In USY, leadership is not just about learning to be in charge, but about learning to create environments where we take care of those in our charge. USY leaders move beyond establishing safe spaces, to actively promoting brave spaces. This year at IC, our teens will have the opportunity to engage in a variety of leadership workshops, spearheaded by their peers as well as by renowned professionals.
The opportunity to engage with teens from across the continent who share a fundamental common bond through Jewish identity is a special and transformative experience. Our teens learn with and from each other, and in turn, feel more comfortable to both explore and solidify what Judaism means to them, and what they hope to learn more about after they graduate. IC fosters this growth through specific educational seminars, but also through candid conversations, meaningful bonding, and a community based in kindness and respect.
One silver lining to holding this year’s convention online is our ability to grow connections exponentially and not limited by geography. USY’s online programming has already seen an influx of participation from many areas of the continent where finding Jewish community has historically been difficult. This year, IC registration will be open to all Jewish teens across the continent — not only USY members. This includes our partners in the global Conservative Jewish youth movement, truly expanding our scope across the world. Even with this expanded reach we still promise to do what we do best – create moments of individualized interaction where these worldwide friendships can thrive.
Whether in person or virtual, IC always offers the opportunity to learn from incredible and inspiring speakers, thought leaders, and changemakers. This year’s convention speakers are no exception.
Check out our confirmed speakers here. And stay tuned in the coming months for more information about additional speakers, workshops, and organizational partners.
One of the most rewarding, memorable, and important aspects of IC is our day of service — fostering impactful moments of interaction and social solidarity. While this activity will not look quite the same this year, we are committed to maintaining this core aspect of this IC experience through localized mutual aid projects within individual communities across the continent. This “off-screen” time will truly allow participants to feel supported in their social action initiatives and for our communities to feel the love and caring of our teens.
We will still strive to bring the excitement of the convention floor at IC to you this year in our new format. All IC registrants will gain exclusive access to our IC in a Box. Boxes will feature IC swag, regional regalia, program packs and supplies, sponsor giveaways, and much much more. USYers know that our ruach, energy, and excitement are unparalleled, and we will make sure you have everything you need to bring that same energy to your at-home convention floor.
As we listened to our USYers give feedback about “Zoom fatigue” from online school and how they yearned for more individualized interactions with their friends, we thought deeply about how we could execute IC in a large scale, virtual format. So IC 2020 will not take place solely on Zoom. Instead, we are partnering with production and virtual convention platforms to provide not only exciting content, speakers, and learning, but also spaces for smaller, closer interactions. This format will allow our teens to find the quiet moments, inside jokes, and closeness with friends that organically occur at an in-person IC.
Each year at IC, USYers elect a new slate of teen leaders who help lead our organization to new heights. Our officers this year have helped raise tens of thousands of dollars for partner organizations and social justice initiatives, reminded us of the importance of collaboration and innovation, and helped us remain connected even while apart. This year we will ensure this tradition remains intact and USY’s leaders of today and the future will be elected via a new online system for voting delegates.
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