Shalom School Teen Initiative
There is a new program at Temple Beth Shalom in Melrose and is open to teens from 8th Grade through 10th grade. SSTI will meet twice a month on Wednesday’s from 5:30pm to 8:00pm. We will begin with a social dinner followed by two hours of interactive programming.
The American Jewish experience is as extremely varied, as is the American experience in general. This year, Shalom School’s Teen Initiative will explore various experiences of Jews living in America and where they emigrated from. Through crafts, cooking, literature, music, film and more we will discover the history that brought many of our relatives to the United States.
We will explore the different branches of Judaism within our own communities including visits to Reconstructionist, Conservative and Orthodox Synagogues, so that we can better understand the pressures and challenges of assimilation to the American culture.
We will also look at what the experience of arriving in America would have been like for Jews; from Ellis Island, to the types of jobs available, and the stand that Jews took on fair labor relations.
The year will culminate in a children’s service, created and led by the teens, which incorporates pieces of our visits with other communities--trying to capture the joy and song that crosses all levels of Judaism. We will prepare for a trip to New York, to see first-hand the communities still living there, and the history in the museum at Ellis Island, visit the Statue of Liberty, a Jewish deli, take in a Broadway show and much more.
For more information, contact email Joyce Siegel, Education Director at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Catalina Moreno, Education Chair at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
