Local Boy Scouts Receive Religious Awards

There were 32 Scouts, Scouters, and family members in attendance at the annual Jewish Committee on Scouting (JCOS) of Suffolk County Council Awards and Recognitions Breakfast on February 28, 2016, hosted by Temple Beth Chai of Hauppauge, in Hauppauge, Long Island. Bruce Streger of the SCJCOS and Chairperson of the Northeast Region JCOS gave the invocation and opening prayers. The welcome was made by JCOS Chair Barry Kopeloff and Bruce Streger and the closing prayers were given by Rabbi Rhonda Nebel of Temple Beth Chai. Keynote Speaker was JCOS Chair Barry Kopeloff, who spoke about what has been done this year and plans for the future "in SCC and the world." He also spoke about plans to fund raise, rebuild and rededicate the Silverman Chapel at Baiting Hollow Boy Scout Camp.

During special ceremonies, presentations of medals and certificates were made by JCOS Chairman Emeritus Bruce Streger, JCOS Chair Barry Kopeloff and Religious Emblems Coordinator Jan Rose of the Jewish Committee on  scouting of Suffolk County Council to those scouts who had recently earned their recognitions. The scouts' parents assisted in the ceremonies by pinning the emblems onto the youth's uniform, presenting with the certificate, card, knot and a JCOS kippah.

Presentations were the Maccabee Emblem to Cub Scout Alex G. of 457 (Dix Hills) and the Ner Tamid Boy Scout Emblem to Samuel A. of Troop 179 (West Islip), and to Josh B. and Jayson B. of Troop 125 (Commack). There are several other Cub Scouts working on their emblems and Boy Scouts who are currently working on their Ner Tamid Emblems but were completed in time for presentation at the 2016 annual JCOS Recognitions and Awards Breakfast.

A special recognition was presented to Boy Scout Jayson B. of Troop 125 (Commack) by Chair Emeritus Streger for his service to the JCOS of Suffolk County Council (BSA)’s community. First Class Scout Jayson B. had been requested to create a design for this year's annual SCJCOS Sabbath patch, which would be given to anyone in uniform that attended any Scout Sabbath in 2016. It was his patch design that has been used as the Scout Sabbath Participation Patch during the Scout Sabbath services at 13 synagogues and several churches throughout Suffolk County this year.