When I first began CRUSY, I had no idea what I wanted out of my life, or my Judaism. Now almost six years later, and getting ready to deploy in the next coming months, I have to sit back and wonder what brought me to this place in my life. I must say that I accredit USY and CRUSY to many of the values and relationships that I have gained. Knowing that any time, and out of the blue, I am able to call up, video chat, or message any one of the friends that I have made and ask for help, share stories, or simply reminisce. And when you are so far away from home for years at a time, it is more than just a comfort to have these people, this family, in your life. CRUSY showed me that there is more than just praying and services to Judaism. There are concepts, and values, that are not only just of the Jewish people, but teach you to be a decent human being. And I know that I will carry them with me wherever I go. Being one of the only Jews in the United States Marine Corps, it gives me a certain pride knowing that I was raised by a community of my peers and that every single one of them, through CRUSY and USY made a difference in my life. And that I will never forget them no matter where this life takes me.

CRUSY was an instrumental key to so many positive things in my life. The experiences, sharing, and social networking skills that I learned are re-lived through my close friendships still to this day. Great memories, great friends, and great times. Looking back I feel sad for some of the people I knew that didn’t step up, didn’t take the chance, and did not get involved. CRUSY forever!

The experience that I had in CRUSY is one that I would not have gotten anywhere else. The friendships that I made never would have existed without USY and will, undoubtedly, be there for years to come. CRUSY was probably one of the most influential experiences during my high school years. For me, the best part about being involved with CRUSY was the conventions. Being able to meet and hang out with Jewish teens like myself meant so much. There were not very many Jews in Toledo who had the same values that I had. CRUSY taught me the importance of helping others and the true value of doing things not because you have to, but because you want to. I wanted to do something with my life that would allow me help people, so I decided to go into education for young children. I want the opportunity to impact the lives of children in a way that they will feel confident in themselves and their abilities to succeed in life.