Melanie's Programming Page


Home
Links

Life Cycle Events

The 1999-2000 Programming theme is Life Cycle events.  Every Temple Youth Group should try to learn about the different rituals and customs surrounding a Jewish Life Cycle.  This learn about Life Cycle Events your TYG can do a variety of learning experiences.  Here are a few examples of what your TYG can do to learn about Life Cycle Events:

  • Program on Life Cycle Events

  • Do a Text Study on Life Cycle Events

  • Have a discussion on one custom involved in an aspect of a life cycle event. 

  • Have a guest speaker to talk about his/her life as a Jew.  This might be interesting in exploring the Jewish customs that people from other countries participate in. 

Here are some program ideas that might help your TYG start off in programming on life cycle events.  The most important thing is that your TYG learns something about life cycle events.  How they do that is up to you!!

Programming Ideas:

1)  Brit Milah
-Have the PP's Ger into groups of two.
-Have each pair work on a sock baby.
-Create a baby book with all the vital statistics.
-After the book is created the couple can discuss the ceremonial events such as the Brit Milah and the baby naming.
-Have the PP's discuss the background of each ceremony.

2)  Bar/Bat Mitzvah
-The PP's are involved in a mock Bar/Bat Mitzvah.  The Bar/Bat Mitzvah is focused on the party, money and presents rather then the ceremony.
-Have the PP's split into groups to try to fix what happened during the Bar/Bat Mitzvah.
-They can list what they would change.
-Then have the PP's discuss what Reform Jews can do in the future to help kids focus on the ceremony rather then the money.

3)  Marriage
-Is it our obligation to marry someone Jewish?
-Have the PP's write down what they look for in a partner.
-Have the PP's prioritize their list.
-Discussion

4)  Divorce
-Have a trial about Jewish grounds for divorce.
-The PP's can be involved in any part of the trial that the group leaders wish. 
-At the end of the trial the PP's break into groups and have a discussion.

5)  Death and Mourning
-The PP's rotate around to different skits dealing with the burial process.
-As the PP's are viewing the different rituals they are to write down their feelings on a piece of paper.
-Discussion