Rabbi Jeff Eisenstat and Ariel Zaslav March 15, 2011 - 8:00 p.m.-9:15 p.m.

1. PEARL: Providing Education and Resources for Leadership Engaging our Youth: Teens: How do they connect to our communities and how do our communities connect to our teens? Jewish Reconstructionist Federation Transformative Judaism for the 21st Century 101 Greenwood Avenue Beit Devora, Suite 430 Jenkintown, PA 19046 215.885.5601 / fax: 215.885.5603 www.jrf.org Rabbi Jeff Eisenstat and Ariel Zaslav March 15, 2011 - 8:00 p.m.-9:15 p.m.

2. No’arHadash VisionFebruary 2005 With the rapid growth of the No’arHadash and Camp JRF programs over the past three years, congregations have begun to recognize the use of our services and demand for our support has therefore increased greatly. With the current structure and limited staff time, however, response to these demands has been insufficient. The needs to better respond to our communities and to provide a model for self-sustained growth within the congregation are the catalysts for a new model for No’arHadash.

3. No’arHadash Regional Advisors:Four RRC students or talented college graduates will serve as Regional Advisors for No’arHadash. Based in Philadelphia, the Advisors will have a number of specific responsibilities: • Congregational Visits:Within a given region, visit one congregation a month for 3 months (Oct, Nov, Dec). Run youth programs, lead youth/education committee discussion, meet with key leadership, and determine teen leadership potential. While working to build the congregational youth programs, look for one or two teens from each congregation who will serve as part of the No’ar Hadash Teen Leadership Va’ad. • Regional Kallah:With help from local teen Va’ad members as well as congregational professional and lay leadership, plan and implement a weekend program for regional youth (Feb). • Program Team:Serve as part of the Youth and Camping Program Team. Meet monthly to develop congregational and regional program plans. Help to plan and staff the NH North American Teen Kallah. • Consult:As needed, consult to three regional congregations.

4. The goal of this model is to empower the congregations not only to start (and grow) their own youth programs, but also to work together to truly build a strong regional program. Although the NH Regional Advisor will still be primarily responsible for the regional program, the ideal situation would be one in which the Va’ad leadership teens from the congregations would play a central role in programming and the professional and lay leadership would be equally involved in the logistics and planning.

5. Teen Leadership Va’ad Whereas this group has previously been selected on the North American level, the intention is to grow the leadership of the movement from within the congregations. Regional Advisors will choose one or two teens from each congregation they visit to serve on the Va’ad. These regional leaders will work together to plan their regional program and will then work as a larger group to plan the NH North American Teen Kallah.

6. Director of No’arHadash The Director of No’arHadash will be responsible for overseeing this new model. This includes ongoing training and supervision of Regional Advisors, creating an updated No’arHadash Manual, developing new policies and programs, engagement of lay and rabbinic leadership, marketing No’arHadash to the community, consulting to congregations on issues of youth programming, designing and implementing training opportunities for congregational youth advisors, and primary responsibility for the NH North American Teen Kallah (including, possibly, a concurrent youth advisor training workshop). The Director will be responsible for all details of No’arHadash and will work closely with the JRF Director of Youth and Camping on issues of values, growth, and vision. Isaac Saposnik will serve as the Director of No’arHadash.

7. JRF Director of Youth and Camping As Director of Youth and Camping, Rabbi Jeff Eisenstat will continue to serve in the visionary role of building and expanding the youth programs of JRF. Program Team • The No’arHadash program staff (Director of Youth and Camping, Director of No’arHadash, and Regional Advisors) will meet monthly to create model programs for congregational use, develop congregational visits, and plan regional programs.

8. Budget • No’arHadash Director $10,000 • 10 hours per week • Regional Advisors $10,000 • Four Advisors at $500 per weekend (for five weekends) • Based on RRC salary guidelines for student rabbis • Expenses $10,000 • Conference calls, office supplies, postage, website • maintenance, travel • Revenue ($3,000) • Regional congregations pay $250 for Advisor visit • Total $27,000

9. No’arHadash TimelineFebruary 2005 2000 – 2001 • JRF Youth and Camping Commission established under Education Committee. Co-chairs Betsy Teutsch and Rabbi Jeff Eisenstat. • January-North American Teen Kallah: Weekend program at Ramat Shalom (Plantation, FL). Rabbi Jeff Eisenstat and Ben Schein. First event of its kind in 8 years.55 participants. • Summer-Teen Encampment at Camp Henry Horner: 5 days prior to the opening of Camp JRF. Rabbi Jeff Eisenstat, Rabbi Ruth Smith, Ben Schein, Rabbi Jeffrey Schein, Jenny Goldfried (RRC student). 25 participants.

