A History of the NCSY

If you are interested in Jewish youth movements, you might want to check out the new book Living from Convention to Convention: A History of the NCSY, 1954-1980 (NCSY, or National Conference of Synagogue Youth, is the international youth organization of the Orthodox Union.). Written by Yeshiva University student Zev Eleff and published by KTAV, the book fills a gap in American Jewish history. Eleff used archives from across the country in his research.

According to the Orthodox Union web site:

Zev only wrote about the history of NCSY through 1980, and when asked why, he says, “After NCSY took off and became the multi-service movement spread across the American forefront that it is today, it became nearly impossible to write a concise history of its efforts and programs. To document its history after 1980 would require a volume for each of its 18 fully-operational regions, rather than one comprehensive work.” Zev ... said he does not have plans to undertake that daunting project (“a challenge for some other historian,” he says) but is happy with his effort to record the early makings of NCSY.

A review of the book can be found on the Jewish Book News site here and the book may be purchased here.