President's Column

Knowing May is the month we celebrate with our Confirmation Class, and honor our graduating high school children, I thought I would devote my comments this month to our beloved teenagers.

Let me start by noting that the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) has recently embarked on a significant initiative entitled “Campaign for Youth Engagement: Committing to the Jewish Future.” You may read about the campaign at the URJ website, but let me quote the goal of this important undertaking: 

Our Youth Director, Erin Goldstrom, recently attended the URJ Biennial Conference in Washington DC, and participated in a series of programs specifically focused on the Campaign for Youth Engagement.

Here at Beth Am, our teens are completing a busy year of fun activities, tikkun olam projects, educational programs and text study. Here are but a few examples:

• The recent Youth Auction attracted 80 congregants, was staffed by 14 teens, and successfully met its fundraising goal to help fund future Youth Group events.
• Participation in NFTY activities has markedly increased, with more than 30 of our teens attending regional NFTY retreats. 
• Our teens were active in the recent Home and Hope program, with at least two to three volunteers helping each evening during the program, which welcomed homeless families to Beth Am.
• Back in December, the Hanukkah Casino Night included 50 6th - 12th graders. As part of this program, they donated teen gifts for the Ecumenical Hunger Program.
• Our teens enjoyed a day in San Francisco last November, including a visit to the Jewish Home.
• Late March was our teen Chocolate Seder, (which I am sorry I missed) in which all the traditional Passover foods were somehow transformed into a chocolate form.

In addition to our youth group activities, I should mention our new Avodah! youth education program for our 8th and 9th graders. This community service-based program focused on the environment and hunger this year, with the 42 participants learning about food, hunger, renewable resources and the importance of Judaism's “do not destroy” concept. Our initial Avodah! class has also volunteered their time at the Ecumenical Hunger Program, Shoreline Park and the Jewish Home for the Aged in San Francisco.

Finally, two groups of Beth Am teens have been studying Jewish text with our Rabbis Sarah and Jon, the latter group meeting at the Palo Alto Creamery. 

I congratulate our Confirmation Class of 5772 and all of our youth and young adults who are celebrating a graduation this spring. If you would like to chat about our teen engagement, or anything else about Beth Am, my next "Coffee with the Congregants" will be held on Sunday, June 3, from 9:30 to 11 a.m. at Peet’s on State Street in Los Altos.

L’Shalom,
Mark Holtzman