Page 5 - JR March 3 21 FINAL

Maxwell Spurr picked as

national Teen Ambassador

Lake Oswego High School
junior Maxwell Spurr was se-
lected as one of 10 Teen Am-
bassadors for the Jewish Teen
Funders Network, which works
to strengthen the field of Jewish
teen philanthropy. Max serves
on the teen board of the Ore-
gon Jewish Community Youth
Foundation.
Launched in 2016, the Youth
Ambassador Council was cre-
ated to connect JTFN directly Remote dor l’ dor for Purim
with teens in the field and learn
together. Meeting virtually This year Purim's intergenerational celebration was a remote
throughout the school year, “OJCYF is seen as a leader dor l’ dor (generation to generation) experience. The Harper family
the Youth Ambassador Coun- in the teen philanthropy field,” (above) were among the 200 people in 82 households who assem-
cil empowers the teen voice says OJCF Program Officer bled and dropped off more than 500 Purim Packages at Cedar Si-
by fostering relationships with Sonia Marie Leikam, the youth nai Park Feb. 21 and Feb. 23. On Feb. 26, CSP staff delivered the
representatives from the field of foundation director. “As an mishloach manot to every resident and professional on the cam-
Jewish teen philanthropy. This 18-year-old program, we now pus. Staff dressed up, played fun Purim music, and handed out
is the fifth cohort of the Youth have alumni as donors and the beautiful goodie bags to residents and staff all across campus.
Ambassador Council. can demonstrate the impact of The volunteer project was cohosted by CSP, Jewish Federation of
“I enjoy working with OJCYF having a teen philanthropy pro- Greater Portland, Portland Jewish Academy, Maimonides Jewish
and meeting other Jewish teens gram in a community. Our teen Day School and Maayan Torah Day School.
very much. I also swim and play board is made up of exceptional
water polo competitively, and young people, and when in an Residents
surf, play bass, and raise chick- applicant pool with other teens, have created
ens in my free time,” says Max. they rise to the top.” a thank you
Max enjoys connecting with OJCYF allows teens to partic- video. You
the Jewish community through ipate for as many years as they can see a
philanthropy. He has been on wish in high school, which al- condensed
the OJCYF board for two years. lows for a deepening of knowl- version of the
He is a member of Congrega- edge and relationships to local video at
tion Neveh Shalom. He was organizations. Some programs bit.ly/3q8vLqy.
previously involved with sever- limit how long teens can par-
al secular organizations. ticipate.
Max is the fourth OJCYF teen “Our teens also represent an
selected for the national council. often-unrepresented segment
Previous Oregon ambassadors of the Jewish world – Oregon,”
were Layton Rosenfeld, Samuel adds Sonia Marie. “Their opin-
Rothstein and Mazzi Katzen. ions and experiences matter.”
TEEN WELLNESS FORUM (continued from previous page)

says, revealing she recognized to a trusted adult is a key step in But not all teens’ first line of and Nelson’s program is a first.
only in her senior year that she getting help, says Sophie Rie- defense is their folks. That’s Samara Oberlander, one of
was suffering from what she gel, 20, another young adult at OK, Riegel emphasizes, as long Neveh Shalom’s educators on-
characterizes as high-function- the Zoom forum. as you go to someone ready and line, was inspired by the young
ing depression. She received The Duke University sopho- available to sit in the proverbial adults’ stories and appreciated its
straight-As, was active in extra- more has written extensively poop with you and to help pull laser focus on teens. “They saw
curriculars and had a circle of about mental health and traveled you from that pile. positive people who’ve been
friends. the country to talk about her Another teen panelist was Lili able to overcome big hurdles.”
In addition to depression, she own experiences as one who has Stadler, an intern for the Atlan- Duke’s Riegel adds, “The fo-
also endured body dysmorphia, beaten back obsessive-compul- ta-based Blue Dove Foundation. rum’s coordinators clearly un-
high anxiety, and fatigue, and sive and panic disorders, anxiety Blue Dove’s mission is to nor- derstand what teens need, and I
she began to feel like “nothing and a condition characterized by malize and promote conversa- really hope others see that teens
mattered.” pulling out her own hair. Riegel tion in the Jewish community want to hear from other teens,
Weingrad and Diebold both says Weingrad and Diebold did around difficult issues like sub- and I hope, too, that other or-
turned to their moms for initial just the right thing in approach- stance abuse and mental-health ganizations around the country
support. Pinpointing and going ing their parents. challenges. Stadler says Berwin will really get behind this.”
Jewish Review March 3, 2021 5