JET: Jewish Experiences for Teens (7th– 12th)
OUR JET PROGRAM
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JET DETAILS AND ENROLLMENT
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JET (Jewish experiences for teens)
Jewish teens want to form meaningful relationships with others, understand where they fit into the world, and be active participants in shaping a better future. Our JET program is a combination of hands-on action opportunities for teens to put their Jewish values into direct action, social connection and friendship opportunities through our teen dinners held at each general JET session, and learning and growth in our JET classes.
JET is inspired by the work done by Dr. David Bryfman of the Jewish Education Project and his studies about Jewish teen engagement. We acknowledge that Judaism is not one size fits all, and we want our teens to immerse themselves in a type of Judaism that is meaningful for them. It also offers an opportunity to meet and build community with other Jewish teens.
JET Curriculum:
- 7th Grade: Our NEW 7th Grade Curriculum: Jewish Journeys. Deep dive into the diversity of the Jewish world and Jewish identities as we empower teens to explore and find agency in recognizing and shaping their own Jewish identities.
- 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th Grades: Teens will choose one Track for the year:
- J Leadership: Do you want to learn how to build an event, make a budget, or even lead a service? Join Rabbi Michael on a leadership journey. Envision, plan, and execute while gaining experience and learning meaningful Jewish lessons. Some of the practical hours of this track may count toward volunteer hours for working toward the Presidential Service Award.
- Debate Club: Are you the kind of person who likes knowledge? Do you enjoy robust arguments? Join our Debate Club and learn from more than 2,000 years of Jewish Wisdom. Taught by our UCSC fellowship teachers in consultation with Rabbi Michael.
- Basketball: If teamwork and sports sound great, our basketball track will score points with you! Blending learning and Jewish texts with hands-on basketball teamwork, this track (and all tracks) will eat together during the Teen Dinner on Tuesday evenings.
- Art Studio: At the art studio, enter a world of creation and exploration. In this judgment-free all-are-welcome zone, explore and discover Jewish art history and Jewish artists, and nurture your creativity, skills, and knowledge.
A Speaker Series will occur periodically throughout the year for all JET grades to come together and learn from an engaging speaker. In addition, JET in Action events for hands-on social action will occur periodically throughout the year for all JET grades - stay tuned for more details.
Questions? Please reach out to rabbimichael@shirhadash.org.
Jet Schedule
Our typical JET Tuesday evening schedule is:
- 6:30pm-7pm: Teen Dinner
- 7pm-8pm: Teen Program
- 8pm: Pick-up Time
SPECIAL NEEDS
My teen has special learning needs. Can I enroll him/her? Yes.
We care about making our program as inclusive as possible for all students with a range of different needs. In Proverbs (22:6) we are told, ”Teach each child according to their own abilities.” We work hard to help all of our students to realize their fullest potential and skill level. Please be certain to complete the special needs section of the registration application. We will make every attempt to meet your child’s needs. Be sure to send copies of any IEP or 504 plans to kulanu@shirhadash.org. If we are not able to accommodate your child, we will work with you to find alternative ways to strengthen your child’s Jewish identity. Please reach out to our Kulanu Admin at kulanu@shirhadash.org so that they can work with Rabbi Michael, you, and your child(ren) to ensure a meaningful experience in our program.