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TeensFind OT Teens on
What does it mean to be a teen at Olam Tikvah? It means that you have choices–lots of them. There are ways for you connect to your Jewish community in all sorts of different places. Take a look at everything you can do at OT! 
We’ve got opportunities for you to study Hebrew, to learn more about Judaism, to explore the arts, to hang out with your OT friends, to lead prayer, to work with kids, to make a little spending money...there’s a lot here for you to choose from! Some of the programs are year-long courses that require registration. Others require you to participate in training programs or rehearsals. Many of them are drop-in, come-when-you-want events. Pick and choose what works best for your schedule and your interests. Just for Fun 
Teen Hebrew Class, Wednesdays, 7:15-8:45pm (with a break for minyan), beginning October 26. This conversational Hebrew class is designed for all levels, from beginners to advanced Hebrew speakers. Students will be grouped based on their skill level and will focus on Hebrew as a living, spoken language. Classes will be taught by a native speaker with experience working with teen language learners of varying levels. Open to all teens in Northern Virginia in Grades 8-12. 
Weekly Youth Lounge Nights, Tuesdays, 6:30-8:00pm, beginning September 20. We’ve got the best Youth Lounge around, so let’s put it good use! Drop-in any Tuesday evening for conversation, video games, movies, and, of course, snacks. In addition, we’ll be kicking off our new Extreme Couponing Tzedakah Project during our Weekly Youth Lounge Nights. Intrigued? You’ll have to come to find out more! Open to all OT teens in Grades 9-12.  Gleedah Show Choir, First meeting Tuesday, October 25, 6:30pm. Gleedah means ice cream in Hebrew, but in Northern Virginia it means talented teens taking the stage with a first-class show choir under the direction of an experienced professional director...all with Jewish twist. Our first meeting will include information about auditions, rehearsal schedules, and performances. Open to all teens in Northern Virginia in Grades 8-12. 
Shacharit Live, First meeting December 2011 (exact date TBA). Shacharit Live is an alternative service that applies a rock-’n’-roll beat to traditional prayers. The Shacharit Live experience allows us to lift up our voices together in new and delightful ways. Under the direction of Art Levine, this experience is open to musicians of all ages. Rehearsals will begin in December, with performances scheduled in the spring. Open to all OT musicians. Olam Tikvah Teens Tailgate Party, Sunday, September 25, 4:00-6:00pm. Sure, we'll have the game on, but the real competition will be off the field as we compete against one another for prizes! The afternoon will include races, games, pizza, and snacks. Reserve your spot in the three-legged race by sending your RSVP to Talia by Thursday, September 22.
Upper School Programs 
OTRS Tichon (8th & 9th Grade) Program, Sundays, 6:00-8:00pm, beginning September 11. The Tichon Program is designed to engage and challenge students who are interested in continuing down the path of lifelong Jewish education. The first hour of the program will focus on Jewish life around the world. It will include cooking, history, the arts, and media and will allow students to step into the shoes of Jewish teens across the globe. Dan Noble has designed this class to meet the needs of teen learners who are ready to move beyond the textbook and explore modern Jewish life around the world with all of their senses. The second hour will offer electives in a variety of subjects that range from Jewish art to Talmud. Registration required.
Youth Groups See the Youth page for activities and schedule information.
Regional Event Registration. Regionally, Kadima and USY offer several evening and weekend-long events that draw pre-teens and teens from across the DC area. To register for these regional events, all OT members should send their materials to the OT Youth Office, rather than to the Seaboard Regional office. It’s the best way for us to know who is planning on attending from our community and for us to best meet your needs. Shabbat Morning  Babysitting, Saturdays, 10:00am-12:15pm, beginning September 10. Our Shabbat Morning Babysitters are a vital part of what makes Shabbat special at OT. It’s about more than just watching kids, it about being a role model to the youngest members of our community. In 2011, we’ll be offering more programs for more kids, which means we’ll need more babysitters to join our team. To become a babysitter, you’ll need to attend one of our training classes. The first class is scheduled for Tuesday, August 30, from 4:00-5:30pm. Because we are making changes to our Shabbat morning programs, ALL babysitters (even those who have worked in Tot Shabbat previously) must attend a training to be a part of the program. There will be additional training dates throughout the school year. This is a paid position. Open to OT teens in Grades 8-12 who have participated in the Babysitting Training Program.
