Objectives: By the end of this session, participants will be able to: Consider various ways to think about God. Identify some current, personal views about God. Consider various influences in their lives that have helped shape their views about God. Notice that each person’s views about God are unique and personal. Understand that all the…
Objectives:
Participants will . . .
Reflect on past experiences and memories that shaped their childhood
Explore what it means to transition away from childhood and into a teenager
Think about the new responsibilities that come with growing up
Objectives: Participants will . . . 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.
Objectives:
Participants will . . .
Explore the diverse ways people feel about to being the center of attention
Prepare themselves to be the center of attention at their b-mitzvah
Analyze traditional Jewish wisdom about talking about oneself
Objectives: Participants will . . . Expand their idea of what prayer looks like. Consider the various reasons that people pray. Consider the idea that spirituality could be experienced through various activities or actions. Experiment with activities that could be expressions of prayer and spirituality.
Objectives:
Participants will . . .
Discuss sensitive topics in a safe and supportive space.
Understand new perspectives on difficult subjects.
Model approaches to discussing controversial and/or emotional topics in the future.
Objectives: Participants will . . . Discuss achievement culture and its effect on the mental health of teenagers. Examine approaches to perfectionism from religious and psychological sources. Brainstorm about how to respond to the pressures associated with achievement culture.
Objectives:
Participants will . . .
Explore the idea of home: Where is home for you? What, or who, connects you to home?
Reflect on what it means to call America home, and like other Jews from all over the world, what it means to have a “home” in Israel.
Describe the concepts of am, eretz, and medinat Israel.
Objectives: Participants will . . . Recognize some of their personal identities. Consider how others can make assumptions about us based on our social identities. Explore how identity norms can be challenged and can change over time.
Objectives: Participants will . . . Explore the messages that teenagers receive about risks and courage from the media, society, and Judaism, including messages about gender norms and risk/courage. Reflect on their personal relationship with risks. Reflect on their personal “fallback setting” and how to check in with themselves…
