Kehillah High
8th Grade
2022-2023
Wednesday evenings:
7:00 - 7:25 p.m. Dinner
7:30 - 8:15 p.m. Session A
8:15 - 8:20 p.m. Break
8:20 - 9:00 p.m. Session B
7:30 - 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.
Each student may choose one class in Session A. They will take all three classes by the end of the year.
OPTION 1:
The Big 10: An Adventure in Core Jewish Values – Daniel Smith
Who knows 10? We all know 10! They are the The Ten Commandments, of course! The super important 10 that were listed on the tablets and given to us at Sinai. But what makes these 10 so special? In The BIG 10, we will find that if we do just a little bit of digging beneath the surface, we can find important lessons to live by. Discover the Jewish values hidden in each of the commandments and explore how we can each use these values to guide our everyday behaviors, priorities, and decisions.
OPTION 2:
Words to Action: Empowering You to Address Anti-Semitism – Lisa Stone, Goldensohn Fellow at ADL
Would you know what to do if:
· You found swastikas on a door of your school?
· Someone gave you a “Heil Hitler” salute?
· Someone accused you of killing Jesus?
The Anti-Defamation League’s (ADL) Words to Action is an interactive, nationally recognized program. It’s designed to empower and equip you with constructive responses to anti-Semitic and anti-Israel incidents by strengthening confidence and building knowledge. Words to Action gives greater awareness of these issues, motivates you to respond, and gives you skills and strategies to do so effectively. Together we will look at students’ experiences with anti-Semitism, and stereotyping at their schools and in their everyday lives. #BecauseEveryWordCounts
OPTION 3:
So You Want To Be A Mensch - Katelyn Bleiweiss
What is a mensch? How are our decisions and actions in daily life rooted in Jewish values? We’ll answer these questions as we use Jewish ethics and culture to explore traits of a mensch. Join us to create your own personal mensch code where you define the Jewish values that are meaningful and important to you.
The Big 10: An Adventure in Core Jewish Values – Daniel Smith
Who knows 10? We all know 10! They are the The Ten Commandments, of course! The super important 10 that were listed on the tablets and given to us at Sinai. But what makes these 10 so special? In The BIG 10, we will find that if we do just a little bit of digging beneath the surface, we can find important lessons to live by. Discover the Jewish values hidden in each of the commandments and explore how we can each use these values to guide our everyday behaviors, priorities, and decisions.
OPTION 2:
Words to Action: Empowering You to Address Anti-Semitism – Lisa Stone, Goldensohn Fellow at ADL
Would you know what to do if:
· You found swastikas on a door of your school?
· Someone gave you a “Heil Hitler” salute?
· Someone accused you of killing Jesus?
The Anti-Defamation League’s (ADL) Words to Action is an interactive, nationally recognized program. It’s designed to empower and equip you with constructive responses to anti-Semitic and anti-Israel incidents by strengthening confidence and building knowledge. Words to Action gives greater awareness of these issues, motivates you to respond, and gives you skills and strategies to do so effectively. Together we will look at students’ experiences with anti-Semitism, and stereotyping at their schools and in their everyday lives. #BecauseEveryWordCounts
OPTION 3:
So You Want To Be A Mensch - Katelyn Bleiweiss
What is a mensch? How are our decisions and actions in daily life rooted in Jewish values? We’ll answer these questions as we use Jewish ethics and culture to explore traits of a mensch. Join us to create your own personal mensch code where you define the Jewish values that are meaningful and important to you.
Session B: 8:20-9:00 p.m.
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Rosh Hodesh: It’s A Girl Thing - Rabbi Sarah Fort
The marking of the new moon has a long and meaningful history as an opportunity for Jewish women to gather, reflect and celebrate together. There will be discussion and art, games and drama, questions and food, all with a Jewish and gender lens. Using those, we will explore issues like: body image, friendship, relationships, family, competition, and stress. This elective is open to female-identifying students. |
2022 Wrapped: The Top Jewish Pop Culture Stories - Barak Levy
This year saw eye-opening, controversial, and entertaining moments from Jewish celebrities onscreen, in sports, the literary and musical worlds, as well as in the news. CYJ's Barak Levy is excited to recap the last year with you and consider how these stories may add to our own understanding of Jewish tradition. |
One Teen’s Story of Surviving the Holocaust - Stephanie Marshall
The Children of Willesden Lane is the best-selling book about the power of music and how one teenage refugee, Lisa Jura, Mona’s mother, held onto her dreams, survived the Holocaust, and inspired a generation of her contemporaries. You will receive a copy of the powerful book to read and discuss one teen’s story of survival. We will explore different themes from the Holocaust such as the Kindertransport, the power of music, family love, the bonds of friendship, being a refuge, and the power to move forward. |
Music: Where it takes you - Mike Mason & Guests (open for 8th-12th grades)
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! |
Zionism Revisited – Daniel Smith
As Israel gets ready to celebrate its 75th birthday, uncover the different angles of Zionism and discover the people, events and debates that shaped Zionism as we know it in 2022. Putting politics aside, let’s get back to the roots of Zionism by uncovering the historical events and incredible people that influenced the modern movement. By digging deep and asking difficult questions like “why we should be Zionists today?” |
Find Your Path – Lisa Stone
Have you ever had the feeling “not my circus, not my monkeys”? Do you sometimes feel too full of yourself and sometimes too humble? Mussar is a Jewish way to find balance and set boundaries, to keep yourself from trying to do too much, from feeling overwhelmed. Mussar believes we each have our own path to take and it can help us find it. This class will give you ways to deal with aggravation, with too much to do, with other people—without being judged. "No more than my space, no less than my place!" |
When Science Meets Judaism – Sarah Yonas
At first glance, science and religion seem to be opposites. Science revolves around ideas that can be proved and replicated, but Judaism, like other religions, has foundational books that discuss people living hundreds of years and don't mention dinosaurs at all. In this class, we will discuss a variety of scientific topics including biomedical ethics, outer space, climate change and their connection to Judaism. |
