Summary: Guys witness overt sexism in the media, from the words and behaviors of government leaders and other powerful men, to the gender wage gap in sports, to the ways women are portrayed in comics and video games. Guys might see sexism show up in daily ways. Guys might notice that they are punished in…
Session 6: Pleasure & Consent: Summary In the first episode of the Netflix show, Big Mouth, Jessi comments that “puberty for boys is [portrayed as] the miracle of ejaculation and for girls, we’re just a yarn-ball of aching tubes.” This session puts a spotlight on the often disregarded topic of female pleasure. Participants will consider the messages they…
Edit Curriculum. Updated 2025. Objectives: By the end of the session, participants will be able to. Understand the core values of celebration/Simcha in the Jewish community; Identify the variety of feelings that they might associate with elements of their b-mitzvah celebration; Identify elements of the b-mitzvah celebration that might bring them joy
Session 5: Drugs, Partying, and Risk Taking: Summary Teens have, over the years, garnered the reputation for being impulsive and making bad decisions. However, modern researchers have found that teen risk-taking is largely motivated by teens’ desire to learn more about the world. In this session, teens will explore the risks they take in their lives, how they…
Do not judge by the vessel but by what it contains. — Mishna, Pirkei Avot 4:27. In my flesh, I see God. — Job 19:26. Session Summary: In this session, we address Jewish male body image and male body image in general. The number of teen males dissatisfied with their bodies has tripled over the…
Session 4 – Achievement Culture: Summary Over recent years, the rates of stress and anxiety reported by teen girls have increased. Psychologist, Lisa Damour says “we put so much on girls’ plates and [have] taken nothing off. Girls are now unbelievably good students…incredibly successful…and yet we also expect that they will be agreeable and helpful to the people around…
My God, guard my tongue from evil. — from the Siddur (based on Ps. 34:14) Session Summary: From the first chapter of Genesis (“God said, ‘Let there be light!'”) to the nine little Aramaic words that create a newly married couple, Jewish tradition is full of examples of the power of words to create and…
This is a session for b-mitzvah students on what we get, and how we might choose to give. Objectives: By the end of this session, participants will be able to: Consider expectations around gift giving; Explore the idea of financial reward for achievement; Describe the responsibilities associated with receiving money; Be prepared to make ethical…
Updated 2025. Objectives: By the end of this session, participants will be able to. Explore how their financial choices regarding a b-mitzvah celebration connect to family circumstances and values; Understand that b-mitzvah students all have different financial circumstances or priorities that can impact b-mitzvah celebrations in visible and invisible ways
Session 3 – Food: 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 Jewish holidays and celebrations. Even people who identify solely as “cultural” Jews have their culinary touchstone like bagels, pastrami, and halva. At the same time, many teens raised as girls receive conflicting messages about eating from family members and the media,…