10. 2001 – 2002 • February • North American Teen Kallah: Weekend program at Ramat Shalom (Plantation, FL). Rabbi Jeff Eisenstat and TalyaWeisbard (RRC student). 62 participants. • May • Rabbi Jeff Eisenstat becomes JRF Director of Youth and Camping. • July • Teen Encampment at Camp JRF: Weekend program as part of first summer of Camp JRF. Jenny Goldfried (RRC student) and Ben Schein. 25 participants.

11. 2002 – 2003 • Sam Kelman Co-Chair, JRF Youth and Camping Committee • Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow Co-Chair, JRF Youth and Camping Committee • Deborah Newberger Co-Chair, No’ar Hadash / Youth Subcommittee • Rabbi Jeremy Schwartz Co-Chair, No’ar Hadash / Youth Subcommittee • Rabbi Jeff Eisenstat JRF Director of Youth and Camping • Amanda Lurer (RRC student) Youth and Camping Fellow • Isaac Saposnik (RRC student) Youth and Camping Fellow • Ben Schein No’ar Hadash Intern • November • Launch of No’ar Hadash (NH) at JRF Convention: Teens, professionals, and lay leaders from “Charter Members” – 9 congregations and 1 region – spend the weekend working together to start a new youth movement. No’ar Hadash officially begins. First edition of NH Manual distributed. • January • -NH Midwest Youth Kallah:Weekend program at Camp Henry Horner (Ingleside, IL). Isaac Saposnik with leadership from Shir Hadash (Northbrook, IL), JRC (Evanston, IL) and Beth Shalom (Naperville, IL). 80+ participants, 4 congregations. • February • NH New York Kick-Off Event: Day program of volunteering and discussion in New York City. Amanda Lurer, Isaac Saposnik, Melanie Schneider. 27 participants, 6 congregations. • March • NH Delaware Valley Purim Party: Day program at Or Hadash (Ft. Washington, PA). Amanda Lurer, Isaac Saposnik, Rabbi Jeff Eisenstat. 30 participants, 5 congregations. • NH North American Teen Kallah: Weekend program hosted by Kehillat Israel (Pacific Palisades, CA). Ben Schein, Isaac Saposnik, Amanda Lurer, and Rabbi Jeff Eisenstat. 70+ participants, 16 congregations. • April • New York / Israel Teen Mifgash: Week-long visit of 10 Israeli teens to New York City and area congregations. Funded by a major grant from UJA – New York Federation. Amanda Lurer, Rabbi Jeff Eisenstat, Isaac Saposnik. 25 participants, 3 congregations. • NH West Coast Event: Concurrent with JRF West Coast Regional Kallah. Ben Schein, Devorah Servi. 15 participants.

12. 2003 – 2004 • Sam Kelman Co-Chair, JRF Youth and Camping Committee • Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow Co-Chair, JRF Youth and Camping Committee • Deborah Newberger Co-Chair, No’arHadash / Youth Subcommittee • Rabbi Jeremy Schwartz Co-Chair, No’arHadash / Youth Subcommittee • Rabbi Jeff Eisenstat JRF Director of Youth and Camping. • David Katz (RRC student) No’arHadash Coordinator • Amanda Lurer (RRC student) No’arHadash Intern • Isaac Saposnik (RRC student) Youth and Camping Fellow • Ben Schein No’arHadash Intern • November- • NH Mid-Atlantic Teen Kallah: Weekend program at Mishkan Shalom (Philadelphia, PA) and Or Hadash (Ft. Washington, PA). Subsidized by a grant from Philadelphia Federation. Isaac Saposnik and Amanda Lurer. 8 participants, 3 congregations. • NH New York Youth Kallah: Concurrent with JRF NY Regional Kallah. Amanda Lurer, Rabbi Jeff Eisenstat. 11 participants. • January • NH Chesapeake Teen Kallah: Concurrent with JRF Chesapeake Regional Kallah. Ben Schein and Rabbi Jeff Eisenstat. 12 participants, 4 congregations. • NH Midwest Youth Kallah: Weekend program at Camp Henry Horner (Ingleside, IL). Isaac Saposnik with leadership from ShirHadash (Northbrook, IL), JRC (Evanston, IL) and Beth Shalom (Naperville, IL). 70+ participants, 6 congregations. • February • NH Florida Teen Kallah: Weekend program at Ramat Shalom (Plantation, FL). Amanda Lurer with leadership from Ramat Shalom. 30 participants, 2 congregations. • March • NH North American Teen Kallah: Weekend program hosted by Bet Am Shalom (held in Warwick, NY). David Katz, Isaac Saposnik, Amanda Lurer, Rabbi Jeff Eisenstat. 50+ participants, 17 congregations. • April • NH New England Youth Kallah: Concurrent with JRF New England Regional Kallah. Amanda Lurer and Rabbi Jeff Eisenstat. 20 participants. • May • NH Mid-Atlantic Teen Program: Day program at Hershey Park Amusement Park. Isaac Saposnik and Amanda Lurer, with leadership from Or Hadash. Subsidized by a grant from Philadelphia Federation. 30 participants, 3 congregations.

