KEHILLAH HIGH
GRADE 10
2018-19

​​Wednesday evenings: 

7:00 - 7:25 p.m.          Dinner
7:25 - 8:10 p.m.          Session A
8:10 - 8:15 p.m.          Break
8:15 - 9:00 p.m.          Session B

​​​Session A:  7:25-8:10 p.m.

Reform Track

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). I look forward to welcoming  you to your Confirmation year!

​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. I look forward to helping you answer the question – what does it mean for you to be a Reform Jew?

​Creating Your Own Confirmation Experience 
10th Grade
Rabbi Chase Foster & Cantor Star Trompeter
​ 
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 Trompeter and Rabbi Foster will serve as guides as you explore together what you are confirming and how you can demonstrate this to our congregation.

Conservative Track

Conservative Jewish Belief
10th Grade
Cantor Mark Levine  (October 3, 10, 17, 31; November 7)

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. 

Jewish Stories and Foundational Mythology
10th Grade
Rabbi Ranon Teller  (November 28; December 5; January 9, 16, 22) 

​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.

Social Issues through a Conservative Jewish Lens  
10th Grade
Rabbi Sarah Fort (January 30; February 6, 13, 27)
Rabbi Brian Strauss (March 6, 27; April 3, 10, 17) 

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: 8:15-9:00 p.m.

Students will have the opportunity to rank the classes of their choosing.

Spotify Israel 
Grades 10-12
Gil Brav

“Banana Bender”, “Moris and his Turtle”, “Shwarma Hunters”- these three weird titles are names of songs that were a huge hit in Israel, all sung by known Israeli artists. Why do Israelis with their distinct accent even try to sing in English and what are they even singing about? In our time together we will try to understand what music was seen as cool and popular in Israel in the past and what are the biggest hits today, all through Israeli artists that sing in languages that are not Hebrew.

Kehillah Public Radio: We Bring You Judaism One Story At A Time
Grades 10-12
Sarah Foster

We will look at the stories that NPR has put out about religion that week and as a class we’ll pick a story to listen to. We’ll then discuss how that story relates to Judaism and our identities as Jews. Some of the stories that we pick may be about other religions, and others may be about Judaism. Stories about Halal food might lead us to compare and contrast it to Kashrut or a story about the Protestant Reformation might lead us to conversations about the changes in Judaism over the years. The curriculum will be dictated by the news of the week and by the students in the class.

Words to Action: Empowering You To Confront Anti-Semitism
​Grades 10-12
Lisa Stone
 
It’s a good feeling to know what to do when you see and/or experience prejudice.
You can learn to shut down anti-Semitism in a constructive way, without causing more trouble for yourself or others.
 
Decide how you want to:
· Increase understanding and awareness of anti-Semitism and anti-Israel bias around you.
· Counter anti-Semitic stereotypes and anti-Israel myths with accurate information.
· Provide resources and skills to strategically respond to anti-Semitism in any form, from insensitive or biased comments to hate-motivated incidents.
 
Advocacy is speaking and acting on behalf of yourself or others. The Anti-Defamation League’s (ADL) Words to Action is a very interactive, nationally recognized program that gives you advocacy tools to respond to anti-Semitic and anti-Israel incidents. When you complete this course you will have skills and strategies to help you be an effective peer advocate, and will receive a certificate in Peer Advocacy from the ADL. #BecauseEveryWordCounts

Jews and the Mafia
​Grades 10-12
Dr. Stephan Wexler 
​
Bugsy Siegel, Meyer Lansky, Moe Dalitz – in the 1920s and 1930s, these Jews and several others were the ultimate Jewish gangsters. Learn about the world in which they lived, a world of corruption, prohibition, and growing anti-Semitism. Dr. Wexler is a devoted researcher with tales that will leave you breathless. Topics to be covered include the Jewish immigration through Ellis Island and New York's Lower East Side, Arnold Rothstein and the Black Sox Scandal, rohibition, Bugsy Siegel and the start of Las Vegas, Meyer Lanky and the Israeli War for Independence, Lucky Luciano, Murder Inc., Kefauver Crime Committee, Monk Eastman, Dutch Schultz and Micky Cohen. If you enjoy stories about the mob and the seedy neighborhoods of New York’s Lower East Side, then this is an offer you can’t refuse!