the opportunity to work together in various events, such as a tent pitching event, an Emergency Preparedness Plan Development, a “proper folding of the American Flag” competition and a string burning race. All of the Scouts also prepared a dessert of pineapple upside down cake baked in cast iron Dutch Ovens, utilizing charcoal for heat.

The Sea Scouts of Ship 460 of Northport, Girl Scouts of Troop 738 (Ridge/Middle Island), and Cub Scouts from Cub Scout Pack 187 (Ridge) and Pack 403 (Commack) took part in the Tot’n’Chit instructions on proper use, handling and care of knives, camp saws and hand axes led by Eagle Candidate Daniel Chisena of Troop 32 (Greenlawn). They also learned about the care to be taken with fires (for cooking as well as campfires) to earn their Fireman Chit Award, under the instructions and direction of Scout Chisena. The Outdoor Code was presented as part of the skills instruction.

When it came time for eating, following the laws and rules of keeping Kosher, the scouts and their adult volunteer leaders of the different faiths learned how it was not at all difficult to enjoy or to prepare the meals during the weekend. Friday night was chicken dinners with veggies and Challah (a traditional, braided Sabbath bread). Luncheon was choice of sandwiches and instant soups, with bagels and cold cereal having been offered earlier in the day for breakfast. Dinner on Saturday night was spaghetti and meatballs (“not for this dinner, as keeping kosher means not having dairy products with any meat foods at the same meal” explained a member of the Jewish committee to a youth who requested grated cheese for the pasta dish).

Troop 32 (Greenlawn), with an assist from all the other scouts, had created desserts of pineapple upside-down cakes in Dutch ovens, which were heated by charcoal (to bake at 350 degrees, they had to figure out how many briquettes were needed, if each briquette was equivalent to 15 degrees of temperature). When they baked the desserts, the patrols competed and everyone won, including all that sampled the final results.

Saturday evening’s program continued with the evening prayers and the Havdalah Service (which concludes the Sabbath day). Following this was a campfire with skits and songs that were led and/or presented by the youths. Camping for the weekend at Baiting Hollow Scout Camp, Boy Troop 272 of Ronkonkoma joined the JCOS Conclave for the evening’s campfire, where approximately 90 people were involved in the activity. Troop 32 had prepared a printed songbook and led the singing at the campfire. They also held a retirement ceremony for an American Flag, which was no longer serviceable. They properly disposed of it, by placing it with respect into the fire and making sure that it was completely burned.

Sunday morning’s breakfast offerings included pancakes, eggs, and hot cereal prepared by the adult scouting volunteers. A special commemorative patch for the annual Jewish Committee on Scouting’s weekend Conclave was presented to each participant.

Said Co-Chair Bruce Streger, “The JCOS continues to donate needed items to Baiting Hollow Scout Camp – cutlery for the Dining Hall, 12 shovels for camp repairs, and other various items. Also, we had hot water and coffee up for the entire time we were there for the entire camp to use. Concurrently with the JCOS Conclave, the Queens (Greater New York City) Council, Theodore Roosevelt (Nassau County) Council, and a Boy Scout troop from Nyack, N.Y. (located in the Westchester/Putnam Council) were camping for the weekend. He continued, ”I’d like to mention the fact that all the adults present at the conclave are in scouting for one reason -- to make sure the youth get the best possible program in the world, the Boy Scouts of America. We mold the youth of today into the leaders of tomorrow.”

Ken Spiegel, Co-Chair, commented, “It was a fantastic weekend camping trip for all the participants – Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, the Co-Ed Sea Scout Ship and Explorers and all of the scouting leaders. The mix of religious faiths that came to learn about each other and about the ways you can observe and keep the Sabbath while camping was wonderful. The educational experiences that we were able to share whether it was about religion or about scouting skills or just enjoying nature during a hike at camp was simply terrific for the youths. Boy Scout Troop 32 of Greenlawn was a perfect example of how they put into practice that “A Scout is Reverent” (the 12th point of the Scout Law). The entire troop made this their monthly camping trip last year and there is only one Jewish scout in the unit! They came back this year as staff and assisted in the planning and presentation of activities. They are also trying to get other scout troops to attend in the same manner next year. Other troops that were camping at Baiting Hollow Scout Camp were invited to join us. Numerous scouts leaders and youth stopped in over the weekend. Many said they were impressed with what we were doing for the scouts and would be interested in joining us next year. We must not forget that no scouting outing is worth its salt without a patch. A fantastic “World Peace Conclave” patch was giving out to those youth and leaders who attended for the weekend.”

Reiterated Troop 32 Scoutmaster Kevin Tagg, “Foul weather (rain on and off all day Saturday) did not deter the plans, they were simply modified to fit the day, proving once again that “A Scout is Prepared.” All in all, it was a great success due to all of the scouts who were out and involved for the annual JCOS Conclave’s program.”

For more information on the Jewish Committee on Scouting, please contact JCOS Chair Bruce Streger at 981-0453.

