8th-12th Grade Programs

Beth Am’s Teen Programs have so much to offer! Your Teen Programs registration grants you access to a variety of incredible opportunities, such as our Wednesday Teen Nights (including Confirmation Class), BATY/BAJY membership, teen holiday events, grade-level trips, and the enhanced leadership training curriculum specifically for our Madrichim Team. We encourage you to attend as many facets of teen life at Beth as you can. Learning with our Clergy and Ed Team on Wednesday nights will help you to deepen your Jewish identity, becoming part of our Madrichim Team will offer in-depth learning around leadership and community building, and participating in grade-level trips, holiday events, and youth group programs offers you a unique way to connect to other Jewish teens. 

Teen Nights (8th-12th Grade)
Trips (8th-12th Grades)
Madrichim (8th-12th Grades)
BATY (Beth Am Temple Youth) or BAJY (Beth Am Jr Youth)
Hear About the Value of Our Teen Programs From One of Our Teens

8th-12th Grade Teen Nights (includes Confirmation)
Wednesdays, 6:30-8:30 PM
All 8th -12th Graders are invited to join Beth Am's vibrant teen community on Wednesday nights. We'll build lasting relationships and engage in meaningful learning opportunities with our clergy and educators. The evenings begin with dinner together and time to hang out. Then we delve into relevant topics in grade-level classes (including Confirmation Class for 10th Graders). We close the night by coming back together as one Beth Am Teen Community for a final moment before we each head in different directions, back into our regular lives.

Teen Night Blocks rotate every 4-5 sessions. Each block has a theme - some blocks are set by grade level while others offer a panoply of elective opportunities for teens to pursue their own interests in social justice, the arts and more. 

In 10th grade, Confirmation offers an important milestone along the Jewish teen journey, culminating in a meaningful, engaging ceremony.  Confirmation students learn with our clergy in their cohort on Wednesday nights, and have the option to attend a special L'Taken social justice seminar to Washington, D.C. with their class. 

Trips (8th-12th Grades)
Each year teens have the incredible opportunity to travel with their peers, engaging in immersive experiences like our Civil Rights tour of the South and the Religious Action Center's L'Taken Seminar in Washington, D.C. To help make the experiences even more meaningful, teens spend time learning about relevant content with our clergy and educators prior to each trip. When we have the opportunity to put our values into action with our own hands and minds, we create life changing experiences.

• 8th Grade LA Trip October 12-15, 2023
• 9th Grade NYC Trip November 9-13, 2023
• 10th Grade L'Taken Seminar in Washington, D.C. January 19-22, 2024
• 11th & 12th Grade Civil Rights Trip February 8-11, 2024

Madrichim Team & MITs (8th-12th Grades)
Teens gain valuable work or volunteer experience in their role as Madrichim (student teachers) in our Youth Education programs.

Returning Madrichim Team Members will receive a in-depth, well-rounded and personalized training program. They will focus on classroom and behavior management, lesson planning, child development, and leadership. They will also practice job-training skills such as: time management, navigating co-worker dynamics, organization, and professionalism. There will also be opportunities for individualized training around song leading, art education, teaching non-neurotypical learners, and more. Madrichim Team members also receive 1:1 coaching and mentoring with our Ed Directors. 

8th graders are invited to be part of our Madrichim-In-Training (MIT) program. This is a key stepping stone to working within our Madrichim Team. The fall semester will focus on building a toolbox for supporting the cognitive, social and emotional development of each age group. The spring semester will offer MITs a chance to put that learning into action as they begin classroom placements. MITs will be supported by the MIT Advisor and the Ed Team. 

Questions? Contact Lauren Bohne, Teen Education Program Director.

Beth Am Temple Youth — BATY (9th-12th Grades) or Beth Am Junior Youth — BAJY (8th Grade)
Our Youth Groups provide a space for our teens to be social and take a break from the chaos of life. From Chill Nights to Ice Skating to Sleepovers at Beth Am, our Youth Group programs offer an opportunity to meet Jewish teens from different schools and forge life-long friendships. BAJY and BATY events incorporate social, cultural, educational and action oriented components. 

The BATY Board and the BAJY Advisory Committee provide opportunities for those who are interested to become strong peer leaders by helping to vision, create and run our programs. 

Want to get involved? Contact Lauren Bohne, Teen Education Program Director.

Hear About the Value of Our Teen Programs From One of Our Teens
Hear remarks by Beth Am teen Jonathan Becker: