Post Bar/Bat Mitzvah Jewish Learning at Shir Tikvah

The Hevra program is a community-based program of Jewish learning in which students explore different aspects of what it means to be Jewish in the world. Learning and socialization are organized around the three major principles of Jewish life: Torah study, community responsibility, and social justice. Students in all grades 7-12 are welcome to continue their Jewish learning with their Jewish friends through the Hevra group.

If the early years of Jewish education invite our children to learn about being Jewish in the classroom, the synagogue, and the home, the 7th grade year and after should be about learning to be Jewish in the world. What is Jewish time? What does it mean to be part of a Jewish community? What is the real impact upon our young people of choosing to act on their Jewish identity? Learning sessions and off-site projects will take place on a regular basis with the supervision of their teacher and coordinator, with an equal emphasis upon all three aspects of Jewish life: study, community, and social justice.

Some gatherings will take place on erev Shabbat or Shabbat morning and include communal Jewish activities; others may include acting within the larger Jewish community.

Click for Hevra Calendar 5772.

Hevra prepping the Sukkah for our community Sukkot celebration!

Upcoming Events with Hevra:

Sunday January 8–Second Session of Study begins

Tuesday February 7–Tu b’Shevat Seder

A Letter from Rabbi Ariel for Hevra 5772

How do I live well?
What does it mean to be Jewish?
What are my gifts?
Who can I count on?
How can I help?

…..These are the questions we want to help you answer.

On Three Things the World Depends: Torah, Avodah, and Gemilut Hasadim
(learning, communal ritual celebration, and acts of kindness)

• study of Jewish texts (concepts, theology, ethics);
• doing Jewish ritual as part of one’s community (“helping to make the minyan”);
• acts of loving kindness, above and beyond the requirement of doing justice (tzedakah) incumbent on every Jew

Dear Shir Tikvah Teenagers and Parents,

I hope you’ve been enjoying your summer and this beautiful weather. Welcome to the first communication of the Shir Tikvah Hevra group in 5772! Whether you are returning or new, we can’t wait to see you. If you have been involved in Hevra in the past, I’m writing to tell you of new developments we’ve been working on. If you have not, give it another thought – please keep reading and see what we want to offer you and your teen.

In 5772 we are happy not only to announce that Bev Guttag, our Hevra facilitator extraordinaire, is continuing to coordinate our events. We are adding even more expertise and caring to our Hevra facilitation:
Let me officially introduce you to Morgan, who is joining our Hevra team. If you participated in the Hevra picnic meeting last summer, you’ve already met him; he was also a part of several Hevra meetings during the past year. Morgan Rich is a member of Shir Tikvah (married to Marcy Berkowitz; Ezra and Sylvie are their children). Morgan has recently published Launch Your Life (click here to see his website.)

What works: Hevra learning Torah, celebrating Jewish time (Avodah), and doing good works (Gemilut Hasadim).
Beverly will plan about twenty opportunities throughout the year for teens to continue with these three pillars of Jewish life. When she has a draft schedule of movie nights, Jewish Holidays, volunteer opportunities, etc- she’ll send it out.

What’s been missing: Parent Support
How can Jewish ethics, values, and communal culture support parents of teenagers?  How can we of Shir Tikvah help each other raise our village’s kids?  This year, Morgan will facilitate a parent discussion group so that Hevra parents can support each other through learning and sharing our experiences.

What’s been missing: In-Depth Study
Morgan will lead a series of sessions for students to consider big spiritual and ethical questions about how to find their place int he world as a Jew, with room to ask all their questions and study about Jewish traditions concerning God, Judaism, the world, and themselves.

Semester I: 10/23, 10/30, 11/6 and 11/13;
Semester II: 1/8, 1/15, 1/22, and 1/29;
Semester III: 2/26, 3/4, 3/11 and 3/18

Teens or parents signing up for any of these three branches of Young Adult Nashira can avail themselves of all three.

As details emerge, we’ll share them with you so that you can schedule your time and energy.  In the meantime, if you have thoughts, congratulations, concerns, or questions about this plan, feel free to ask.

Rabbi Ariel

For more information, contact Hevra facilitator Bev Guttag at bguttag@gmail.com or Morgan Rich at morgan@playhuge.com.

Hevra Students Get All Wrapped Up in the 5770 Lag BaOmer Celebration

Opportunity to Study in Israel!

Each summer, a group of outstanding Jewish teenagers in the U.S. and Canada, coming from a wide variety of backgrounds and entering the twelfth grade, will be recipients of the Bronfman Youth Fellowships. They will spend five fulfilling weeks of study, dialogue and travel in Israel.

For more information, click here : Bronfman Youth Fellowships (link)