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Religious and Youth Community Program Description

Religious School
Policy Handbook

We welcome you to Youth Community! Every 7-12 grade student is automatically a member of our Youth Community. Whether you’re interested in: dinner with friends, social action, innovative learning programs, student teaching, trips and retreats or youth group activities, there is a place for you here! Some components of the program require advance registration, but we make every effort to have an open door policy throughout the year. We invite you to explore all of the opportunities available to you. Come and join in!

Grades 7-12 Wednesday Night Dinner and Classes 6:00 – 8:00 pm

Special note: Our policy for pickup on Wednesday evenings; please read about it here.

Whether we are learning about Israel through an arts seminar, grappling with issues around Jewish history, discussing environmental concerns, studying and lobbying around the situation in Sudan, or approaching issues of hunger and homelessness -- our Wednesday night program offers interesting and challenging topics for everyone. We are excited about building on our current format, with some new and excellent program opportunities for the coming year.

Communal Dinner (6:00 – 6:30 pm)

Every Wednesday our program begins by eating dinner together. Every student is grades 7 -12 is invited to join us for a casual dining experience with a rotating menu.

Innovative Learning (6:30 – 8:00 pm)

After dinner, we turn towards study. Our program is designed to include a variety of learning styles and formats. Our goal is to provide a substantive program that truly integrates formal and informal teaching styles. On any given Wednesday, students are either in class by grade, or are participating in a larger-scale program that incorporates several grades.

General Overview of Grade Specific Learning:

Grade 7 — How Mitzvot Affect Our Identity. We build on the grade 6 mitzvah awareness curriculum and bring the discussion a step further. How does our knowledge and understanding of commandments instruct who we are?

Grades 8 & 9 — The first part of the year for grades 8 & 9 is spent in core grade level study. The grade 8 core course is the History of Modern Israel. The grade 9 core course is Witness to History: a Study of Shoah. The second half of the year offers students elective classes from which to choose. Additionally, we plan an overnight “Shabbat in New York” trip November 7, 2008 through November 8, 2008 for our grade 9 students.

Grade 10, Confirmation — This is a special year of study with our Rabbis and Director of Congregational Learning. On Friday, December 5 through Monday, December 8, 2008 the class will travel to the Religious Action Center in Washington, DC to study social justice and lobby at Capitol Hill. The year culminates as student’s affirm their commitment to Judaism in a Confirmation ceremony held on the Shabbat nearest Shavuot.

Grades 11 & 12 — We offer a year-long course of study on a variety of topics. The faculty of our 11 th&12 th grade program includes our Cantor, Rabbis and master educators from the Boston Jewish community. The topics range from Social Justice in Our World, Ethics of the Internet, Jewish Tales of the Supernatural, Packing for College and more. Additionally, we plan a week-long Habitat for Humanity volunteer experience over February break.

Additional Learning Opportunities — In addition to Wednesday evening classes, we offer conversational Hebrew for both beginners and continuing learners on Sunday mornings. This is a collaborative class with the Adult Learning Committee.

Be a Student Teacher (8^th – 12^th grade)

Our student teacher program at TST offers invaluable aid to our lower grade classes.  In addition to the aid in the classroom, this program provides a unique and powerful learning opportunity for our teens. 

• Choose from Sunday or weekday class options.
• Take part in our full orientation and continued learning opportunities.
• Be a positive Jewish role model for younger students.
• Deepen your awareness of the significance of Jewish education and community in your own lives and in the lives of the students.

Social Action / Tikkun Olam Opportunities

Participate in some of our one-day opportunities run by the teen leaders of our Youth Community:

• Tzedakah projects (Walk for Hunger, bagel drives, fundraising basketball tournament, etc.)
• Service projects (working with food banks and soup kitchens, community work for the elderly, and more)

 Join us for ongoing Tikkun Olam projects:

• We will again be partnering with an elementary school in the area, bringing our 9th—12th grade teens to some of their first and second graders to help promote literacy. The tutoring program is part of a larger initiative through TELEM: Jewish Youth Making a Difference Together (program of the JCRC). 
• Shir Tikva will be taking part in a new Boston initiative for 7th and 8th grade students called “Heart Action”.   The program connects our students with an assisted living facility in the area, and involves learning as well as service.
• Commit to a series of visits to the Greater Boston Food Bank as we sort and package food donations.

Our 7th - 8th Grade Youth Group

Throughout the year, a variety of both local and regional programs is available to the 7th and 8th graders.

• We begin the year with a one-day team building retreat at Thompson's Island.
• In February, there is a regional overnight at a temple in Brookline.
• Join us for the middle school division of our annual 3-on-3 charity basketball tournament in the spring.
• Other local events include seeing a show in Boston, going to a professional sports event, watching movies, snow tubing, indoor rock climbing, or something new!

STIFTY / Youth Community Board (Grades 9-12)

In grades 9 - 12 we welcome participation in STIFTY (our senior youth group).  We have a board of outstanding youth leaders who oversee and coordinate the various activities for the high school grades.

• Take part in social action, both long-running programs and individual projects.
• Participate in local social activities that have included ice skating on the Boston Common, disco bowling, pool tournaments, charity basketball events, and much more.
• Engage in ongoing leadership training.
• Attend a variety of regional events including dances, shul-ins, conclavettes, week-long retreats, and board training weekends.

STIFTY events during the year

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