DRTY Talk: A Guide
Have your Jewish friends recently started speaking in acronyms? Don't know a TYG from a PVP? Fear not! Below you is everything you need to know to understand the DRTY language.
- DRTY - Durham Regional Temple Youth. It is the name of our local TYG (Temple Youth Group).
- DRTYite - Any member of DRTY
- Advisor: An adult who advises and mentors us in programming, logistics, administrative work and leadership skills.
- B’rit Kehilah: NFTY’s Code of Conduct. You sign this before attending an event; it details the rules and regulations for a NFTY event. Basically, you promised not to do drugs, drink, engage in inappropriate sexual conduct and to be a respectful NFTYite.
- CVP: Communications Vice President. CVP is in charge of publicity for our TYG events. Making flyers, sending out Facebook notifications, maintaining the website and the bulletin board in the Mirkaz Limud are the responsibility of the CVP.
- FVP: Fundraising Vice President. The name says it all! This person is in charge of coming up with ways to raise money to pay for DRTY programming and services. Babysitting nights, Purim Carnival, and other fundraisers are the responsibility of the FVP
- Kallah: Fun weekends when NFTYites from all different TYGs in a particular region come together to meet other NFTYites, pray and learn. NFTY-MAR has six kallot: Jello, Fall Kallah, Winter Kallah, MAJYK, The Vent, and Spring Kallah.
- KUTZ: Kutz Camp is the North American NFTY Leadership Academy, located in Warwick, NY. NFTYites go to Kutz for one or two “academies” to learn about leadership, Judaism and so much more.
- LEAD: Leadership Exploration and Development. This is a NFTY-MAR event that focuses on leadership.
- MAJYK: The Mid-Atlantic Junior Youth Kallah. This event is open only to middle school students, and is a super fun weekend where you get to know all about NFTY.
- MAR- MAR is our region of NFTY. MAR stands for the Mid-Atlantic Region. It includes TYGs from North Carolina, eastern West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, Washington DC, Delaware, and far-eastern Tennessee.
- MVP: Membership Vice President. MVP maintains the contact with the membership DRTY. He/she reaches out to new members and keeps track of current ones. MVP also communicates with the temple leadership and NFTY-MAR to be sure that all membership dues are paid.
- 9th Grade Rep: This member of the DRTY board is our liaison to Midrasha and works to welcome and integrate our Freshmen members into the group.
- NFTY: NFTY is the North American Federation of Temple Youth. Anyone who is a member of a Temple Youth Group from Hawaii to New York, from Canada to Texas is a part of NFTY.
- Programs: Informal programs (as opposed to formal education in the classroom) take place at all Kallot. Programs can be about any topic from Purim to AIDS to the Middle East Peace process. Programs can also be social like a dance or a talent show.
- President: The President is the face of DRTY. He/she presides over board meetings and supervises the planning and execution of events. DRTY President is also an active voting member of the Temple Board and attends all temple board meetings.
- PVP: Programming Vice President. This board member is responsible for planning the activities we do at our meetings and events. From mixers and icebreakers to lessons and discussions, the PVP does it all. (With a little help from other DRTYites and board members.)
- RAC: The Religious Action Center. Located in Washington, D.C., the RAC is the social action center for the URJ. NFTY works closely with the RAC on social action issues.
- Region: This encompasses all the TYGs that fall in a certain geographic area. NFTY has 19 regions. These TYGs get together for Kallot and other events.
- Regional Board: The Regional Board of MAR is made up of 9 amazing, hard-working MARites. They are elected each year at Spring Kallah and are essential in making MAR what it is. They write and run programs and services, and represent NFTY-MAR at North American meetings. The Regional Board positions are: President, Programming Vice President (PVP), Social Action Vice President (SAVP), Religious and Cultural Vice President (RCVP), Communications Vice President (CVP), Northern Membership Vice President (NMVP), Eastern Membership Vice President (EMVP), Western Membership Vice President (WMVP), and Southern Membership Vice President (SMVP).
- RCVP: Religious and Cultural Vice President. The RCVP is responsible for infusing Jewish religious ideal and cultural values into our programming, RCVP also coordinates and leads the annual DRTY service and serves on the temple Religious Practices Committee.
- Ruach: Hebrew for "spirit." Basically, it’s the enthusiasm we show for NFTY, for learning, for Judaism and for everything we do.
- SAVP: Social Action Vice President. This board member chooses the Social Action theme for the year and plans a minimum of 2 social action themed events per year. SAVP also serves on the temple Social Action Committee.
- Song Session: We sing Jewish music (also known as Jewsic), clap, stomp, dance, and make lots and lots of noise. This is where we show our ruach most!
- Subregions: NFTY-MAR is divided into four sub-regions, the North, East, West, and South. Every year at The Vent, the four sub-regions compete in color wars, led by the sub-regional membership vice presidents. Each sub-region has a color; North is blue, East is red, West is green, and South is red. DRTY is in SOUTH!
- TYG: Temple Youth Group. The group of teenagers at your temple that get together for events. Your TYG is a part of NFTY.
- TYG Board: The members of the TYG that usually plan and run youth group events for individual youth groups.
- URJ: Union for Reform Judaism, the parent body of NFTY. The URJ encompasses all of NFTY plus lots of college students, adults, rabbis, cantors, temple board members and well…basically any reform Jew in America. They also manage camps like Kutz. They provide adult, rabbinical and financial support to NFTY.