CM TEENS 2DAY: JULY 2019 ISSUE

“This experience has made me more in touch with my Jewish identity. Usually, I don’t read Torah. But reading and learning lessons every month has given me insight that helps me navigate through my everyday life. It is also a great way to see friends I don’t often see, in an environment in which we can all learn about something so personal to us all. It has also inspired me to do good, and to take the lessons I learned even further when the course is over.”
Jordy G., Pittsburgh, PA

“This program has made me feel more Jewish in a way I haven’t felt since I went to Jewish day school in elementary school. I am beginning to understand my role as a member of my Jewish community and I can’t wait to see what else I can gather from this class to take into my every day life.”
Kaylee W., Pittsburgh, PA

“I come from a family of immigrants from USSR. My studies have helped me to understand Judaism more and become a better human being. I feel that I can contribute more to the community and feel that I fit in more than before with the Jewish community.”
Hannah D., Cleveland, OH

The Chai Mitzvah summer Israel travel stipend was not needs-based, but the funds were very important to the families. For many it would not have been possible for the students to participate in Israel programs this summer without the stipend.

Eighty students completed a survey about the impact of the summer stipend on their ability to travel to Israel this summer, and on their decisions both to join Chai Mitzvah and to continue participating in the program. For the majority of the students, 68.8%, their summer trip would not have been possible without the Chai Mitzvah Teen Program summer Israel travel stipend. Nearly 1/3, or 28.7% reported that the stipend made the trip more affordable for their families. Only 2.5% of the students reported that the stipend was not very important to their families’ being able to afford their summer Israel travels

The Chai Mitzvah Teen Program summer Israel travel stipend was also instrumental in engaging new teens in Chai Mitzvah.

Almost 3/4 of the teens, 73.8%, initially joined because of the stipend. Once engaged, however, most of the teens, 60%, found the program rewarding, would have continued whether or not there was a stipend for summer travel.

One student expressed it this way:
The Chai Mitzvah program means a lot to me.  During each session I engage in conversations and continue to learn new things about my Jewish identity.

I’ve been excited and looking forward to this trip since I was only 5 years old. Receiving the Chai Mitzvah scholarship is essential for me to participate in this life changing experience.

Thank you!
Ethan W.

We hope all of the students have a meaningful and fun experience this summer, and will share highlights when they return!

STUDENTS AND SOCIAL ACTION

Social action is an important component of the Chai Mitzvah Teen Program. This year students engaged in many types of social action in their communities.

Some examples:

• After researching most needed items, they decided on a “sock drive” as they learned that new, clean socks were important for people experiencing hardship to have for both health and self-esteem reasons.
• Teaching younger students
• Working in a Soup Kitchen
• Participated in annual Hunger Walk
• J-Serve, volunteered at the communal Israeli Independence Day celebration.
• Tzedakah contributions to feed the hungry and remember Shoah victims
• Food Drive
• Pajama Drive
• Monthly community service days with local teen transitional housing complex

Teens found their projects to be meaningful and satisfying. Here is what they wrote:

“There’s a bridge in Austin that is known for its numerous amount of homeless people living under there. I launched a project with my friends to help feed those people.”
Noah L., Austin,  TX

“I have raised money for our community food pantry and also for cancer research. I packed Yom HaShoah candles, wrote letters to soldiers, and packed food for local veterans. At a concert, I helped pass out paper hearts for the PATD Rainbow Hearts Project. I attended an Israel Action Committee program on Campus Anti-Semitism and BDS, and I also joined an effort at my high school to expand our girls’ locker rooms to make the girls’ facilities more equal to what the school makes available for boys.”
Sarah M., Queens, NY

“In Hebrew School, I worked with and became friends with a boy with Angelman syndrome. We worked together to learn the prayers and songs in preparation for an adapted Bar Mitzvah service. During Art Circles, I was buddies with a girl who has special needs. Together, we created many art projects related to Shabbat. We made a challah board and cover, a tray and holders for Shabbat candles, and lots more!”
Vered W., West Hartford, CT

Congratulations to the teens on their meaningful work!

TEACHERS TELL: Comments from Educators

We are always happy to hear from our Chai Mitzvah family! Here are some comments from this year’s educators.

We really enjoyed doing this program with our youth this year!  It helped us provide more structure for our monthly youth group evenings as well as giving us a much needed educational component that was also fun and engaging.  Both the youth and their parents were impressed with curriculum and the conversations they had.  When we talked at our youth group board meeting about doing it again next year it was a unanimous and resounding “yes!”
Kulanu School of Jewish Studies, Margate, NJ

The Israel grant opportunity is a huge help in recruitment – especially for facilitators like myself who are not affiliated with a school or religious institution that youth are going to show up to in any case.
Sinai Temple Religious School, Springfield, MA

The combination for the Mixtape and Mussar was so rich and with a predominantly boy-filled group, it worked so well for them!! Havurah Synagogue Wisdom Garden School, Ashland, OR

Click here to start a teen group!