Youth, Learning & Engagement
Temple Beth Am’s Youth Learning and Engagement (YLE) department cultivates opportunities for Jewish kids and their families to embark on a lifetime of Jewish journeying. We create meaningful formal and informal Jewish learning experiences to connect our youth to their Jewish tradition, their community and each other.
YLE Programs
Tot Holiday Programs: we offer programming for the youngest members of our community with music, dancing, and lots of fun on Rosh HaShanah, Simchat Torah, Purim, and more!
Throughout the year, we offer ShabbaTunes, a Shabbat morning program with Rabbi Matt, Jason Mesches, and Cantor Michelle Stone, bringing together songs and Shabbat activities to celebrate everyone’s favorite day of rest together! This year’s dates are October 16th, February 12th, April 9th and June 4th.
Over the summer, ECCers are warmly welcomed to Camp Keshet, a fun and safe day camp experience during the summer on the Temple Beth Am and Pressman Academy campus. Join our camp counselors and specialists for a summer filled with friends, engaging programming, and fun. Reach out to our camp director, Reut Sklar, for more info at rsklar@tbala.org.
Through our “Epic” programming, we provide creative and enriching Shabbat and holiday programming. Ranging from High Holiday opportunities to Sukkot and Simchat Torah programs to Shabbat morning family fun, we look forward to having Epic amounts of fun with your family!
We offer youth programming for all TBA kids starting in 2nd grade- join us for Mahar (2nd/3rd grade) and Kadima (4th-6th) events over the year. Email Reut at rsklar@tbala.org for information about upcoming programs.
Over the summer, students are warmly welcomed to Camp Keshet, a fun and safe day camp experience during the summer on the Temple Beth Am and Pressman Academy campus. Join our camp counselors and specialists for a summer filled with friends, engaging programming, and fun. Reach out to our camp director, Reut Sklar, for more info at rsklar@tbala.org.
Temple Beth Am provides a complete program of Bar and Bat Mitzvah training – for questions about any and all aspects of this process, please be in touch with Cantor Chorny at hchorny@tbala.org or July Alban, our b’nei mitzvah coordinator, at jalban@tbala.org.
In addition to the ritual and logistic components of the b’nei mitzvah process, we offer experiential learning opportunities for 6th graders and their families to enrich and deepen the experience. This year’s 6th grade programs are scheduled for November 21st, January 23rd, April 3rd, and June 12th. For more information about 7th grade programming, including Mitzvah Project Central, our pilot program collaboration with Tzedek America, please reach out to Rabbi Shapiro.
Our youth group programming continues into middle school as students move through Kadima in 6th grade into Jr. USY programming and other teen program opportunities in 7th and 8th grade, including our newly revitalized teen minyan. We also invite 8th graders to join our Shevet or Rosh Chodesh groups, cohortized by grade and gender to provide a social learning group that continues through high school.
Camp Keshet continues through 6th grade; additionally, seventh and eighth graders can participate as a Counselors in Training (CITs) to develop leadership skills and experience fun activities with their friends.
One of our annual highlights for families with kids of all ages is our Family Shabbaton at Camp Ramah in Ojai. This year’s Shabbaton is scheduled for May 10th-12th, 2024!
For more information about any and all of these opportunities, please be in touch with Rabbi Matt Shapiro at mshapiro@tbala.org!