9 minute read
SYNAGOGUES
By Ramona L. Brand
Director of Youth Learning
Beth-El Teens Leading by Example
It is no exaggeration that 2020 has been a tumultuous year.
The Coronavirus pandemic has turned our world upside-down. Our Religious School, like so many other educational institutions, suddenly shifted online and our homes became our schools, workplaces and social spaces.
An October 8, 2020 article in “Education Week”* online magazine explains the deprivation of social outlets has hit teenagers particularly hard. Teens have faced a loss of interactions with friends at school and through extra-curricular activities. They faced the closure of anticipated special events, camps, vacations and a sense of burgeoning independence from parents.
Our teens already had experiences a disrupted year, as the group had a turnover of Youth Advisors. Spring activities were canceled and the Teen program ground to a halt.
In stepped our Teen Board made up of four remarkable young women. During this summer Grace (Grade 12) and Maggie (Grade 10) Hessberg, Sophia Futterman (Grade 11) and Lexi Pasternak (Grade 11), approached me with their concerns about wanting to revitalize the teen program.
They took the initiative to ask for a summer program, requested their former 7th grade teacher be their new Teen Programs Advisor, and undertook creating, planning and implementing a summer Teen Game Night.
The Teen Game Night was a great success, Brandon enthusiastically agreed to be their advisor and the teens were encouraged to take on creating a virtual space just for tweens and teens on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. They are determined to build our teen program and to pass along their excitement for USY. Along the way, they are developing confidence and vision that is shaping our teen group, not only for this year, but for the years ahead.
What made this young women step up and lead? Their own words explain it best.
Grace, a senior at Glen Allen High School, said, “My journey with Jewish activities has always been very prevalent in my life, I went to sleep away camp for four years, Religious School for eleven, have been a part of BBYO since 8th grade, and have been working on bringing back an active USY chapter to Richmond for the past three years. I joined TBE’s teen board in 10th grade because I wanted to create an accessible space for teens in the conservative Jewish community in Richmond.”
Grace continued, “One of my camp friends in Atlanta was very involved in her region and chapter and she inspired me to pursue a love for USY. This passion grew even deeper when I went to my first international program where I met some of my best friends. Then I went to my first
regional convention, there I found a place where I felt at home and that weekend ultimately pushed me to run for regional board this past May.”
Lexi, a junior at Maggie Walker, loves languages, STEM, travel and learning about other cultures, which has played into her love for Judaism. She explains “For me, the most important part of involvement in Judaism is community. It’s the connections we make and the experiences we share with one another that have been so rewarding for me.”
Lexi continued, “I have met all kinds of awesome people and learned a lot about myself and Judaism throughout my time in religious school and USY. My interest in staying active comes from a love of the Jewish community and how Judaism values kindness, service, and inclusivity. I felt that being on the Teen Board would be a good opportunity for me to push myself to learn about leadership, meet new people, and make a di erence in our community. I hadn’t really known much about Jewish youth groups when I first became part of our Teen Board but I have definitely learned a lot and gotten plenty out of it.”
Maggie, a sophomore at Glen Allen High School, adds, “Growing up in Synagogue taught me a lot about being religiously Jewish, but going to camps and joining youth groups has shown me the true community and culture of our religion. My eighth grade year my sister pushed me to go to a Regional USY convention, where I knew no one. I fell in love with USY there.” Maggie continued, “When I came back the other members of Beth El’s teen board were just starting to create something, so I decided to join. I want this year to be di erent. I really want other kids and teens in Richmond to be a part of the amazing youth group, USY.”
Brandon Metheny, a long time teacher at Beth-El Religious School and their new teen advisor, couldn’t be prouder of them.
“They are an incredibly smart, creative, and motivated group, and they were determined to take the reins on our Teen High Holy Day programming. We had about a dozen people for Rosh Hashanah, they saw what worked and what didn’t and wrote an entirely unique program for Yom Kippur, where we had about 20 people attend.”
Brandon continued, “They ran the entire thing themselves; I just sat back and let them do it, and it was great. They got everyone involved and there was a real positive buzz when the Zoom call ended.”
These young women have learned a lot about leadership in a short time. Grace notes, “I am
Teen Board Members: top (from left) Sophia Futterman, Lexi Pasternak, bottom (from left) Maggie Hessberg and Grace Hessberg.
currently serving on Seaboard’s regional board as Communications VP while also assisting with the Temple Beth-El USY chapter. This year, I cannot wait to strengthen TBE’s USY chapter and help our teens venture to regional events and conventions”
Lexi says of her experience, I’ve learned how to find ways to connect with and involve people. I’ve definitely worked on important hard and soft skills like writing and networking through working on the Teen Board. I’m proud of all of our programs (they are a lot of fun!) and particularly how we’ve managed to keep in touch with kids and hold awesome activities despite the challenges 2020 has thrown at us. Laughter over zoom is laughter nonetheless!”
