Our programs, designed especially for 8th and 9th graders, offer a new way to think and feel about being Jewish in our world. We take the Jewish educational experience to the next level where teens explore their values, leadership skills and how to address the difficult questions they face every day.
The Prozdor Experience at Or Atid (Fall)
In the fall of 2017, Dan Brosgol, director of Prozdor at Hebrew College, will be teaching this 6-session module at Or Atid. Sessions will be interactive, lively, and engaging. Students spend 2 sessions each on the following three topics:
1) Real News: Current events that are relevant to Jewish teens right now
2) Be Good?: Debating the importance of acting ethically in a chaotic world
3) Lens Crafting: Exploring Jewish and Israeli stereotypes in popular media
Program meets: Wed. evenings, 6-7:30pm
Sept. 27, Oct. 18, Nov. 1, 8, 29, Dec. 13
Registration through Family ID
Madrichim Program (year round)
Students are needed as classroom aides, working closely with our talented staff, and assisting students with projects, tasks, and learning. Students can choose either Wednesday afternoons or Sunday mornings. Compensation is provided.
Program meets: Sept. 10, 2017 – May 23, 2018
Registration through Family ID
TELEM (year round)
TELEM is a program of the Jewish Community Relations Council for all high school students that brings together the youth of a synagogue and a local social service agency. The idea is to create a partnership that provides needed help and assistance for those in need in our community. Each Monday, students visit residents at the Minuteman Arc program in Concord for intellectually disabled adults. The students create, plan, and then execute weekly programs for the residents that involve games, crafts, and cooking projects. A warm and close bond is forged between the residents and the students that continues year after year.
Program meets: Mondays, 6:00-8:00 pm
First session meets Sept. 11, 2017
Registration through Family ID
Torah Reading and Participation in Services at Or Atid
We are always looking for teens to lead prayers during Shabbat services, or read a few verses of Torah. It’s a great way to keep those Torah and Hebrew reading skills fresh! There will be opportunities to participate each week in the fall. Students interested in reading Torah, chanting Haftorah, or leading prayers should contact Rabbi Finestone directly.
STOP Program of Metrowest (Winter)
Students Together Opposing Prejudice (STOP) is a collaborative, award-winning education initiative established in 1991. STOP is an interfaith program with Jewish, Christian, and Muslim participants targeted by junior high students and facilitated by high school students. It involves games, activities, and peer discussion focused on recognizing and responding to stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination.
STOP Program meets: Wed. nights from 6:45 to 8:15pm at various locations in Wayland and Sudbury starting in January.
7 sessions (dates TBD)
Cost: $25 for the module. More information to follow in the fall.
Design Lab Experience (Spring)
This module, modeled after the Brandeis Design Lab, uses the innovative approach of “design thinking” to understand a local community problem, and then work collaboratively to design and execute a solution. Teens who have participated in the Brandeis Design Lab and in comparable experiences have raved about their experience.
Per the Brandeis Design Lab, design thinking has come to be defined as combining empathy for the context of a problem, creativity in the generation of insights and solutions, and rationality in analyzing and fitting various solutions to the problem context.
This module will be a practical, hands-on experience where participants, facilitated by a design thinking expert, will use the design thinking process to develop and execute a solution to a real problem. The program is grounded in Jewish values and often focuses on solving practical problems for the Jewish community. The experience involves creativity, problem solving, communication, art, design, engineering, and teamwork.
This module is likely to consist of 6 to 8 sessions of approximately 2 hours each. It will meet in March/April/May. A minimum number of participants is required. More details will be provided as plans are finalized.
For more information about our Teen and Tween programs, contact Rabbi Finestone or call 508-358-9623.