Teen Programming

Monthly Gatherings      Travel & Field Trips        Teen Collaborative      Madrikhimot      MESH      Shabbat Services

Monthly Gatherings for BK Teens

Based on feedback from you all this past spring, we will be scheduling 5 gatherings over the course of the year for our teen group. These gatherings will include 2 volunteer opportunities, 2 learning opportunities, and a social outing. Dates for these gatherings will be on our calendar and sent by e-mail next week. 

Travel & Field Trips

As in the past, Bnai Keshet and our partner Reconstructionist synagogue, SAJ, are travelling together on some amazing adventures. Mark your calendars for these trips, they are extraordinary experiences and an opportunities you do not want your teen to miss. Registration for both trips will open in the fall. Attendance at teen dinners and/or the 8th grade class are expected for both of these trips.

9th - 12th Grades Travel to Sababa Beach Camp

Friday, April 17 - Monday, April 20, 2026 

We are so excited to be finally partnering with Sababa Beach Camps again! Highlights of the trip will include environmental education, community service, surf lessons, and Jewish spiritual activities that will inspire you to connect to nature, true sense of self, your friends, and something bigger than yourself. Our Sababa trip is open to 9th-12th graders. Pease be attentive to your e-mails as our deadlines for trip sign-ups are real deadlines.

8th Grade Travel

Weekend in Philadelphia 
Friday, March 20 (after school) - Sunday, March 22 (mid-afternoon)

8th Grade Field Trip

Field Trip to Anne Frank The Exhibition at the Center for Jewish History
Sunday, October 26 at 11:00am
$25 per teen

Sign up here:

8th - 12th Grades

We will see the  off-Broadway show on the life of Hannah Senesh put on by the National Yiddish Theatre. Keep your eyes peeled for the date.

Jewish Teen Collaborative

These events are jointly planned by educators at Bnai Keshet, Temple Ner Tamid, Shomrei Emunah, and Temple Sholom of West Essex.

Sunday, November 16 - Broadway Trip

Thursday, December 11th - Jewish Heritage Night at the New Jersey Devils

Sunday, January 11th - Social Action Event

Wednesday, March 25th - Teen Mental Health First Aid Training

Sunday, May 31st - Six Flags Trip

Madrikhimot

All teens 8th-12th grade are eligible to serve as madrikhimot (teen classroom assistants). We are especially looking for teens for Monday evenings and Wednesday afternoons. All madrikhimot, new or returning, must fill out the form to indicate your interest

Apply to be a Madrikhimot here
 

Our Madrikhimot (guides) are teen assistants in the Bet Midrash.  Madrikhimot assist teachers with executing their lessons, which includes helping students with projects, individual and group work, and Hebrew reading and writing, making photocopies, taking attendance, and other duties as agreed upon with your supervising teacher and Rabbi Ariann. Madrikhimot are role models for younger students, demonstrating an enthusiastic and joyful attitude about Jewish learning and teaching younger children by example how to be a mensch in the world.

This is a volunteer position for one year, and a paid position thereafter.  Pay can be withheld in exchange for community service hours required by your school if discussed first with Rabbi Ariann. Paid madrikhimot are responsible for handing in all required financial forms to Mark in the main office before the first pay period of the year.

Service Opportunities:
MESH, Little Free Pantry, and More

A strong group of teen volunteers have become the backbone of our Monday-night MESH service. For those volunteers 9th grade and above, we are expanding opportunities to serve!

Please join us on Monday nights, beginning at 4pm for MESH, help us fill the Little Free Pantry, and then take part in other service projects connected to the Bet Midrash before joining us for 5:30pm pizza dinner and Gaga, and heading home. For those of you who are new 8th graders, we welcome you to come and join the crew that makes MESH run each Monday beginning at 4pm(ish) before Bet Midrash each week. Please be in touch with Rabbi Ariann to learn more and to sign up.

Service Participation: Torah Readers, Ushers, Gabbais

Teens are very warmly encouraged to sign up to serve as Torah readers, ushers, greeters, and gabbais on Shabbat mornings. If you'd like to sign up but need more information or support in preparing for any of these roles, please let me know, I would love to help you!