Curriculum: 11th and 12th Grade (Am Yisrael High)

Becoming Jews in the World

In their final years of high school, the curriculum teaches students about the relevancy of Judaism to their adult lives, helps them learn how to ask questions and find answers, and illustrates how every issue can be connected to Jewish text. Students will decide how they want to explore these questions by picking one of three elective choices during each unit.

All Temple Beth Am 8^th through 12^th graders are also encouraged to become Madrichim (teaching assistants), and involved with our outstanding Beth Am Temple Youth group, BATY. 

The Bernard and Audre Rapoport L'Taken Social Justice Seminar, in partnership with the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism (RAC), gives Religious School students in 11^th and 12^th grades the opportunity to impact our country by sharing their views on social justice topics with decision-makers on Capitol Hill.

This weekend program in Washington D.C. exposes students to a variety of public policy issues and explores the Jewish values that inform the Reform Movement's advocacy around those issues. The seminar helps students write an effective, persuasive speech on a topic of their choice to present during their visit to the offices of senators and representatives.

For more information on L'Taken, go to the RAC's website. Here are some of this year's Temple Beth Am L'Taken speeches:

•  Gun Violence Prevention, Essay 1 by Rose Palmieri and Sarah Rifkin
•  Gun Violence Prevention, Essay 2 by Josh Geisser, Cary Goertzel, and Lily Medway
•  Criminal Justice Reform by Noah Gebler, Eden Geisser, and Meira Nacht
• Disability Rights by Jes Aitken, Rachel Geisser, and Sophie Ginsberg-Hayes
• Israel by Ava Olson