13. 2004 – 2005 • Sam Kelman Co-Chair, JRF Youth and Camping Committee • Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow Co-Chair, JRF Youth and Camping Committee • Deborah Newberger Co-Chair, No’arHadash / Youth Subcommittee • Rabbi Jeremy Schwartz Co-Chair, No’arHadash / Youth Subcommittee • Rabbi Jeff Eisenstat JRF Director of Youth and Camping. • Megan Doherty (RRC student) No’arHadash Coordinator • Isaac Saposnik (RRC student) Youth and Camping Fellow • September • Panim Teen Leadership Summit: Weekend event for teen leadership from all Jewish youth movements (Washington, DC). Megan Doherty. 5 participants, 5 congregations. • Southern New Jersey Teen Program: Ongoing program run by String of Pearls (Princeton, NJ), the JCC of Belle Meade (NJ), and Temple B’nai Abraham (Bordentown, NJ). • November • NH North American Teen Kallahand Teen Leadership Program: Concurrent with JRF Convention. Megan Doherty, Rabbi Jeff Eisenstat, Aaron Saposnik. 50+ participants. • January NH Midwest Youth Kallahand Camp JRF Teen Reunion: Weekend program at Camp Henry Horner (Ingleside, IL). Megan Doherty with leadership from ShirHadash (Northbrook, IL), JRC (Evanston, IL) and Beth Shalom (Naperville, IL), Aaron Saposnik. 85 participants. • February • Southeast Region Teen Kallah: Hosted and planned by Ramat Shalom (Plantation, FL). • April • NH Mid-Atlantic Youth Shabbaton: Weekend program hosted by Or Hadash (Ft. Washington, PA). Megan Doherty with Or Hadash leadership. • Chesapeake Region Teen Program: Hosted and planned by Chesapeake Region congregations.

14. 2005 – 2006 (proposed) • Sam Kelman Co-Chair, JRF Youth and Camping Committee • Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow Co-Chair, JRF Youth and Camping Committee • Deborah Newberger Co-Chair, No’arHadash / Youth Subcommittee • Rabbi Jeremy Schwartz Co-Chair, No’arHadash / Youth Subcommittee • Rabbi Jeff Eisenstat JRF Director of Youth and Camping. • Isaac Saposnik (RRC student) Director of No’arHadash • 4 No’arHadash Regional Advisors • September • Panim Teen Leadership Summit: Weekend event for teen leadership from all Jewish youth movements (Washington, DC). Isaac Saposnik. • October • Congregational Visits: NH Regional Advisors visit first regional congregation. Run youth program, lead youth/education committee discussion, meet with key leadership, determine teen leadership potential. • November • Congregational Visits: NH Regional Advisors visit second regional congregation. • December • Congregational Visits: NH Regional Advisors visit third regional congregation. • February • NH Regional Youth Kallot: Weekend programs in regions. NH Regional Advisors with teen and congregational leadership. • May • NH North American Teen Kallah: Weekend program at Camp JRF (South Sterling, PA). Isaac Saposnik, Rabbi Jeff Eisenstat, NH Regional Advisors with teen leadership. Possible inclusion of a concurrent youth advisor training workshop.

15. TEL: Teens, Experience and Learning The TEL program was launched in the fall of 2009 in the northeast/midatlantic regions. Tel is the Hebrew word for an archeological hill, and JRF is using the word as an acronym for Teens: Experience and Learning. JRF seeks to create a true tel experience for our teens based on the opportunity to dig through first-hand “life-centered” experiences and sift out new, meaningful educational gleanings that are personally relevant to their lives.

