It's a Temple Beth Am Tradition...The annual Levi Leap

Temple Beth Am BATY (Temple Beth Am Youth) has a very long and awesome tradition of hosting Levi Leap each fall. Come join us in supporting more than 600 Jewish teenagers from all over New England and parts of New York State who travel to Temple Beth Am.

Each year, this annual event gives nearly 500 - 600 BATY members throughout the NFTY region a night of incredible fun and dancing along with opportunities of meeting old friends and making new ones.

Each year BATY members are looking to you, Temple Beth Am members, to help make this night a safe and memorable one by volunteering in any one of the following areas:

• Opening your homes for respectful and terrific NFTYites, and their advisors.
• Baking your favorite cookies, brownies, cakes
• Donating Soda (Coke, Pepsi, Diet, Orange, Root Beer)
• Lending a hand with registration
• and the all important CHAPERONING SATURDAY NIGHT!

Contact the BATY Advisor, Temple Youth Commissioners, or Sue Seigel or Victoria Felson to volunteer. Call 508-872-8300 or email them I want to volunteer

Support Our Temple Youth. They are our Future!

My mother, Cynthia Markle, recently forwarded to me an email that was sent out regarding plans for this year's Levi Leap. I was quite interested to read it and to see how far Levi Leap has come after all these years. 

I just wanted to make a correction to the history of Levi Leap. I was a member of BATY during the years 1962 to 1965 when I graduated high school.  I was President of the group during that time.  My memory doesn't serve me exactly, but Levi Leap was started during my years in BATY, possibly when Barbara Weller was President.  John Jacobs was the youth advisor.  We were quite excited to come up with this idea of Levi Leap and to invite other NEFTY youth groups. What made the evening so exciting was that we were allowed to wear jeans to the event - rather unheard of in those days!!!  And then how excited we were when lots of kids actually came from all over the region and had such a good time that we did it again the next year!

Again, I have to say that my memory is not perfect, but I do remember Levi Leap during my years in BATY, so it is safe to say that the tradition is older than you think - having started at least 42 to 44 years ago.  I have no idea if it continued after I left for college and then picked up again when your history starts (with the info about the battle of the bands).  At any rate, Levi Leap has had a long life and it is wonderful to know that it continues to be alive and well! 

I just wish my memory was more specific about the facts!  That's why it's so important to have Historians as part of a group - so we can record and remember for those that follow!  I think I remember when BATY was first formed sitting around with our advisor and a group of kids and coming up with the name!  My high school years were devoted to BATY and NEFTY and conclaves and camps. I met so many wonderful kids and had so many terrific experiences.  It's sad to say that I did not keep up with those wonderful friendships.  As a footnote to all this - one of those kids from Newton who attended all the same functions during those times was EricYoffie, now Rabbi EricYoffie and the President of the URJ!!

Good luck with the event. If I was in the area I would love to help out and see how things are going after all these years. BATY and NEFTY were a huge part of my life during my high school years and contributed to my continued affection for Temple Beth Am, as well as for "living Judaism" throughout my life.

Have a great Levi Leap!

Betsy Markle Gardner
San Diego, CA
October 2007