www.atlantajewishtimes.com
EDUCATION
Teens’ Jewish Ties Get J-Jolt
Reform initiative aims to boost post-b’nai mitzvah connections By Ariel Pinsky
A
n often-cited saying claims that it takes a village to raise a child. Bobby Harris, the founder of J-Jolt, agrees so much that he created a way of empowering teens to build a personal circle of mentors to support them throughout adolescence. The Jewish Journey of a Lifetime program, part of the Union for Reform Judaism’s Campaign for Youth Engagement, is designed to bring more meaning into the b’nai mitzvah process while deepening the relationship between young teens and their congregations. Harris said the program will promote “a real, authentic, intergenerational bond, which is what the intent of the bar and bat mitzvah really is — an initiation into the older culture and how to be an adult in that community.” Harris, who has served as the director of URJ’s Camp Coleman since 1992, said he adapted J-Jolt from an earlier idea of friends Jacob Schreiber and Edna Levy, a couple who formed a
“council of elders” to with the b’nai be a part of the bar mitzvah and their mitzvah celebrations families. A particiof their children. pating teen is then He also drew free to custominspiration from the ize the journey “village of camp” duraround the five ing his summers at basic steps: preColeman by observparing for J-Jolt; ing how adults with choosing four to passions similar to six adult mentors; those of the campers formally inviting for things like music the mentors into and cooking influthe process; craftenced them to open ing a personalized up, share feelings J-Jolt ceremony for and solve problems. parents and men“I’ve just tors; and sharing Camp Coleman head Bobby watched how people one’s story afterHarris is the founder of J-Jolt. other than the parward. ents can have this inThe first credible impact on youth development, three steps are done in conjunction and so I said, ‘Well, why not really or- with the congregation; the last two can ganize that and make that happen for be done at home or at synagogue and more and more kids?’ ” Harris said. can change based on the individual. The program combines webinars The goals of the program are the and guidebooks to train mentors along same for all: to commit to Judaism
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CREATING EARLY LEARNING MOMENTS
through adulthood and to maintain lasting and authentic relationships with older members of the community. These relationships can be thought of as “intergenerational relationships for kids in order to help widen the circle of the family,” said parenting expert Ron Taffel, a psychologist and friend of Harris’ who did a January webinar for J-Jolt on connecting with today’s teens. Asked for his advice on how to be an effective mentor, Taffel said, “Well, there’s an old expression: show up — really engage, try to provide some kind of guidance and teaching, but in a context of fun. I think the most important thing is to be able to spot and to get a sense of the strength or the best in a child, and that requires a kind of vision to see a child clearly.” One mentor, Fox 5 sports anchor and former Camp Coleman counselor Justin Felder, hopes to integrate sports into the mentoring process. He also sees J-Jolt as an easy way to translate URJ summer camps and youth groups such as NFTY to the real world.
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