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The Journal of Youth Engagement is an online forum of ideas and dialogue for those committed to engaging youth in vibrant Jewish life and living. Join the discussion and become a contributor.
Imagine a community service program for Jewish teens. To be fair, that is not such a stretch of the imagination. Now, however, imagine a community service program for Jewish teens that does not once teach about, or let alone mention, Tikkun Olam. This does require us to stretch our imaginations just a bit. Right now you are probably thinking to yourself, or asking out loud, “But Rabbi, how in the world can you have a Reform Jewish teen community service program without ever talking about Tikkun Olam?” The answer is simple: Teach teens an even broader scope of Jewish values which they can bring to life through their actions. That is just what we have done at Temple Har Shalom in Warren, NJ.
Our Values in Action program is a once-a-month opportunity for our teens to learn about and study a variety of middot (virtues) and mitzvot (commandments) that have either been short-changed or otherwise overlooked in their Jewish education. These Jewish values come to life through off-site visits and volunteering.
Along with offering an opportunity to accumulate community service hours, Values in Action truly serves as another on-ramp for Jewish teen engagement. The program is operated independently of the “Hebrew High School,” madrichim (teaching assistant) program, and youth groups, and each session is a self-contained unit. This allows even more flexibility and accessibility for teens to participate in the program. Teens do not have to worry about missing one session and being behind during the other sessions.
Values in Action is made even more accessible by its timing, structure, and focus on local organizations. Each session is typically scheduled for 11:30am-2:00pm on Sundays, a very manageable time commitment for teens who already lead very busy lives. This is also convenient timing for teens who participate in the madrichim program on Sundays (and for their parents). We begin with a bagel brunch, because all teens are happier when they are fed, and continue with a brief, informal lesson on the value(s) of the day. We then carpool over to an off-site partner organization that exhibits these values and provides our teens with opportunities to act on them.
In addition to partnering with local, secular organizations, our schedule also includes special sessions that allow us to bring our values to life within the Jewish community. For instance, as part of Values in Action, our teens will be participating in Federation-sponsored events such as Super Sunday and J-Serve as well as the temple’s own Day of Service.
As icing on the cake, due to the minimal costs of the bagel brunch, supplies, and transportation, we are able to offer Values in Action free of charge!
Only two months into the program, the flexibility and accessibility of this opportunity has already proven to be a success as it has drawn in, and drawn back, a number of teens who otherwise would not have been involved in additional – or any – teen programming at the temple. So far this year, we have put into action the following values:
Ahuv (making others feel loved): In the session on middah ahuv, we discussed ways to make others feel loved, and studied texts on the related values of nedivut (generosity), hachnasat orchim (hospitality), and sayver panim yafot (receiving others with a pleasant demeanor). For our “Action,” we partnered with a local residency program for homeless youth, visited one of their homes, learned about the programs and services they offer for displaced children, and helped with landscaping to really make the residents feel at home.
Ohev et ha’Briot (loving all creatures) & Tza’ar Ba’alei Chayim (being kind to animals): For our session on middah ohev et ha’briot and the mitzvah of tza’ar ba’alei chayim, we looked at various texts and stories of how our ancestors and leaders, such as Moses, have treated fellow humans as well as the rest of earth’s creatures, and discussed the ways in which our treatment of animals influences and is reflected in our treatment of each other, and vice versa. For our “Action,” we partnered with a local animal shelter to learn about how they seek out and care for loving homes for their animals, as well as ways in which our teens could volunteer their time to such an organization. The visit would not have been complete without time for the teens to sit with, pet, and play with the various dogs, cats, and kittens that were currently residing in the shelter. We even had a few teens sign up to go back and volunteer at the shelter on an ongoing basis!
The secret to the success of Values in Action lies in its alignment with the meaning our teens are seeking. As we have learned through the URJ’s study and the various webinars and sessions on “Inspired Engagement,” our teens are looking to do something “that matters” and to make a difference in the world. Values in Action provides opportunities for teens to impact their community in an authentically Jewish environment.
Beyond serving as a social justice opportunity for teens, Values in Action engages parents as well. We rely on parents as car-pool drivers, additional volunteers and chaperones, and for donations of any supplies we might need for a given session. We’ve seen that parents are more than willing to help out, and are excited to be integral participants in the program.
The Values in Action model is one that can work in virtually any Jewish congregational or communal setting, and can be planned and executed by professional staff, teachers in the religious school, local college students, or even lay leaders. Once you get a program like this started, the sky is the limit!
- Tips For Starting a Program Like Values in Action: To get a sense of many of the values in our tradition, one needs only look at ReformJudaism.org and its section on studying the 48 middot, whichpresent each middah in a clear and concise manner with relatable texts, discussion questions, and activities.
- For additional resources look into purchasing, or borrowing from clergy, educators, or a temple library, books on teaching Jewish values. Search for and connect with local organizations that illustrate and practice the chosen values. These organizations are all eager to have teens volunteer and if they cannot accommodate the program, they will often help find another organization that will. Find funding through a temple budget, clergy discretionary funds, or even parent donations. Recruit an introductory group of teens and parents, who will then share their experiences and help recruit others.
Josh Leighton serves as the Rabbi for the Jewish Congregation of Kinnelon in Kinnelon/Pompton Lakes, NJ and, at the time of this writing, also served as the Youth Engagement Coordinator at Temple Har Shalom in Warren, NJ. He is a member of the CCAR, serves on the faculty at URJ Camp Harlam, and is part of the NFTY-GER clergy team.
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