Yala!

“If you wait until you find the meaning in life,
will there be enough life left to live meaningfully?”

The Lubavitcher Rebbe

Yala! Post-Bar/Bat Mitzvah Program

In Hebrew, Yala! means “to go forward.”  Yala! is Temple Emanu-El of Palm Beach’s new and exciting program designed for Jewish teenagers who have completed their Bar/Bat Mitzvah and wish to remain connected to the synagogue and their Judaism.

Yala! focuses on many of the pressing issues that will confront teenagers as they enter college and beyond. The topics are timely – often based on current events – and address how young people can use the teachings and values of Judaism to help them find their way along the path of a changing world.

We offer two Yala! sessions: one for young people in Grades 8-10, and the other for those in Grades 11-12.

Yala! is open to children of members and guests alike and is free of charge.

Sample Yala! Topics

Grades 8-10

• American Law vs. Jewish Law: Are they complementary or in conflict?
• Freedom of Religion vs. Freedom from Religion: What the Constitution actually says.
• Religion and Government: When can the government involve itself and when should religious institutions involve themselves?
• Here Comes the Judge: The Pros and Cons of Jewish Religious Courts vs. American Civil Courts.
• Our Founding Fathers and the Bible: The ways in which they used it as a template for creating the American form of government.
• Jewish vs. Secular Holidays: What to celebrate and why.
• Learning about Israel: 1) Its System of government; 2) Israel’s interaction with other countries; 3) Israel’s contributions to the world; 4) An Introduction to the Arab/Israeli Conflict.
• Current Events: How Jewish ideals and morals apply to the headlines we read every day.

Grades 11-12

Topics will include some of the above, plus…

• Defending Israel: 1) Learn the facts and history so you can defend Israel on high school and college campuses; 2) Know how and when to engage and when to walk away from confrontations; 3) What is AIPAC and why is it important?
• Jewish Attitudes regarding “Teen” Issues: What does Judaism have to contribute to how you deal with such issues as: Drinking; Drugs; Interfaith Dating; Premarital Sex; Abortion; and Stereotypes.

For more information, please contact Marc Jacobs at marc@tepb.org, or call 561-832-0804.

Yala! Calendar

Below is an up-to-date listing on all of the upcoming Yala! classes: