For those of you who missed the BBYO1 Erev Shabbat service on December 7th, you really missed a treat and an opportunity to "shep a little naches" from the future of Judaism. A wonderful and inspiring service, which was dedicated to the victims and heroes of the September 11th tragedy, combined traditional liturgy with selected readings and music. Joel Schwarz, who served as "rabbi", did a remarkable job of both coordinating and leading the service. Yasher Koach to Joel as well as to the other participants--Ben Bradlow, Emily Hanlen, Aaron Kutnik, Amanda Feder, Shira Espo, Rachel Sirota, Jason Makstein, Joel Bergstein, Daniel Wald, Gabe Pinckney, and Jason Guttman. A special thank you to Alyson Makstein who honored us with her vocal rendition of "Hero". We were also honored by the prescence of the new BBYO DC Council Director Seth Weisblatt and his fiancee, as well as DC Council N’siah Julie Lipson.
A delicious dessert oneg (funded by a grant received by JET and the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington) followed services giving all the guests a chance to mingle and congratulate the BBYOers on a job well done. It was also inspiring to see a lot of 8th graders who are potential recruitment candidates in January in attendance and to hear from many the question "So when is the next service?"
The BBYO experience is one form of what is referred to as "informal Jewish education". Informal Jewish education refers to an approach to education that is aimed at personal growth. It happens through active participation in a diversity of Jewish experiences ( Jewish camps, youth groups, retreats, an Israel trip, etc.) and is rooted in basic Judaic beliefs, values and behaviors. Professor Barry Chazan (Professor of Education at Hebrew University in Jerusalem and educational consultant to Birthright Israel) attributes seven characteristics to the "school" of informal Jewish education. They are: Autonomy ( something one chooses freely); Person-Centered (the individual becomes the center of education); Experience-Centered (enables Jews to actually have Jewish experience rather than merely "talking" about them); Interactive (highlights the relationship between educator and learner as central to Jewish education); "Curriculum" of Jewish Values (the "curriculum" is about Jewish values, behaviors and beliefs we want Jews to internalize and is flexible and non-measurable by paper and pencil tests); Fun and Enjoyment (assumes that enjoyment enhances rather than inhibits Jewish learning); Different Breed of Educator (they "teach" by showing, doing, and asking rather than by telling, lecturing or posing).
The greatest challenge to informal Jewish education is to convince the contemporary Jewish world that this type of education is significant. It must be shown that informal Jewish education is not "secondary", "extra", "fluff", "window dressing" or simply "fun". All these words have been bantered around when describing informal Jewish education.
There is another way to distinguish between formal and informal education and that is involuntary vs. voluntary. Involuntary experiences are experiences a child has because of the circumstances of his/her background, before the child has any say in the matter. Parents make decisions about school, and camps and set the emotional climate in the home. Voluntary experiences, on the other hand, are those a person chooses to undertake. During adolescence and early adulthood, parents cease being the primary decision makers about their childrens’ Jewish experiences. During this period, a teenager’s own motivation comes to play a central role in how much or even whether to be involved in Jewish experiences.
Research has shown that those voluntary experiences we choose to have exert a greater impact on Jewish identity; however, both sets of experiences are important--what we are given and what we choose. The ideal is to maximize both sets of experience. It must also be remembered that the teenage years are the most growth-filled, painful, exhilarating, and impossible years in life--it is the in-betweenness. Between child and adult, between knowing who you are supposed to be and how you will define yourself, between being a slave to parents and teachers and deciding your own rules. Teens don’t know what’s on the other side but they are willing to make a break for it and it’s our responsibility to see that they get there safely.
Where am I going with all this? To answer the questions of parents and lay leaders who want to know why the numbers aren’t bigger or why more kids are not participating and joining? I hope that some answers have been provided. To parents of 8th graders, BBYO recruitment will begin in January 2002. Your kids will be invited to activities to learn about BBYO, to meet the other members and to join our group. Obviously, BBYO is not for eveyone but we will provide a friendly and welcoming environment for all who choose to join us.
Best wishes for a peaceful and secure New Year!
Eva Sarelle
1. Spanning 39 regions and 15,000 members, BBYO, Inc. is a worldwide, trans-denominational, youth-led organization that provides opportunities for Jewish youth to develop their leadership potential and a positive Jewish identity.