Tag: Teen Education & Engagement

This year’s Jewish Communities Mifgash (Encounter) was one for the books, bringing another unforgettable experience to the Fellows. Each year, the Mifgash provides the Diller Teen Fellows the opportunity to discover, learn about and connect with their peers, Jewish communities and cultures in our partner community of Yerucham (Israel) and around the globe.

CAJE has another great program for teens: IsraelNow! Created in Chicago, IsraelNow is an immersive travel experience for eighth graders who are not enrolled in a Jewish day school. It has a proven record of success in getting teens to fall in love with Israel and then become active participants in community programs upon their return.

Each year, Miami’s March of the Living works tirelessly to provide valuable educational content for each participant. The March is not only a two-week immersive travel experience; it is a six-month program that takes time, dedication, qualified professionals, and resources to achieve.

Recently, Diller Miami Cohort 9 spent the weekend learning and growing as leaders and Jews in a “Leadership Shabbaton.” This gathering was planned almost entirely by the Fellows themselves. They had the opportunity to work in committees to plan the programming that would make up the weekend, including pluralistic and creative Shabbat programs, team building, and more.

How can CAJE help Jewish professionals working with teens be more effective mentors, better able to help our children navigate this increasingly complex and stressful world supported by Jewish wisdom?

High school seniors from all across Miami gathered virtually for their first educational session, during which Marchers learned, listened, and connected with each other in preparation for traveling to Poland this Spring.

Miami’s Diller Teen Fellows Cohort 9 experienced their first Jewish Identity Shabbaton last weekend where they were able to reflect upon who they are and begin the process of becoming a strong, cohesive group.

Want to help a teenager but not sure how or where to begin? Are you concerned about a young person and not sure what to say? One of the important messages that Dear Evan Hansen teaches us is we need to have more and better conversations with our teens.

After a meaningful evaluation process, the International Diller Teen Fellows program and the Helen Diller Family Foundation have a new look that reflects the spirit of the participants from all over the World. With the fresh new look comes Miami’s Cohort 9 (2021-22), which kicked off with their first workshop last Sunday.

Last week, the International March of the Living — CAJE’s partner that makes all flight, hotel, and ground arrangements for the travel component of the MOTL program— announced that it is committed to holding a March physically in Poland and Israel. They have not provided us with pricing yet, but that is only one of the many items that needs to be determined before our teens can travel.

Wouldn’t it be a great idea to bring teens from all the different youth groups and denominations together to give us feedback on what they need, to collaborate across organizations and share their ideas?

CAJE’s Department of Teen Engagement is launching a new website this fall, funded by the The Greater Miami Jewish Federation, to support Jewish Teens, their families and the professionals who serve them.

A few weeks ago, national teen organization Moving Traditions invited CAJE’s Teen Department & March of the Living Director, Carly Orshan, to consult in an invitation-only gathering around the topic of Family Education for B’nai Mitzvah.

In these strange times, CAJE is challenged to accomplish its goals even under difficult circumstances. One of those challenges is to help elderly Holocaust Survivors, who often are not well-versed in today’s technology, share their testimony with students via Zoom! As the Miami March of the Living (MOTL) embraces the educational changes we are faced with due to the pandemic, so do our beloved Survivors, who are still trying to make sure that future generations continue to be their voice.

These powerful words were one of the important ‘take-aways’ from the first session of Miami’s Leo Martin March of the Living 2021 this past Sunday. While we might not be able to travel to Poland and Israel this year, nevertheless, high school seniors from across Miami gathered virtually to learn about life before the War as well as explore their Jewish Identities, which they discovered were just as complex, interesting and diverse as the Jews growing up decades ago in far off lands. They also learned from local Holocaust Survivor, Anita Karl.

Miami’s Diller Teen Fellows Cohort 8 had a breakthrough moment this past Shabbat. Although they have been participating in the Diller program since September, this past Shabbat was the first time the group was able to gather in person, rather than on Zoom. Teens went through screening protocols, were physically distanced, masked, and outside to create a safe environment for all.