From the earliest years of life in the St. Catharines Jewish community, the families living here were, like Jewish families everywhere, concerned about encouraging a strong Jewish identity in all of their children. There were never many holidays and special events that didn’t include things to attract young children to Hebrew School. However, it has always been well known that teenagers are prone to loose interest in anything having to do with their education. It became important for the adults in their lives to make things that they did exciting and playful. It was for that reason that one of the attractions of belonging to the organization formerly referred to as United Synagogues and becoming Conservative. United Synagogue Youth became a very big thing in St. Catharines from the beginning. Together with their advisors of the day, they put on Purim Carnivals, regular participation in Shabbat services, went en masse to conventions out of town and many went to Camp Ramah which was conducted every summer and facilitated by the Rabbinic arm of the movement. The teenagers had their own programming of course but they also became involved in the programming of the adult organizations. When we had Folk Arts Open Houses teenagers often were involved and provided entertainment. The picture below is of a group of four young men together with their advisor and instructor who danced their hearts out and their feet off several times at one of the Folk Arts open houses.