16. TEL • This program is framed and anchored by two kallot (retreats) at Camp JRF. The first will take place around Sukkot and the second after Pesah. They will be similar to the successful No’arHadashkallot, and suitable for those who have and have not participated in them. Hanihim (youth) across the continent will stay connected to one another throughout the year with a TELFacebook Page. • In between the kallot, eight two hour havayot (experiential learning opportunities) will be held in each community. These will be based on the effective havaya model of Camp JRF. If you wish to supplement the eight havayot with more frequent programming (such as bi-weekly or even weekly gatherings), JRF will be interested in how your community is doing that and will connect you to other congregations and havurot with the same

17. TEL • The curriculum of the TEL Program is based on the Values of Spiritual Peoplehood, one of the key approaches to Reconstructionist education and the basis of the Camp JRF curriculum. Although we are capitalizing on lessons and successes of Camp JRF, this program will be equally comfortable for campers and non-campers alike. Each year will have a theme. The first year’s theme will be TikkunOlam (Social Justice/Repair of the world). The second year will be Hiddur Mitzvah. • The havayot will generally be structured according to the following arc: two sessions actively learning about the topic or value in greater depth, two preparing for activities related to that value that the hanihim design (on their own or from a menu created by the curriculum writer, the madrih/a and the education director), two sessions devoted to doing the activity or action, one planning how to share their experience with their larger community and the final session creatively communicating their experiences to their community.

18. Jewish Community of Amherst (Amherst Massachusetts) • Rosh Chodesh – It’s a Girl Thing! – Monthly girls group for 6/7 and 8/9 gradesJCAT (Jewish Community of Amherst Teen Group)- The goals of thisprogram are to increase teens’ individual and group Jewish identity,allow for easy access for young teens to programming at the JCA, andto increase knowledge and affiliation to Reconstructionist Judaism. • Camp Shemesh Counselors and CITS: The JCA houses a summer day camp for6-11 year olds. Teens hold positions as CITs (12-15), JuniorCounselors (15-17) and Senior Counselors (18+). • Teaching Assistants: Each year the JCA School hires teachingassistants in grades 8-12 to help in the office or classrooms onWednesdays and Sundays. In the past two years, the Director of TeenProgramming has augmented the teaching assistants’ learning withquarterly trainings to help them be better assistants in theclassroom. We have approximately 8-15 teaching assistants each year. • Kehila Program: Started in 2008, this “less” formal continuing education program is for 8th-12th graders. In its first year, 18 teensparticipated.  The teens meet twice per month, have dinner together and attend a core curriculum class and electives. We were not able to offer this program in 2009-10 due to JCA students choosing JTOVactivities over our own site offerings, and the limitations imposed by the JCA rabbi transition and sabbatical, and fiscal realities. • JCA Confirmation Class: Confirmation is offered for 10th-12th graders every other year. Confirmation includes a class taught by the Rabbi, elective courses, a class trip to Panim el Panim in Washington, D.C., and a culminating service led by the class. In the 2007-08 class, we had 22 teens enrolled. There was supposed to be a class in 2009-10, but due to the above-mentioned Rabbinical transitions and fiscal realities, most of the activities were put on hold for a year until anew rabbi is hired.

19. Mishkan Shalom (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) • Mishkan hosts the following youth programs: At Mishkan Shalom, teenagers are empowered to make choices about how to continue their Jewish education post-B’nai Mitzvah. Currently, over 50 Mishkan teens are part of three dynamic programs: TEL (Teens: Experience & Leadership); Sunday Leadership Seminar; and Food for Thought. • Sunday Leadership Seminar Study gives teens the opportunity to study with Rabbi Linda and Rabbi Yael, one Sunday/month. Students in “Leadership Seminar” learn skills to help them both inside our community and in their own schools and future work, including team work, building trust, creative thinking and listening skills, all taught through a Jewish lens. Students in Leadership Seminar will have the opportunity to participate in community services and events throughout the year. The Sunday Leadership Seminar leads to a Confirmation ceremony for students in 10th grade. • Food for Thought students learn about Jewish culture and history through food while creating meals for people in our community who are ill, have experienced a loss, etc. This class is sponsored through JCHS of Gratz College and students receive service learning credits for their participation.