How do I find a Jewish Girl Scout troop for my daughter?
Most Girl Scout troops, especially Daisy, Brownie and Junior
Girl Scouts, are organized at local schools. Girl Scouting believes
strongly in inclusion. Therefore, no girl is to be denied membership
based on ethnicity, religion or physical ability.
While no troop is inherently Jewish, some troops are based in synagogues
or Jewish Community Centers or other places with a religious affiliation.
A girl does not have to be of that religion to join that troop.
To find a troop for your daughter, start by calling your local
Girl Scout Council. It will be listed in the phone book under
Girl Scouts.
How does the National Jewish Committee on Girl Scouting (NJCGS) help?
We are a committee that serves as a bridge between Girl Scouting
and the Jewish community. We are not a council and do not form
troops. The NJCGS has field liaisons in many Girl Scout Councils. Your local liaison may know of a troop that has Jewish members. To contact your local liaison, call your council office or e-mail NJCGS.
About the Jewish Award Program for Girl Scouts
Where does a Jewish award go on the
Girl Scout uniform?
The award pin is worn on the
right side of the uniform, in line with the Girl Scout Membership
Pin worn on the left side. On the insignia vest or sash, the pin is worn below the membership stars or troop numbers
and above the next insignia.
The pin can only be worn while the girl is still in that program
level, e.g. the Lehavah pin (Brownie level) cannot be worn on the Junior
Girl Scout uniform. However, the religious award patches may be
worn on the back of the vest or sash of any age level.
To see an illustration, go to the GSUSA
insignia page
and select the appropriate uniform.
Why aren't the requirements for the Jewish
Awards for Girl Scouts available on the web?
There are three reasons why we have decided not to place the
requirements on the internet.
1. By having girls and leaders order our books directly
from us, we have an idea of who is working on the awards. When
our volunteers mail the books, and later the awards, they also notify
the local liaison who can follow-up. It's our way of being in
touch with Girl Scouts from the Jewish community.
2. There is a cost attached to developing, maintaining,
and printing our various materials (including this very web site.)
By charging a fee, we recover some of that cost.
3. While more and more people have computers and access to
the internet, not everyone does. If we had the requirements available
on-line, those who can least afford them would be the only ones unable
to access them for free.
Additionally, the books have useful information as well as
requirements. We have found that most girls like having a nice
book better than a printed list on a piece of paper.
How can I order the pins and patches and what do they cost?
Order forms for the pins and patches are in the books for each award. The pins are under $10 each and the patches are under $2 each. We will send pins when we have received a copy of the girls' completed record of requirements, the order form and payment. We try to have a rapid turn-around but please allow at least two weeks for our volunteers to process and mail.
Who can be a Jewish Award advisor?
The advisor can be a rabbi, a cantor, a Jewish educator or another
knowledgeable Jewish adult.
Must a girl belong to a synagogue to earn her award?
A Jewish Girl Scout does not need to belong to a synagogue. Brownie
and Junior Girl Scouts may work
with a family member or another person of the Jewish faith. Since the
Awards, like all Girl Scout activities, are progressively more difficult
with each age level, Cadette and Senior Girl Scouts are encouraged to work
more closely with a rabbi or other Jewish educator, when it can be arranged.
Does a Girl Scout have to be Jewish to earn one
of the Jewish Awards?
Either the girl herself, one of her parents or one of her grandparents
must be Jewish for the girl to earn her award.
Who should review the activities completed by the
girl to receive an Award?
Either the girl's advisor or a member of the local Jewish Committee on Girl Scouting (if one exists) must review and sign off on the work before the girl can receive the award.
Do you have to complete lower level awards to
be eligible for present level?
No, the lower level award is not necessary. Each Jewish Girl
Scout Award is designed to be age level appropriate. Therefore
a girl can only work on the Award for her own program age level.
The National Jewish Committee on Girl Scouting, Inc gratefully acknowledges the generous support of Violet Zall Hordes Foundation.