 Main Sanctuary Torah and Haftarah Readers. Continue reading Torah and Haftarah after B’nai Mitzvah! Teens who read a minimum of 18 Torah aliyot by the time they graduate high school are recognized by the congregation with the Yad Award. Schedule a Torah reading date by contacting Rabbi Kalender. To schedule a Haftarah reading (opportunities are more limited for Haftarah) call Herman Stein. Community Service/Social ActionTuna Casserole Donations for SOME. Bake casseroles at home (see the recipe on the Social Action page) and bring them (preferably) frozen to Olam Tikvah on the dates listed below. For more information, contact Shirley or John Baer. Food for Others. Food for Others is a warehouse in Fairfax that distributes cans of food to the working poor. Teenagers can help stack boxes at the warehouse or organize collections of protein-rich foods, such as peanut butter and tuna fish, to donate. Contact Clare Bachner if you are interested. Sukkot in April. Participate in a day of tikkun olam (repairing the world), helping to renovate the home of an area resident who is in need and unable to keep up with necessary repairs. No experience is necessary, and you can volunteer for the whole day or sign up for just a few hours. Young people over age 14 are welcome with adult supervision. Watch for details as we get closer to April. Contact Clare Bachner. |
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Olam Tikvah’s Confirmation
(10th Grade) Program, Sundays, 6:00-8:00pm, beginning September
11. The Confirmation Program is a year-long experience that draws upon students’ years of Jewish
study and offers them the opportunity to explore Judasim in deep and rich ways. Throughout
the year, participants will work with OT’s rabbis to explore the Jewish lifecycle from a more
mature perspective. In addition, they will embark on a study of comparative Judaism that will
include site visits to Jewish spaces throughout the DC area.
The Confirmation Program will culminate with a celebration where our students will share
their experiences with the congregation and receive recognition for their commitment to their
Jewish education. 
OT Pre-College (11th & 12th Grade) Program, Sundays,
12:00pm (usually), beginning September 11. The Olam Tikvah Pre-College Program is a unique opportunity for high school juniors and seniors. The program, led by Rabbi Paskind, will enable you to apply your many years of Jewish
education to a variety of experiences, both inside OT and outside. As a subset of the OT
community, we’ll both socialize and learn… and eat. We’ll also think about important issues
that you will encounter on the college campus. Open to all OT 11th and 12th
graders, whether or not you participated in Confirmation or other
religious school programs. Se the 
Kadima
(Grades 6-8) is an international youth organization sponsored
by the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism for Jewish pre-teens.
Here at OT, our Kadima chapter is all about fun activities and events
for Jewish kids to have a great time together. Led by Dan Noble, our
Kadima chapter has big plans for year. We’ll be kicking things off with
a giant inflatable water slide, followed by events like Laser Tag, Pump
It Up, and other exciting excursions. We’ll also stay closer to home for
movie nights and, new this year, a lock-in overnight that will include a
Nerf Rodeo (stay tuned for more details).
USY
(United Synagogue Youth) (Grades 9-12). For 60 years, USY has
been involving and educating Jewish teens across North America, teaching
them about life, friendship, religion and leadership while changing
their lives forever. From leadership training to social programming on a
chapter level to community service and Israel Advocacy or seeing the
world outside your area code on a USY on Wheels, USY Israel Pilgrimage
or International Convention, USY has something you want. Here at OT, our
USY chapter offers Jewish teens opportunities to become leaders in their
community and to have a great time doing it. Led by Talia Orencel, our
USYers will design and facilitate programs and activities that meet
their needs. You dream it, we make it happen! 
Shorashim Leaders Group, Saturday mornings, 10:30am-12:15pm,
beginning September 10. Shorashim is a service for kids in Pre-K
through 1st
grade that includes prayers, stories,
and activities. The leaders are a group of trained Olam Tikvah teens, who provide
supervision, prayer leading, and serve as role models for the
children they work with.
To become a Shorashim Leader, you’ll need to participate in our ongoing training
program. The next training is scheduled for Monday, August 29, from 10:00-11:30am. This is a paid position.
Open to OT teens in Grades 9-12 who have participated in the Shorashim
Leaders Group Training Program.
Shabbat Morning in the Sanctuary,
Saturday mornings. Continue your leadership role in
the community post-B’nai
Mitzvah by davening parts of the Shabbat morning service in the main sanctuary.
Participants must be able to lead an entire section of the service (Pesukei
d’zimra, Shacharit, Torah, or Musaf). Join our roster of daveners: call one of
our Ritual Committee Chairs, George Billinson or David Doniger. Contact
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