Adat Shalom: Youth Committee

Community Life

YOUTH COMMITTEE

Mission Statement

Adat Shalom's Youth Committee organizes, plans and promotes informal Jewish education programs for Adat Shalom youth in order to foster leadership and commitment to Jewish values. At this time the Youth Committee serves four age groups:

4th and 5th graders for whom we offer fun activities and events several times during the year,
6th and 7th graders for whom we offer social events, often with a social action component, several times during the year,
Noar Hadash, formerly BBYO, Adat Shalom's high school youth group for teens in 8th through 12th grades,
Keep in Touch program, which sends holiday packages to college kids.

High school students are a primary focus of the Youth Committee. Working with Adat Shalom's Youth Director and Youth Advisor, the Committee reviews and monitors Noar Hadash activities, helps plan and implement some of the activities, and provides adult support and assistance upon request.
More about the Youth Committee's programs

What is informal Jewish education?
While the Torah School Board and the Education Director are responsible for formal Jewish education at Adat Shalom, the Youth Committee, Youth Director and Youth Advisor are responsible for informal educational activities outside of the classroom.. Informal youth education is about community building, socializing, social action, and having fun within a Jewish context.
What is Noar Hadash?
Noar Hadash (Hebrew for "New Youth") promotes and fosters creative, innovative, and enjoyable youth programming from a uniquely Reconstructionist perspective. As part of Noar Hadash, Reconstructionist teens from across North America will take part in innovative, exciting, creative, fun, and engaging programs designed to meet their religious, intellectual, spiritual, and social needs. In local congregations and havurot, on the regional level, and across the continent, Reconstructionist teens have the opportunity to create and participate in programs that are important to them and that speak to who they are as teens and as Jews.
JRF's Noar Hadash program was initiated by Rabbi Jeff Eisenstadt two years ago. Adat Shalom's Noar Hadash chapter is led by our Youth Advisor, with support, direction, and assistance from the Youth Committee and Youth Director. Noar Hadash teens plan and implement their own activities, with adult direction, advice and supervision.
What about younger children?
A Community Life subcommittee, Kids Care, develops and implements programs for children under 9 years old.
How can you help?
The Youth Committee needs volunteers to help enrich the Jewish experience of our young people at Adat Shalom. Youth Committee members typically assume responsibility for one youth event per year, and they attend bi-monthly Youth Committee meetings. The time commitment is minimal; the reward is knowing that you've made a difference for our kids.
Call or e-mail if you’d like to join our committee or find out more about our programs!