Hebrew High
As part of our commitment to engage our community with a modern spiritual, educational and social Jewish experience that uplifts our lives, we have reimagined our teen learning program. One aspect of our teen learning program is Hebrew High, which offers opportunities for teens to continue exploring their personal Jewish identities while also connecting to their local, national, and worldwide Jewish community.
Once a month, we partner with Beth El Synagogue to explore what it means to be Jewish in Omaha and throughout the world. Through conversations with the clergy and high-energy activities, these collaborative sessions help to broaden our horizons and create a wider community. Each one is different from the other, helping our teens to learn more.
For a printable "blueprint" giving an overview of each component, click here. Our curriculum focuses on relevant Jewish topics, offering students the opportunity to share thoughts, dig into challenging issues, and even debate with their peers. Our unique games, discussions, and camp-style programming create an environment that welcomes questions and exploration about what it means to be Jewish.
MITZVAH CORPS
The Mitzvah Corps component of Temple Israel’s Hebrew High is dedicated to Jewish service learning.
This is an opportunity for our teens in grades 8-12 to engage in hands-on volunteering to learn about and contribute to our local non-profits through a Jewish lens. During the 2023-2024 year, we are excited to be following the FRAME, SERVE, REFLECT structure for each experience.
FRAME:
- Roles and Expectations
- Community Need
- Impact
- Expression of Jewish values
SERVE:
Group volunteer opportunities will always include a hands-on project.
REFLECT:
By rooting our work in issue area context and Jewish values, teens gain a deeper connection to the subject. Reflection is a useful tool to allow our teens to debrief their experiences and how their preconceptions might have shifted.
For more information about Hebrew High please contact our Director of Education Jennie Gates Beckman.
Community opportunities for teens
Locally our teens have the opportunity to participate in the Annual Bible Quiz.
JEOPARDY! The Samuel, Saul, and David Edition (AKA The B’nai B’rith Bible Quiz 2023): Sunday, December 17th, 2023
The B’nai B’rith Bible Quiz has been a tradition for decades and an event that high school students and the community has eagerly anticipated. This year, we are changing the format and subject to add new interest and we hope attract more participants, adapting the features of Jeopardy! – a show that has appeal to viewers of all ages – to the Bible Quiz. The subject of the quiz this year will be the first Book of Samuel. We chose this because it is an exciting story with a very rich collection of subjects and questions that can have dimensions beyond recall of facts.
You can find a summary of the book of Samuel here, graciously provided by Marty Shukert.
If you have further questions, please be in touch with Jennie!
teens travel with temple israel
An important part of our teen engagement programming is the opportunity to travel with other teens. This year, our 8th-12th grade students are invited on a journey to the American South for a Civil Rights experience in December 2023.
You can find a the itinerary of the trip here and information on Tzedek America here.
Here is the packing list.
Teen participants from our trip will be participating in Shabbat Services on Friday, Feb. 2nd, 2024 and sharing personal reflections. Please join us!
If you have further questions, please be in touch with Jennie!