Kehillah High
10th Grade
​2022-2023

​​Wednesday evenings: 

7:00 - 7:25 p.m.         Dinner
7:25 - 8:15 p.m.         Session A
8:15 - 8:20 p.m.         Break
8:20 - 9:00 p.m.         Session B​

​​​Session A:  7:25-8:15 p.m.

Reform Track

Trimester 1:
​Modern Jewish Thought
10th Grade
​Rabbi David Lyon

Your confirmation year begins by exploring modern Jewish thinkers and their thoughts about God. We will spend time over the next six weeks discussing what it means to confirm your Jewish beliefs, and how the theologies of Martin Buber, Eugene Borowitz, and Milton Steinberg can enhance your own Jewish understanding. Our central text will be my book, God of Me: Imagining God throughout Your Lifetime (Jewish Lights Publishing, 2011). Rabbi Lyon looks forward to welcoming  you to your Confirmation year!
Trimester 2:​
​What Does it Mean To Be A Reform Jew?
10th Grade
Rabbi Adrienne Scott 
​
As you continue your Confirmation year, the question of what you are confirming will be present throughout our sessions together. What does it mean to confirm something? By exploring the goals of the Reform Movement when it was founded nearly two hundred years ago, we will come to discover much about contemporary Reform Judaism today. We will explore both where it was and where it is headed. Rabbi Scott looks forward to helping you answer the question – what does it mean for you to be a Reform Jew?
Trimester 3:​
Creating Your Own Confirmation Experience 
10th Grade
Cantor Kenneth Feibush
​ 
As your Confirmation year comes to a close, we will turn our thoughts toward the Confirmation ceremony itself. Each of you will contribute your talents, personalities, and creativity toward creating your own Confirmation experience. Cantor Feibush will serve as your guide as you explore what you are confirming and how you can demonstrate this at Congregation Beth Israel.

Conservative Track

Trimester 1:
​Inside Conservative Judaism
10th Grade
Cantor Mark Levine  

Students will explore the history, theology and practicality of living as a Conservative Jew. They will be challenged to consider integrating new information and new lenses into their religious views and to create belief statements which reflect their Jewish understandings at this life stage. 
Trimester 2:
Drawing Contemporary Wisdom from the Sources
10th Grade
Rabbi Ranon Teller  

​Students will explore powerful narratives from the bible to the sages through the Hasidic masters. They will be challenged to apply the values and wisdom of our tradition to the issues we face in the present.
Trimester 3:
Social Issues through a Conservative Jewish Lens  
10th Grade
Rabbi Sarah Fort 
Rabbi Brian Strauss

What does Conservative Judaism have to say about issues that you will confront as a young adult? Do we have something unique to say? You will be surprised by just how relevant our ancient texts can be in our postmodern world.

​​Session B: 8:20-9:00 p.m.

Who Knew-ish? They’re Jewish! - Sheryl Eskowitz

Do you know who these people are? The first Jew on the Supreme Court? The person who has a famous piece of clothing named after him? Who created the first classes for children with physical or mental disabilities? The person who marched with Martin Luther King, Jr. in Selma, Alabama? The first Jew to orbit the Earth in a spaceship? Join us to learn more about these Jewish Americans who have made a difference in our lives.
God Created Them (singular): Male and Female - Rabbi Sarah Fort

Jewish text and tradition is way more dynamic when it comes to gender and sexuality than you may think. Explore the six genders in the Talmud, the same-sex romantic undertones in Prophets and Writings, and more. You’ve inherited a rich tradition to help inform your identity and worldview, just by being Jewish! Now come get it. 
The Science Behind the Stories - Becca Kronick

In this course, we will learn about the science within the Torah. What types of stones and rocks are referenced, locations and biomes discussed, plants, aquatic life, and creatures, and how that relates to the flora and fauna around us today. Students will discuss geology, botany, herpetology, entomology, and native plants of our region as well as from the middle east.
Music: Where it takes you - Mike Mason

Jewish music has the power to bring people together in a way that is very hard to match. We’ll talk about our favorite Jewish music from camp and synagogue and we’ll explore what it means, why it’s meaningful to us, and how we can share it. Bring your instruments and be ready to play! No songleading experience necessary!
Spotify Israel – Brenda Namer & Daniel Smith

Come and build your Israeli playlist! Join us as we learn more about Israeli culture through popular music, including the greatest hits of the past and today! Israeli music runs from classical and folk to rock and hip hop, and we will explore it all. We will learn about songs that remind us of important moments in Israel’s history, as well as what songs are currently popular and what they tell us about what it means to be Israeli today. 
What’s Jewish About Meditation?  – David Scott, RJE

Ever wanted to learn how to meditate? Join David Scott in exploring ancient and modern meditative techniques as we deepen our understanding of Jewish thought and practice. No prior experience is necessary with how to meditate. You will need an open mind and a desire to learn. Sessions will include both theory and practical application of how to meditate.
Values in Action – Lisa Stone 

Judaism provides a unique lens through which to engage in community service, offering a strong foundation to apply traditional values and nuanced teachings in a relevant way to the world around us. As students, you have spent hours of classroom time studying values such as chesed, tzedakah, and tikkun olam. In this class, you will have the opportunity to roll up your sleeves and implement those values. Let’s pool our talents and work together on a wide variety of community service projects serving our Greater Houston community!
Food for the Soul – Sarah Yonas

The history of the Jewish people has been filled with migration. However, we did bring our own traditional foods when we traveled. Our new homes and political and social influences heavily shaped our Jewish food customs. This class will examine the connections between Jewish food, the lands where we settled, and how we connected with the people living there. We will look at Jewish migration, food, and the complex rules, laws, practices, and procedures that regulate what can be eaten, how, when, and with whom. Come with an appetite to learn! *food will be provided sometimes, but not every week.