L’Taken: a Social Justice Seminar

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You and your grade 9 student are invited to attend an information session about L’Taken, on Monday, October 26, at 8:00 p.m.

For the second year in a row, Holy Blossom will be bringing a group of grade 9 students to attend L’Taken.  We will travel to Washington on Friday, January 22, 2016, and return Monday, January 25, 2016.

This opportunity is open to all grade 9 students in our congregation.

L’Taken is a Social Justice Seminar, run by the Religious Action Center, affiliated with the Reform Movement.  The seminar brings 300 high school students from across the USA and Canada for a 4 day program focusing on Jewish values and public policy.  We’ll learn about current social issues and the Jewish values surrounding them, and gain skills to become an advocate.  On our final day in Washington, our students will have the unique opportunity to meet with Embassy officials at the Canadian Embassy, and make a presentation about some of the issues they have studied and learned about.

Other highlights include: Holocaust Memorial Museum, Smithsonian, Capitol Hill, Havdallah on the steps of the Jefferson Memorial, NFTY/camp-style Shabbat with 300 other students!

We will fly to and from Washington.  The seminar will take place at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City, in Arlington VA.  Total cost of the trip will be between $900-$1000.

This is a very unique opportunity, and an amazing experience for students who are interested in social justice, politics, and who enjoy public speaking.  It is also an amazing experience to be in a room with 300 Reform Jewish teens, make new friends from other cities, as well as within our own congregation!

I have attached a sample itinerary of the weekend.  At the information session, we will go over the itinerary in detail, provide further information about cost, what’s included, travel, as well as more details about what is involved for students who participate.  Please feel free to visit the RAC (Religious Action Center) website to learn more about L’Taken, and the important work that they do: http://www.rac.org/ltaken-social-justice-seminars