Wednesday night classes are…an informative and special way to build on my Jewish identity. With an emphasis on choosing my own courses and learning about both the history of and the current state of Israel, Youth Community has opened my eyes as a modern Jew and has given me the ability to go to Israel this summer with, at the very least, a basic understanding of the people, the culture, and history of our homeland.
My Jewish experiences have given me a moral code and an identity to live by, as well as a loving community that I can depend on for the rest of my life. But that is not even the most important thing they have given me. Above all, they have given me a path to take my Jewish identity on into my adulthood, where I can help change the world for the better and help Judaism live on.
...Benjamin, age 16
The people at Shir Tikva… have become another family for me and opened countless doors that I wouldn’t even have known about. I’m happy to say that I look forward to continue learning and sharing Jewish experiences in my future.
...Arielle, age 16
To me, being Jewish means the happiness of being part of a community wherever I may go.
To me, being Jewish means I belong to a people with an admirable, almost inconceivable, determination to persevere against all odds, no matter what we may face.
To me, being Jewish means having a past to which I am linked by the generations that came before me, as well as the future that will come far after me.
To me, being Jewish means I’ll always have someone to ask for guidance or turn to in a time of need.
To me, being Jewish means embracing the deep meaning of B’tselem Elohim. It means that from the beginning of creation - we were all created in G-d’s image, and that all are equal, regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, or sexual orientation and no one can declare superiority over anyone else.
The experiences that I have gathered throughout taking part in this temple’s youth community and being a madricha have both enlightened me to the joys of learning and even re-learning Judaism, to be proud of my lineage and people, and to promote enthusiasm and curiosity in the younger kids.
My Jewish experiences have given me a moral code and an identity to live by, as well as a loving community that I can depend on for the rest of my life. But that is not even the most important thing they have given me. Above all, they have given me a path to take my Jewish identity on into my adulthood, where I can help change the world for the better and help Judaism live on.
With an emphasis on choosing my own courses and learning about both the history of and the current state of Israel, Youth Community has opened my eyes as a modern Jew and has given me the ability to go to Israel this summer with, at the very least, a basic understanding of the people, the culture, and history of our homeland.
...Sarah, age 15
