JTEM (Jewish Teen Experience Midtown) in Action!  

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JTEM is our new high school program which began this Fall. The program has been organized as a joint venture between three community congregations, Congregation Beth Tzedec, Beth Sholom Congregation and Holy Blossom Temple. The goal is to offer unique programming with a Jewish flair.  This term our two programs are 3D Modeling and Printing with Nachum Silverman, where our students will create their own 3D model using design software and 3D printer and deeper their knowledge of Judaism as each designs and builds their own Jewish ritual object. They are very intense as they work on their computer program!

Our second course,  Bringing the Theatre to Life with Rabbi Bill Tepper, is busy studying challenging scenarios such as bullying in Jewish texts and applying drama games and theatrical depictions to bring the texts to life.

It is great having our teens join us each week – they are an active, fun group of students!

Last night we also had our Shinshinim – 6 in total, from all 3 congregations as they joined together for a program surrounding the consequences of Yitzhak Rabin’s 21^st yahrzeit. In the 21 years since his death – what has happened to the peace process in Israel? What has been the reaction on each side of Israeli society to the quest for peace – those that can only see Israel as one country, and those that desire a two-state solution. It is an ongoing conversation between Israelis and those outside of Israel. It was a new experience for our teens as we marked this event in our history.