Teen Center Overview
A Place and Program Where Teens Are Always Top Priority.
Shaaray Tefila is the place for teens to THRIVE. At our NEW Teen Center, our teens have a place to explore who they are, cultivate meaningful relationships and build upon the skills and values that matter most, to become their best selves far beyond the walls of TST and the Jewish community.
Plus Trips, Trips, Trips!
*Trips are at an additional cost beyond Teen Center Membership and vary based on destination. All trips require a minimum of 8 students to run, trips have varying maximum capacity.
- Disney: The Most Jewish Place on Earth? (10th-12th Grade CONFIRMANDS Only)- Join us on a ONE OF A KIND Confirmation Capstone Trip to Disney’s Orlando Florida to learn how one of the world’s most successful companies actually embodies Jewish values, can help us shape our Jewish identities and teach us more than we could ever imagineer about the future of Judaism!
- Washington, DC Social Justice Trip (10th-12th Grade)- From January 27th to 30th join the Shaaray Tefila Teens for a weekend at the Religious Action Center for their renowned L’taken Seminar, an initiative designed to teach teens all about social justice and legislative activity at the heart of where it all happens – Washington, DC. Teens will discuss issues that are important to them, learn how to lobby for those issues, and have an opportunity to actually go to Capitol Hill and meet with our congressmen and women.
- Tikkun Orleans NOLA Trip (8th & 9th Grade)- Head down South with us on a service learning adventure like no other. We’ll learn and explore together how service beyond our own community can truly make a difference. PLUS we’ll hop out of our comfort zone to experience Southern Jewish Life first hand and explore what it means to do Jewish outside of New York!
- The Jewish Future is YOU: Israel Aventure (12th Grade)- To the Holy Land we go! 12th graders join us for a dynamic Israel adventure with your favorite friends and staff! *DID YOU KNOW: According to the Generation Now Research from the Jewish Education Project notes that teens who travel on an organized Israel trip prior to college show higher social-emotional growth and note the trip as a peak teen experience.
Monday Night Live - Only Better!
- Cracking Open the People of the Book (8th-10th Grade) The Jews have long been known as “The People of the Book” because we never stop learning! Join us on Monday nights for an innovative look through a Jewish lens on history from “Creation to Today”. All your most pressing Jewish questions answered every week! PLUS Innovative interest based elections during the 2nd half of our evening including cooking, theater and more!
- Imagineer Your Jewish Identity (10th-12th Grade) Confirmation is the next major milestone in Jewish life after Bar/Bat Mitzvah. Using Walt Disney’s model of Experience by Design in his landmark Imagineering Process you will experience a year of exploration targeted towards the areas of Judaism that already resonate most for you. Disney’s world-renowned Imagineers know that an experience is about Head, Heart, and Hands. Together we'll discuss Jewish takes on tough topics, the ways Judaism can support us most in times of heartache and joy, and how our faith drives us towards action. Judaism: The Most Magical Faith on Earth!
- Turn it and Turn it (11th-12th Grade) As Rabbi Ben Bag Bag says, “turn it over and over, for everything is in it”. We will return to topics that need more attention, may desire a deeper understanding, and provide our teens with the knowledge and confidence to walk out of here sufficiently understanding the power of their education and where they can go to access more if they wish to find it.
Teen Engagement Network (inTENSe)
Join us to reinvision and rebrand a purely social and Jewish experience at Temple Shaaray Tefila! Hang out with your friends, celebrate Holidays and explore the intersection of Judaism and just being a teen! From hanging out after school in the youth lounge, to bouncing around at Rock n’ Jump, being a teen at TST is a blast!
LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITY: Become an inTENSe Fellow and help shape teen social programming at Shaaray Tefila!
Madrichim (School Guides)
On Sundays and Mondays teens have an opportunity to build community, give back and serve as a role model by working in our Living Judaism Religious School classrooms. Madrichim can support teachers in the classroom or teach Hebrew through our NEW Hebrew Buddy Program. Throughout the year, our Madrichim receive professional development to foster classroom management skills and leadership abilities that translate to a fantastic resume building experience that gives back to our community. Madrichim earn community service for their time and efforts.