Toward Teen Shabbat
There’s a story of the Baal Shem Tov, who liked to linger in his prayers for hours. His students would usually stay with him and enjoy the special energy of being around him, but one day they got tired and slipped out as their Rebbe was deep in prayer, assuming they could go get a snack and he would never notice their absence.
When they came back, the Baal Shem Tov was sitting on the pews. “Why did you finish so quickly today, Rebbe?” they asked.
He told them a parable:
“Once, a group of people was walking through a forest. Their leader spied a beautiful bird atop a tree, and wanted to examine it up close so they could describe it to everyone they passed. She asked her companions to make a human ladder, each climbing onto the shoulders of the next, with the leader at the top. Just as the leader got close enough to see the bird, the person at the bottom of the chain got tired and began to walk away. The whole chain swayed and collapsed, and the bird flew away.”
The lesson, according to the Baal Shem Tov, is that leaders need the support of others in order to ascend to great heights, and that everyone in the community has a role to play in supporting the spiritual growth of everyone else. I can imagine a different outcome of the Baal Shem Tov’s story, where the leader inspires everyone else in her group to want to climb the human ladder and see the bird for themselves, and the people take turns alternating being on the top or bottom.
Tomorrow, we will celebrate Shabbat in a service entirely led by our teen community. The teens you will see leading the community in prayer, reading Torah, and sharing kavannot have been preparing for months, supporting each other both in learning the material and building the confidence necessary to stand in front of our community as leaders.
But the learning and community-building that make Teen Shabbat possible and special is not only built through the months of rehearsal; it is built every month at Hitoreri, a teen-led Kabbalat Shabbat service and dinner; on the weekend-long Teen Retreat and week-long immersive Teen Trips; at volunteering and social justice events both within BJ and in the local community; at teen holiday parties and celebrations; and in the relationships and connections the teens build together at camp, school, home and in our building.
Below are some quotes from members of the teen community about what the BJ Teen Program means to them, and how they support each other and feel supported by our community. And please come support them tomorrow morning as they lift us up in prayer and Torah.
Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Deena Cowans
“The BJ Teen Program has allowed me to speak to people and to hear about experiences that I never would have otherwise, which has really altered my perception of my own life. In Arizona, I loved being able to hear opinions from both sides of the political spectrum about public policy. In the Dominican Republic, I was able to hear and see the lives of others which are drastically different from mine while still being able to connect with those I was hearing from. The Teen Program has really opened my eyes in a way I don’t think other experiences could.”
—Isabel Blumenthal, 11th Grade
“I have had a wonderful experience in the Teen Program, and I’m so grateful I got to share my experience with so many people, especially the kids I worked with at Kadima. I enjoyed being an Ozer and getting to know each and every kid individually. I went on the Arizona trip, and I thought that was a great way to spend quality time with friends and learn a lot more about immigration, especially from people who went through it themselves. The Teen Program means new connections, new opportunities, and new ways to learn. ”
—Margi Wallach, 9th Grade
“My favorite part of the Teen Program is getting to connect with people who I otherwise might never have met. There are so many kids who go to different schools and I wouldn’t have had the privilege of meeting them without the Teen Program.”
—Ziv Cohen-Margolius, 10th Grade
“I have enjoyed joining the Teen Program this year—from the trip to Alabama to the Hanukkah party, Hitoreri, and Midnight Run. Also, being on the Teen Executive Board as an 8th Grade Apprentice helps me stay even more engaged in the teen events and I am so happy that I could get my grade involved. I am excited to continue my time in the Teen Program.”
—Tate Holden, 8th Grade
“Being in the BJ Teen Program has had a greater impact on my life than I could’ve ever expected. I’ve heard many seniors throughout the years talk about how important it is to do as much as possible with the Teen Program. I never took it too seriously until I started going to a lot of events. From Hitoreri to the trip to Berlin, every experience and interaction I’ve had along the way has shaped who I am as a person and who I want to become. It fosters a tight knit environment of friends I’ve known my whole life, and friends I’ve made recently. It is truly a special community to be a part of.
—Dave Waldman, 10th Grade
“BJ has provided me with friends, family, and a place to call home. Catching me when I fall and lifting me up in my success, being in the BJ Teen Program has been a fundamental anchor in my Jewish life.”
—Ezra Tiven-Gottesman, 11th Grade
“The BJ Teen Program provided a supportive platform for me to develop my voice, build lasting connections, and create a deep connection to Judaism. Beyond the service and the leadership, BJ gave me a home and a circle of lifelong friends. I am extremely grateful for this experience, because I wouldn’t be the person I am today without the lasting impact of this community. The values and experiences I gained as a BJ Teen have fundamentally shaped my character and my approach to leadership. I am forever grateful.”
—Eden Holden, BJ Teen Program alum
“I will always be grateful to the BJ Teen Program for giving me my best friends, meaningful experiences, and unforgettable memories. I could talk about the incredible trips we took together forever, but I think my favorite moments were sitting at Hitoreri, singing the mashup of Hashkiveinu and One Day, and looking around to see a room full of people smiling at our togetherness.”
—Annie Bovitz, BJ Teen Program alum
“It’s hard to sum up my experience in the BJ Teen Program in just a few words. This program meant so much to me during high school and continues to shape me even now in college. I’m incredibly grateful to have met my absolute best friends in the world through BJ and to have deepened those friendships through events, trips, Shabbats, and other programming.”
—Celia Lambert, BJ Teen Program alum
Top photo: Berlin sunset, by Hamudi81. The BJ Teens traveled to Berlin this year.
