A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold. — Proverbs 22:1. Summary: This is the closing session of the year. Over the course of this session, we will integrate themes of the year by looking closely at the Jewish idea of being a mensch and…
Session 9: Closing: Objectives: By the end of the session, participants will be able to. Reflect on how everyone has changed over the past year; Reflect on their experience in Rosh Hodesh over the past year; Feel proud to be in an all-female setting and to acknowledge the power, support, and potential of being in an…
Session 1: Practicing Self Compassion Objectives: Reconnect with other group members and share experiences from summer vacation Revisit group guidelines and revise, if needed, for the upcoming year
Summary: Jewish tradition encourages pleasure within the boundaries of law. This attitude applies to many things that are seen as pleasurable—sex, alcohol, food, dancing, wearing luxurious clothing, jewelry, and even giving lavish gifts. We are encouraged to enjoy, but in moderation. Teen guys face a particular challenge when it comes to pleasure. They are at…
Session 8: Resist and Repair: Summary What with the March for Our Lives movement and the Women’s March, there are more and more examples of teens engaging in changemaking efforts today. Activism is beneficial for teens; psychologist, Lisa Damour says that teens wo participate in activism are able to develop professional skills, connect to social networks, and become more confident in…
Don’t think that doing good will be easy. Just because you want to do the right thing does not mean that you will know what to do when the time comes. The world is mixed up. It is a mixture of good and evil, difficult to separate. — Sfat Emet. Summary:
Session 7: Sexualization and Objectification: Summary Many teen girls frequently come into contact with sexualization and objectification, from hyper-sexualized people in the media (advertisements, tv, films, video games, comic books and more), to cat calls, to institutional dress codes, to internalized pressure to be sexy. In this session, participants learn about the concept of sexualization and reflect…
Summary: In our Jewish lives, we are surrounded by food. From seders to simchas, Shabbat challah to the latke/hamentaschen debate (https://bit.ly/1NKC9Kp), food permeates our holidays and celebrations. Even Jews who identify solely as “cultural” Jews have their culinary touchstones—bagels, pastrami and halva. (For a good introduction to the history of Jewish food, read the introduction…
Summary: As anyone who has fumbled through a sexual encounter knows, real-life sex can be far more complicated than a poster declaring, “Consent Is Sexy.” Many remain confused about what constitutes sexual consent and talking about it in the moment can feel awkward. In the time of #MeToo, the debate about how to negotiate sexual…
Summary: We live in a culture of extreme partying—popularized by Hollywood’s version of fraternity life and visions of high school. Many teen guys are often taught that being a man requires taking risks at parties. Some of those risks may seem relatively harmless: vaping or smoking a cigarette, drinking a beer, or using marijuana. Many…
