It is hard for me to personalize Shavuot, though I know there is great spiritual meaning to be found within it. Shavuot is one of the three major holidays named in the Bible.  As such, there is special designation as one of the Shalosh Regalim (literally three legs–meaning pilgrimage festivals). Then, it was a time of a huge in-gathering of the Jewish people who trekked to Jerusalem to celebrate the harvest. In later rabbinic times, Shavuot was designated as the time of the g

Is this what it means to be Jewish? A portion of this post can be a lesson plan for Jewish teens, with the image above as the trigger. It would be an interesting exercise and not entirely out of context as a beginning to a discussion about Jewish values (that is, if Google defines our context). The photo came up in a Google Image Advanced Search (free to use or share) for “Why be Jewish?” and struck me immediately as a conversation starter for this topic. So, if showing this

Free Speech or Hate Speech? “It should be remembered that any group that is willing to treat Israel and the Jewish people differently from any other and to deny it rights they wouldn’t deny anyone else is demonstrating prejudice.” Jonathan Tobin, “What Jewish Students Really Need” http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2013/07/10/what-jewish-students-really-need-hillel-anti-semitism/ #Israel #Jewish #Judaism

Being Jewish? Too easy! The image above came up in a Google Image advanced search (free to use or share) for “Why be Jewish?”. The image speaks to the casual nature of being Jewish, and some might think that it actually pokes fun a bit…after all, how many Mountain Jews do you know? The fact that we might just accept this image without even thinking twice, kind of makes my point. Answering the difficult question “Why Should Our Teens be Jewish”  is an extreme challenge for par

What clock do these teens use? I’ll paint the picture. Last night I chatted with a group of three 9th grade teenage boys, hanging out in the synagogue lobby, waiting for a ride home after attending a community pluralistic supplementary Jewish high school program in suburbia. What I didn’t know, is that right in front of me, was such a rich representation of Jewish teen life. Typical teens. Phones in hand, either texting or waiting for one. Yet they were so willing to answer m

Figuring out where you stand is the challenge I believe every Jewish teen has to make a fundamental decision, especially when getting ready to think about college. Behind that decision are responses to feelings about Jewish identity. The question begins with: How do I feel about being Jewish? Is there anything in the way I feel about my heritage that makes me different? Is there anything I do that makes me feel different? How do those differences contribute to who I am? Are t