Looking Back, Looking Forward: Exciting Changes in the Year Ahead for Hebrew High

Charlotte Jewish News August 2021

By Megan Harkavy

This past year was like none other. Due to COVID-19, we shifted to holding classes online. Our primary goal was to ensure our program continued to engage, meet our students’ diverse needs, and foster a community. We provided a platform that addressed the world around us and explored topics such as racial injustice and the 2020 elections. Classes were split into two learning modules: The first module was called Limmud (Learning), in which students selected one class from a variety of choices. Those choices focused on the topics mentioned above, in addition to student favorites such as cooking and art. The second module was called Kehillah (Community Time) and focused on providing students an opportunity to get to know each other and socialize. Each week students chose from structured activities such as Jewish trivia and scavenger hunts or a special class taught by clergy from both temples.

We also had guest speakers, including Billy Planer, the founder of Etgar 36 — a social justice and social action cross-country summer program for teens; The Bible Players, an improv and comedy group that led games to teach Jewish values to our students; and Pamela Schuller, a hilarious New York City comedian and inclusion advocate.

Through these different opportunities, our students had an extremely positive experience during this challenging year. Our teens actively participated in class discussions, created positive Jewish memories, connected with teachers, and deepened relationships with their peers, all over Zoom. The feedback we heard about this past year was immensely positive.

We are excited to return to in-person learning for the 2021- 2022 school year! Our goals for the 2021-2022 school year are to add more social time for our students, be more accessible for all families, create community, deepen relationships with clergy,

and continue to create positive Jewish moments. We have already heard amazing feedback and excitement from our students, parents, and partners.

Hebrew High will continue to meet on Wednesday at 7 p.m. beginning with free dinner. Teens will have 30 minutes to eat and socialize with their friends. At the end of dinner, teens who are in NFTY, USY, BBYO, and any other youth groups will be able to make announcements of upcoming programs.

Classes will take place from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. This will allow teens to come home earlier in the evening to finish up homework or spend time with family. This will also help new drivers who must be home by 9 p.m. because of curfew. Registration is now live — you can be part of this amazing community for one, two, or all three trimesters. Each trimester is six weeks long, and there are special programs throughout the year. Temple Beth El and Temple Israel clergy will join our amazing

educators to teach three classes each trimester.

Additionally, we are adding a gender-specific program for 8th and 9th graders monthly on Sunday nights. We are using Moving Traditions’ curriculum to add the Rosh Chodesh (girls) and Shevet (boys) to Charlotte!

Rosh Chodesh uses Jewish teachings and practices to give girls a place to feel safe, articulate their deepest concerns, consider the impact of gender on their daily lives, have fun, and be “real” with their peers. Through discussion, arts and crafts, creative ritual, games, and drama, the girls and their leaders draw on Jewish values to explore issues the girls care about most, such as body image, friendship, relationships, family, competition, and stress.

Shevet is a program designed for teen boys by a group of rabbis, educators, psychologists, parents, and teens themselves. In general, the program is a lot of fun for the guys — they’ll be playing various competitive and

collaborative games, talking about pop culture, studying great Jewish texts, eating, and sharing stories. But they will also be able to discuss, in a confidential setting, critical issues in their lives as teens and young men.

We are very excited to be back in person for Hebrew High! Hebrew High is a joint venture between Temple Beth El and Temple Israel and powered by the Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte. It is open to all Jewish teens in grades 8-12 in the greater Charlotte area. To learn more, please visit www. hebrewhigh.org or contact Megan Harkavy at mharkavy@hebrewhigh.org.