2000 AWARDS BREAKFAST, PRESS RELEASE
Issued to: Northeast Region JCOS/Suffolk Navigator/National JCOS

JCOS of Suffolk County Council (L.I.) hosts Awards Breakfast

In excess of 87 scouts, scouters, and family members were in attendance at the annual JCOS of Suffolk County Council's Awards and Recognition's Breakfast on March 5, 2000, hosted by B'nai Israel Reform Temple in Oakdale, Long Island. The invocation was delivered by Rabbi Steven Moss and the welcoming remarks were made by JCOS Breakfast Chair Phyllis Stein and Treasurer Ken Spiegel in the absence of JCOS Chair Bruce Streger (who was at his daughter's Marine Corps Boot Camp graduation). Additional remarks and welcoming comments about scouting and the importance of religious affiliations were made by Suffolk County Council President Howard Gershowitz. Mr. Gershowitz spoke in praise of the Suffolk County JCOS and its accomplishments. The closing prayer was lead by Eagle Candidate David Frumberg of Boy Scout Troop 339 (West Babylon).

During special ceremonies, presentations of medals and certificates were made by Religious Emblems Coordinators Fred Cohen, Jan Rose, and Larry Frumberg of the Jewish Committee on Scouting of Suffolk County Council to the scouts who had recently earned their recognition's. Their parents were also called upon, to pin the emblems onto the youth's uniforms. Each of the youths recognized were presented with the distinctive Suffolk County Council Jewish Committee on Scouting neckerchief, the purple and silver knot (religious emblem knot) for their scouting uniform, a JCOS key chain, and the appropriate Emblem Certificate. The scouts who had previously earned their Macabee or Aleph Emblems were presented with an Israeli coin (from the collection of a JCOS member's trip to Israel) and a neckerchief slide with the Austrian Scouting emblem (from SM Ira Dunne, who had served as an International Scout Camp Staffer in Salzburg, Austria).

Just prior to the presentation ceremonies, 30 students and their four teacher of Temple B'nai Israel's Hebrew School joined the assembled gathering to hear the messages of the keynote speaker and to watch as their fellow Hebrew School student, Matthew Leibowitz, was honored when he received his Tiger Cub Scout Religious Emblem of the Jewish Faith. Presentations and recognition's were made for the Maccabee Emblem to Tiger Cubs Brandon David of Pack 449 of Holtsville and Matthew Leibowitz of Pack 197 of Ronkonkoma. Aleph Emblems were pinned onto Cub Scouts Evan Green of Pack 625 of Middle Island, Daniel Fourman of Pack 33 of Setauket, and Corey Woloschin of Smithtown. The Boy Scouts who had earned their Ner Tamid Award during which they had to pass a Board of Review by members of the Jewish Committee on Scouting of Suffolk County Council, were presented with their medals. Recognized for this achievement was Ethan Sokol of Port Jefferson Station.

The keynote speaker was Eagle Scout Daniel Abramowitz of Troop 214 (Hauppauge), who addressed the scouts, family members, and the Temple B'nai Israel Hebrew School classes about his experiences as an Eagle Candidate. His project had been to clear the land and build a Geniza (sacred burial place for Jewish artifacts) for Temple Beth Chai of Hauppauge. He explained why a Geniza was important to the Jewish Community and what was involved in the project, inviting all to visit Temple Beth Chai and to view the second "active" Geniza on Long Island. He also shared the experience with the JCOS Awards Breakfast attendees via a photo display of his project in progress and at the completion when the first section of the Geniza was put to use in 1999. (as an aside: during the awards breakfast, Eagle Scout Abramowitz made it a point to meet with members of the Knights of Pythias, Boy Scout Connection, with the Jewish War Veterans, and to speak with various Members of the JCOS as part of his research for the Etz Chaim Emblem).

An adult volunteer Scouter was honored with the Shofar Award, a National Jewish Committee on Scouting recognition which can be presented on the local council level for significant service to Jewish Scouting and the Jewish Community. Shofar Award Recipient George Weiss's family members -- wife Lois, son Bennet, and daughter Margo - assisted with the presentation. The honoree is involved in his community and promotes religious emblems for all boys of all religious beliefs. A previous Assistant Scoutmaster and Treasurer of Troop 125 (Commack) until his son "aged out" of Scouting, he is a past Committee member/Charter member of Pack 618 (Hauppauge), one-time chartered by the Hebrew Academy of Suffolk County George Weiss is ALWAYS there to help, support, and be a go-getter and go-fer at all events run by JCOS for the past 7 or more years. a quiet man, one who is always overlooked but is always there for all that need him. He is a member and invaluable staffer for the JCOS Breakfast Committee, a Youth Religious Awards and JCOS Eagle Scout Certificate presenter, participates and leads congregation at the annual JCOS Scout Sabbath Services, Staffer at JCOS Conclaves, promotes, assists, and counsels with religious emblems for scouting, is a presenter to Cub Scout Packs on the Jewish Holidays, takes part at annual North East Region JCOS Workshop and Conferences and is a Ner Tamid Dad. His Temple and Community involvement's include being involved in the Men's Club, and a member of Daily Minion at Congregation Beth Shalom in Babylon, working first in the electronics field and later as a Tech Ed Teacher in NYC's BOCES program and currently he is a Substitute Teacher in local school districts, and is seen as a role model and inspiration to youth. This Vietnam Vet (Army) is an active member of the Coast Guard Auxiliary and the US Power Squadron, earning the prestigious Advanced Pilot Degree for Boating Also recognized was Fred Cohen of Huntington with the "Life Award" for "outstanding scouting spirit and giving with all her heart" for all her outstanding efforts put forth in the JCOS and other areas of scouting.

A good time was had by all at the Jewish Committee on Scouting of Suffolk County Council's annual Awards and Recognition's Breakfast.

Last Updated: May 3, 2002