Noam’s Teen Programming Options
Noam has
a wide range of programs for teens, at all times of year.
Noam’s programs combine
community building, drama, experiential games, text study, discussion and much
more.
Below is
a list of standard programming for 90 min - two hour programming blocks. Contact Noam for longer programs, or to
develop a specialty program for your community.
Jewish
Environmental
Table as Temple
- Food and Agriculture in Jewish Thought
Study the agricultural roots of Jewish holidays and laws,
and the modern state of agriculture and agricultural technologies. Examine how Jewish ethics reflects on eating
and the choices we make on a daily basis.
Program includes text study and discussion, food sampling, blessings and
food meditation.
The Place Whereon You Stand is
Holy Ground
Participants will explore their personal relationships with
the lands of Israel and Long Island, discuss the Jewish ethics of human/land
relationships and examine the role of the State of Israel in our lives. Program includes text study and discussion,
personal reflection through art, and exploration of the current environmental
and social concerns in the land
of Israel.
Tikkun Olam Starts at Home
Participants will explore the environmental impact of their
lives and of their communities alongside Jewish values related to sustainable
living. They will then discuss solutions
to hypothetical and real-life situations in their homes and synagogues. Program includes text study and discussion,
community games and a simple audit of synagogue facilities and practices.
Oy Veh I'm Svitzing, a
Jewish Response to Climate Change
Climate change is the pressing
environmental challenge of our day, so in an attempt to look forward, let's
look back at what Jewish tradition has to offer this modern problem.
Explore Jewish texts related to energy conservation and waste reduction, pikuach nefesh (responsibility to
save life,) plus biblical values of withholding rain and climate change as G-d's form of punishment.
Building a Jewish Environmental Ethic for the Next
Generation
Through text, discussion, drama and more we will explore
ancient Jewish ecological and environmental teachings and ask how they are
applicable to the decisions faced by the next generation of adults. This overview of environmental issues and
ethics will help introduce any group to personal and communal environmental
responsibility.
“I Put Before You
Life or Death… Choose Life So That You May Live.”
For better or for worse, making hard choices is a foundation
of living life, any life, especially a socially and environmentally conscious
Jewish life. In this workshop we will
explore what we value and how we make decisions, and realize that making the
‘right’ choice is not always easy or obvious.
Israel Environmental
The Zionist Dream, An Environmental
Nightmare?
Oleh U’vneh
(Arise and Build) is one of many early Zionist slogans
calling for growth, settlement, and development of the land of Israel.
But has it gone too far? Has
Israeli’s need for western style development and standard of living, come at
the expanse of the land we love to dear? This workshop will explore the pros
and cons of modern Israeli development and discuss sustainable solutions to Israel’s
growth.
The Unnatural Jew, Exploring our Personal Connection to Land
How well do you know the geography of your home state or
country? Can you name the lakes, rivers,
mountains, valleys? Most Israelis can. In
this session we will explore our personal connection to our homelands in the
Diaspora and Israel,
discuss historic and current reasons for these relationships, and view Zionism
as a movement to re-indigenize the Jewish people.
Sustainable Peace, exploring the interplay between
peaceful cooperation and environmental sustainability in the Middle East
We’ve all heard the speculation that the next war in the Middle East will be fought over water. This precious natural resource is one of many
shared by Israel’s citizens and neighbors. In this workshop we will explore the shared
environmental concerns around land, water and air, and discuss how
collaboration is vital in addressing social and environmental sustainability
and creating lasting Peace.
If I Forget Thee O Jerusalem,
Will all your Forests be Destroyed?
A Philosophical, Spiritual and
Political Exploration.
Jerusalem
is at the center of Jewish life and prayer, but how many of us really know
what’s happening to this piece we love so dear. This workshop will explore our
personal and communal connection to Jerusalem,
and discuss threats to Jerusalem’s
forests and last remaining open spaces.
Holiday Programming
Hanukkah
as a Holiday of Energy Conservation
One days supply of oil, last for eight. A group of passionate
committed people fight for something they believe in and win. This ancient
miracle of the Macabbees is repeated daily when we
switch to low energy light bulbs, reduce our personal and communal consumption
level and fight for systematic and political change. This Hanukkah, let's
practice being a energy efficient "Light unto the
Nations."
Tu B’shvat – a Jewish New Year
for the 21st Century and beyond
Come together for a community celebration of our connection
to our earth, our bodies and our G-d.
Through text, song, art and creative exploration we will celebrate this
ancient holiday in light of our 21st century lives.
Sukkot – Exploring Jewish food ethics on a holiday of harvest.
Sit together under a sukkah and
share the feast of fall harvest while discussing the most Jewish thing of all,
food. Exploring modern
Jewish food ethics including health, social and specifically environmental
concerns of production, transportation, bioengineering, etc.
Noam can also tailor
one of the many programs above to meet your specific Holiday
need. Contact Noam for information on one of these programs.
General
Environmental
Climate Change/ Global Warming for
Dummies.
An Introduction to the Science of
Climate Change for Regular People.
Everyone’s talking about climate
change, but what is it really? How do greenhouse gases work? What might happen if trends continue?
What can I do as an individual to make a difference? This workshop will answer these questions and
more in a simple, interactive forum aimed at giving regular people the tools to
understand the reality of climate change.
