Inside and outside, NCSY is back at BACH after 12 years

The BACH Jewish Center has brought NCSY programming back to the Long Beach community following a 12-year hiatus.

The BACH facility will function as the central operating hub for the popular Jewish teen youth movement, whose full name is National Conference of Synagogue Youth.

NCSY’s return to the area follows a nearly 25-percent increase in membership for the BACH community since Rabbi Benny Berlin assumed leadership in June 2020, which prompted a rise in demand for social programming for kids and teens.

“Jewish education happens both inside and outside the classroom and as more families move to the BACH, we are continuously bringing more opportunities for our teens and youth,” said Rabbi Berlin. “For my peers and I, NCSY played an important role in our lives, and it was important for me to bring NCSY back to Long Beach so that we can give that same experience to our families and their teens.”

“There are many Jewish teens seeking opportunities for growth in Long Island. We are always ready to partner with local shuls as a way of bringing creative programming and events to teens” said NCSY’s New York region CEO Rabbi Gideon Black. “Long Beach is a great community, and the Bach is a dynamic shul, they are natural partners for NCSY.”

Over the past two years, The BACH, a 100-family shul, has grown by close to two dozen families.

With the Covid-19 pandemic notoriously prompting an exodus of New York City families to the suburbs, it is Long Beach’s specific lifestyle benefits, including access to a myriad of Jewish day schools, kosher dining, and transportation, now combined with the charisma and innovative programming introduced by Rabbi Berlin that is making Long Beach, and the BACH in particular, a desirable option for families seeking to relocate.

As a result of this unprecedented growth in the Long Beach area, NCSY as well as other centers for Jewish engagement have been responsive.

Founded in 1946, Bachurei Chemed BACH Jewish Center is one of Long Island’s oldest synagogues. Members hail from Long Beach, Lido, Atlantic Beach and Island Park.

—BACH