She continued, “This year, I hope that we will not only be able to continue running programs with our chapter but also find ways to support our broader community through volunteering and advocacy. It’s needed now more than ever.”
Maggie added, “From the past years of planning programs, having successful ones, and a couple that failed, I have learned a lot. Not everything works out and if you really want something to succeed you have to keep trying. This year especially I loved seeing all the faces at our programs, and growing closer connections. Hearing all the positive feedback keeps me wanting to continue leading and pushing for more programs.
Brandon aptly summed up these young leaders accomplishments. “USY was a big part of my life as a Jewish teen, and it introduced me to new perspectives on and ideas about Judaism at an important point in my life. It warms my heart to see these four following a similar path. And when I see just how many kids we have on the verge of being part of these teen programs themselves, I know that the future is in very good hands.” * https://www.edweek.org/ew/ articles/2020/04/16/why-the-coronavirus-crisishits-teenagers-particularly.html
November Religious School Calendar:
Sundays: Nov. 1, 8, 15, 22
Wednesdays: Nov. 4, 11, 18
Confirmation meets: Nov. 1 & 22
Tot Shabbat Service
Zoom Tot Shabbat Service, Saturday, Nov. 7; 10 a.m. For families with children from birth to age 5. Open to the entire community
November Theme: Thankfulness
December Theme: Hanukkah
Shabbat service geared filled with music, stories, movement and more. A musical, meaningful service designed for wiggles.
For zoom access, email Ramona at r.brand@bethelrichmond.org.
Eliana shows o the Sukkah Decoration she made during the Sukkot Program.
Fall is always busy with the High Holidays at Congregation Brith Achim; this pandemic-hampered year is no exception.
We held distanced services for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur in September, including pre-recorded musical performances from congregants both locally and from across the country.
Every congregant was sent a High Holiday package, with services enhanced by the ubiquitous ownership of “shofarot” among our members with children!
The High Holidays were complimented by our distanced Shabbat services and video-conferenced Thursday night Torah studies, keeping us spiritually active and Kabalistically enlightened.
Men’s Club and Sisterhood have also been busy.
In September, Sisterhood published the annual Memorial Book and Men’s Club’s president, David Goldstein, gave a Zoom talk on “Practical Computer Security.” October continued the cluster of important celebrations with Sukkot (and meals at Rabbi Beck-Berman’s Sukkah) and Simchat Torah.
With any luck and the pandemic subsiding, we will be in the Shul waiving “lulavim” and rerolling Torah scrolls as a congregation!
For more details or to register for any of these events, please call the Synagogue o ce at (804) 732-3968 or email brithachim@aol.com.
May your New Year be blessed!
Julia and Rabbi Dennis Beck-Berman’s Sukkah where Brith Achim congregants had meals for Sukkot and Simchat Torah.
Brith Achim photo
Or Atid happenings
Virtual Fall at Congregation Or Atid
Congregation Or Atid made the most of this holiday season.
The Congregation enjoyed a Sukkah hop over Zoom, visiting several members’ Sukkahs as well as Rabbi Hal’s. We danced and clapped at home for Simchat Torah and did some Torah trivia! It’s been wonderful to “see” our Or Atid family and celebrate together virtually.
Every year from Rosh Hashanah through Yom Kippur Congregation Or Atid has collected non-perishable food donations for FeedMore, Central Virginia’s Core Hunger-Relief Organization. Although we were unable to gather together in person this year, we remained committed to our annual “Corners of Our Fields” e ort: “This is the fast I have chosen … to share bread with the hungry” [Isaiah 58]. We created a virtual link on our website which provided anyone who visited there an opportunity to make a financial contribution to Feedmore as part of the Or Atid team. As of several weeks ago, we are proud to have raised enough funds to provide approximately 4,000 meals to those in need in the greater Richmond community!
In October Rabbi Hal started a new adult education series, “Love and Death in Six Scrolls: Jonah, Song of Songs, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, and Esther.” These six short biblical books are read on Jewish holidays, and they are some of the most thought-provoking and entertaining books of the Bible. The classes explore these ancient biblical books of poetry and prose, and what they teach us about life, death, love, loss, and more, and why we read these books on their respective holidays.
Our book club continues to meet regularly. In October, the book club had an in depth virtual discussion of the historical novel, “The Physician”, by Noah Gordon. Set in the 11th century, this book vividly depicts the journey of an orphan in London who transforms from a fast-talking swindler to a talented doctor trained in Persia. Christian, Muslim, and Jewish cultures and rituals intertwine throughout the book, which provided a rich context for our book club discussion.
For information about Congregation Or Atid, visit www.oratid.org or call the o ce at 804-740-4747.
We’d love to have you join us for our meaningful virtual services and events.
