Miriam Chilton

As we return from the Hanukkah, Christmas, and New Year's break, we have a natural opportunity to reflect on what was, celebrate all that is, and dream about what will be. This year's holiday "break" for my family was a staycation. One of the many benefits of staying put, other than the obvious benefit of not having to travel, is having the time to do simple things like watching several of the great feature films that are currently playing in movie theaters. We chose to see "Lion," "Manchester By the Sea," and "Jackie." Each had a unique story to tell, but all three shared a common thread expressing the importance of family and relationships and illuminating how each person can make a difference in the world.

As Hanukkah approaches, our society is deeply divided. Here are 3 ways that teens are promoting unity by taking action, and we can recommit to helping them illuminate the way to a better world.

Punch block, no punch back!" This Yom Kippur, I found myself thinking about a family tradition involving sibling punches on the sidewalk. But what does that have to do with Jewish youth?

These nine guiding principles to engage youth were developed by numerous congregations and synagogue professionals in our collaborative work with them. We share them with congregations and use them to inform our own ongoing efforts to develop new camps and year-round programming.

When we see our youth walking through the door after the summer, we are filled with pride. In 2015-2016 alone, more than 20,000 Reform youth, teens, and young adults across North America have built communities, engaged in meaningful dialogue about Israel, and paved the way in pursuit of social justice. Our collective work has spanned across North America, Israel, Nicaragua and Costa Rica, and beyond. But we know that there’s more to celebrate beyond the numbers. Our youth are asking core questions about themselves as they move through adolescence: who am I? With whom am I connected? How can I bring about change in the world?