We hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! It's hard to believe it's December, but here we are. We are so excited for our upcoming December events—Teen Shabbat, Hannukah-themed lounge night, and Saturday night rock climbing!
See below for details, as well as upcoming opportunities from Hadar and USY.
Join us for our last Teen Shabbat of 2024! We will end the week together as we build Shabbat experiences. We want to hear from YOU about what makes Teen Shabbat meaningful!
Our December service will include Torah reading, as well as a chance to visualize what Teen Shabbat could be.
Teen Photographers: Jewish Youth For Unity Project and Contest Deadline: December 15 Grades 8-12
Enter the Jewish Youth for Unity Photojournalism Project and Contest!
This project invites teens to share their perspective, through photography, on the Jewish values of kindness, spreading joy, and giving. To enter the contest, teens submit an original photo, plus a short description (up to 100 words) about how their photo reflects these values.
Hadar's Ateret Zvi Prize Submit by December 31 Grades 9-12
High school students—we want to read your Torah! The Ateret Zvi Prize is awarded annually to an outstanding essay displaying rigorous scholarship and religious insight. Current high school students are invited to write an essay that offers an original interpretation of a classical Jewish text with a meaningful application for our lives today.
Hadar's Teen Virtual Beit Midrash January 23, 30 and February 6 from 8-9 pm Grades 9-12 Online
Few topics in Jewish ritual life are as emotionally laden and communally challenging as that of gender egalitarian prayer. In this course, we'll trace the halakhic history around prayer gender gaps, the requirements for a person to lead communal prayer, and the requirements for counting toward a minyan. This class is for high schoolers who are excited to engage rigorously with Jewish texts and ideas. All Hebrew and Aramaic sources will be available in translation. Register here.
What Judaism Could Be: A Hadar Teen Summit Sunday, January 26 from 9 am-6 pm Grades 9-12
What could Judaism be - in your life, in your community, and in the world? This summit is a unique space to explore the relevance of Jewish texts, tradition, and practices to our contemporary lives.
Join Hadar faculty in tackling the most important questions about the role of Judaism as we move through the world today. Grapple with big ideas including the purpose of prayer, the meaning of belief in God, and the expansive potential of Jewish law and practice. Through deep exploration of Torah, spirited communal singing, egalitarian tefillah, and sharing our own stories and experiences, the Hadar Teen Summit will build a community of committed Jewish teens ready to grow together.
Join the Hadar Teen Summit to dream big, share your hopes for the future, connect with passionate peers.
