How do students identify and prioritize the important factors to be considered as they think about colleges? And how will their choices impact future Jewish attitudes and patterns of behavior? This session parallels the parent session My Choice, Your Choice, Our Choice, and should be held at the same time
A series of values clarification exercises will help develop a stronger sense of students’ own Jewish self. A particular focus will be on understanding how Jewish development needs to keep pace with their physical, social, emotional, and intellectual development.
11th Grade Teen Session #3: Challenging Questions: Reform Answers Download This Session*
This session engages participants in a series of questions that college students might encounter from non-Reform Jews and non-Jews and provides them with solid, Reform answers to questions such as Do Reform Jews believe in God? Who killed Jesus? Are you "Reformed"? and Are Jews Better?
This session will help parents clarify their priorities and understand how they relate to their teen’s priorities in making the decision of which colleges their child should consider. This session parallels the teen session College Choices: Jewish Choices and should be held at the same time.
Young adults face significant challenges as they assume more and more responsibility for their own behavior. This session explores finding a healthy path within the typical social context of this age group and provides students with opportunities to learn and share.
This session is devoted to how Israel and Judaism are presented on campus. Special attention will be given to the typical behaviors and attitudes that are prevalent on North American campuses and the resources available on campus that are provided by the Reform Movement and Hillel to confront this reality.
12th Grade Teen Session #3: A Mezuzah on Your Room: Defining the Jewish Self on Campus Download This Session*
The focus of this session brings closure to the two years of sessions and provides an opportunity for students to develop a personal action plan for their first few years in college.
A parallel session to the teen session Choosing Smartly, this session will provide parents with an opportunity to discuss separation issues and what it means to "let their children go" as they prepare for life in college. It is recommended that this session be facilitated by a mental health professional.
This session provides an opportunity for parents and teens to discuss together the expectations, concerns, dreams, and goals that each party has for the continuation of family traditions as one generation leaves the home of the other generation and sets out to build a new Jewish life and home.
12th Grade Session: T'filot Haderekh - Rituals for the Road to College Download This Session*
This packet of rituals helps parents and students mark the transition as a family begins the college experience. Included are blessings for the parents, blessings for the child, hanging a mezuzah, Havdalah (and its symbolism of "separation"), and the Shehehiyanu. This packet is a wonderful tool to duplicate and distribute to parents and students after they have completed the twelfth-grade Packing for College, Where Does Judaism Fit? curriculum. These rituals can also help a congregation develop a Jewish graduation ceremony.
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