BJTeens - Moadim
The Moadim (literally, appointed times) program creates a community of teens who come together for one-time special communal events. Teens in eighth, ninth, tenth, eleventh, and twelfth grades may participate in as many or as few of these events as they wish. We will contact those teens who indicate interest and provide necessary information at a later date. While the Eighth Grade and the Gesher programs are tuition-based, we encourage teens to become members of Moadim for $36.00 per year. This membership fee helps us to offset the cost of teen mailings and staff and will provide the teen a "passport" to all special teen programming outside of Eighth Grade and Gesher.
Next year, Moadim will include:
- High Holy Days.
There are multiple opportunities for teens to be involved over the course of Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Shemini Atzeret, and Simchat Torah. It is a BJ tradition that some teens are invited by Ari to read Torah or Haftarah in adult high holiday services. Other teens serve as ushers at adult or childrenšs services, or participate in the Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur family service by leading a prayer or sharing a reading.
- Teensgiving.
Every year, the 92nd Street Y organizes a day of community service for Jewish teenagers in New York City called "Teensgiving". In November, BJTeens will again participate in this special program. Teens converge on the 92nd Street Y for orientation and are directed to exciting community service projects around the city with trained leaders.
- Teen Shabbat.
This year, February 7, 2004 is Teen Shabbat. Each year on Teen Shabbat, teenagers at BJ lead the entire Shabbat morning service, including reading Torah and Haftarah and offering divrei Torah (teachings on the Torah portion), and kavannot (spiritual directions). Last year, over 30 teens participated in Teen Shabbat, and we are looking forward to increasing that number. BJTeen staff members will work with each teen to prepare for the service.
- AIDS Walk
A teen delegation of the BJ team for the New York AIDS Walk will be assembled. In addition to participating in the AIDS Walk, the teen delegation will meet with the BJTeen staff for lunch. More information will be available closer to the date of the 2004 AIDS Walk.
- Additional Programs
Throughout the year, exciting opportunities present themselves for our teens. For example, this past year, teens helped out at the Israel Fair, made artwork with the Peace through Humor Exhibit, played host to guests of BJ including Rabbi Claudia Kreiman, and participated in an Upper West Side Holocaust memorial program.
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