I just dropped my daughter off at her first Shabbaton with Noam. Sleeping bag and pillow packed. Toothbrush hopefully slipped into the case alongside a big packet of sweets and a little siddur. She arrived and was excited to see friends from school, friends from shul, and kids of close friends of mine. Friends made when I began this same journey 35 years ago.
I dropped her off at the exact same place where I arrived for my first Shabbaton in 1989 at the exact same age. I remember lots about that weekend. The start of lifelong memories forged with lifelong friends. I remember the songs I learnt, the names of my madrichim who would go on to become my role models,the friends I made, and the ghost stories I was told.
Jewish youth movements are some of the strongest social institutions that our community has produced, friendship groups that have endured into adulthood. We were all instilled with a proud Jewish identity, a love of Israel, a familiarity with our history and a responsibility to become the next generation of leaders for our community. The graduates have thrived in my generation, becoming leaders across British and Israeli society in the rabbinut, government, the civil service, the health system, business, and charities. Almost all place their genesis in what they took from their youth movements.
Faith communities have laid the foundations for some of the most impactful worldwide charities. The International Red Cross, Shelter, and Oxfam. Bnai Brith and HIAS. Taking an idea rooted in our faith values, and expanding its reach to support the most vulnerable.
Last week I was proud to help preside over the graduation of eight new youth leaders from Our Second Home (OSH), Britain’s youth movement for refugees and asylum seekers.
Nic Schlagman, OSH
OSH was founded in 2018 by a group of Jewish youth movement graduates, excited to take the model of youth empowerment and peer leadership to a new community that could benefit. In just the past twelve months OSH has run nine residentials for 174 young people.
These residentials were staffed by 138 leaders, of which 52% have lived experience of the asylum system and are graduates of our leadership programme. In addition, we run regular activities in our hubs across London and Bristol.
The impact of OSH on the lives of young people is significant. Almost all participants report that their confidence has increased, that their English has improved and that they have made new friends. 87% told us that they ‘felt part of the OSH family’ and 69% said that they want to learn to lead on our residentials.
Over the past six years, we have watched young people blossom into articulate, inspiring adults. The AQA-certified leadership training programme gives them a space to learn and process practical skills to be not only leaders on our events, but also to step back into their communities more confident and better integrated.
What started for all of us as a fun weekend away, making memories and new friends morphs into the start of a journey of self discovery, self actualisation, and the foundations of a lifetime of leadership and community building. Thank you to my madrichim who showed me the way and to my chanichim who keep me inspired and working to build a better future for us all.
- Nic Schlagman, chair, Our Second Home.
