KABBALAT TORAH / CONFIRMATION (2010-2011/5771)
RELATING JUDAISM TO THE DECISION THAT WE MAKE
A YEAR OF BONDING, GROWTH AND LEARNING
Kabbalat Torah/Confirmation is a full year course of Jewish study and action which leads to a public affirmation of commitment to Judaism. Unlike studies leading up to Bar/Bat Mitzvah, the learning sessions will not focus on Hebrew, Torah reading and other basic literacy skills. Rather students will explore Reform Judaism, grapple with core beliefs, ethical values and personal observance.
Kabbalat Torah/Confirmation at Temple Emanuel will include a trip to Washington, DC to the Religious Action Center of the Union of Reform Judaism. This trip, which will be open to members of WESTY, will put into action some of the fundamental social values of Reform Judaism. One of the key activities of this trip will be to actually lobby on Capitol Hill at congressional offices.
The culmination of Kabbalat Torah-Confirmation is a congregational service on the festival of Shavuot (this year on the evening of June 7th) in which each student will be called upon to affirm his or her own commitment to Judaism.
Shavuot recalls the moment at Mt. Sinai when our ancestors received the Torah (thus the term “Kabbalat Torah”) from God. It is our goal that each student will find greater meaning in the Torah, the teachings of our people and their relationship with God.
The 5771 Temple Emanuel Kabbalat Torah/Confirmation class will meet with Rabbi Matthew Berger during the second hour of Worcester Community Hebrew High School (WCHHS) September 16th–May 19th. WCHHS is a joint program of Temple Emanuel and Congregation Beth Israel and is operated and sponsored by the Jewish Federation of Central Massachusetts for students in grades 8-12. Classes and all-school programs begin at 6:30 PM and end at 8:30 PM on Thursday evenings.
For more information about the confirmation program, please contact Rabbi Matthew Berger via email at mberger@temple-emanuel.org or via phone at 508-791-8414.
For more information about the WCHHS, please visit the Hebrew High School section of our Temple Emanuel website and/or contact Sue Summit via email at simcha6sas@gmail.com or via phone at 508-829-9755.
TOPICS WE WILL EXPLORE
· INTERDATING AND INTERMARRIAGE
· SEXUAL ETHICS, HOMOSEXUALITY AND DECISION MAKING
· REFORM JUDAISM AND SOCIAL/POLITICAL ACTIVISM
· MEDICAL ETHICS: THE JEWISH PERSPECTIVE ON ABORTION, EUTHENASIA, ORGAN DONATION AND CLONING
· IS THERE A GOD? DO YOU BELIEVE IN HIM OR HER? IS THERE SUCH A THING AS A JEWISH ATHEIST?
· BODY PIERCING AND TATOOS: WHAT DOES JUDAISM HAVE TO SAY?
· IS PRAYER ANY DIFFERENT TO ME AFTER MY BAR/BAT MITZVAH?
· JEWS FOR JESUS/MESSIANIC JEWS: WHO ARE THEY AND WHY SHOULD I CARE?
· DO YOU BELIEVE IN AN AFTERLIFE? IF SO, HOW WOULD A JEWISH AFTERLIFE BE DIFFERENT FROM A CHRISTIAN AFTERLIFE?
· CURRENT WORLD AND LOCAL EVENTS
· OTHER TOPICS TO BE DETERMINED BY THE CLASS
Kabbalat Torah Confirmation Class of 2010/5770 in Washington, D.C.
