Teens Belong: Access to JET at Shir Hadash

Shir Hadash cares deeply about enabling meaningful Jewish experiences for ALL teens in the South Bay area. We welcome teens through our Teens Belong (TB) option to make direct enrollment in our JET tracks (J Leadership, Debate Club, Basketball, and Art Studio) simple, affordable, and easy for all teens.

JET Program: With 21 dinners+sessions from Nov-May, download our program calendar (PDF) for details. 

• Tuesday at 6:30pm: Teen Dinner (dinner is provided at each session!)
• Tuesday at 7pm: Teen Session (students participate in a session for their chosen track)

• 7th Grade: Our NEW 7th Grade Curriculum: Jewish Journeys. Deep dive into the diversity of the Jewish world and Jewish identities as we empower teens to explore and find agency in recognizing and shaping their own Jewish identities.
• 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th Grades: Teens will choose one Track for the year:
  • J Leadership: Do you want to learn how to build an event, make a budget, or even lead a service? Join Rabbi Michael on a leadership journey. Envision, plan, and execute while gaining experience and learning meaningful Jewish lessons. Some of the practical hours of this track may count toward volunteer hours for working toward the Presidential Service Award.
  • Debate Club: Are you the kind of person who likes knowledge? Do you enjoy robust arguments? Join our Debate Club and learn from more than 2,000 years of Jewish Wisdom. Taught by our UCSC fellowship teachers in consultation with Rabbi Michael. 
  • Basketball: If teamwork and sports sound great, our basketball track will score points with you! Blending learning and Jewish texts with hands-on basketball teamwork, this track (and all tracks) will eat together during the Teen Dinner on Tuesday evenings.
  • Art Studio: At the art studio, enter a world of creation and exploration. In this judgment-free all-are-welcome zone, explore and discover Jewish art history and Jewish artists, and nurture your creativity, skills, and knowledge.