Just as the journey of B’nei Mitzvah bridges a young person into Jewish adulthood, our 7th-grade program ushers students from our TK-6th Religious School into our Judea Teen Journeys (JTJ) program. Through a mix of formal & informal learning and social experiences, teens explore their Jewish identity and voice within the adult world they are entering.  

Our 7th Grade program focuses on fostering students’ sense of tikkun olam - the Jewish obligation to improve the world - and igniting their knowledge and passion around important social issues. Students will engage in social action, build relationships, and deepen their Jewish identities.  

Each unit will mix in-class learning with experiential education – whether from local experts, field trips, hands-on learning, or advocacy work. The year will conclude with students’ active participation in Temple Judea’s annual Mitzvah Day on Sunday, May 17th, 2026.  

Logistics: Unless otherwise noted, Sunday sessions run from 12:00-1:30 pm, and Wednesday sessions run from 6:30-8:00 pm. On Wednesdays, dinner is served from 6-6:30pm and on Sundays students will have lunch while learning. For offsite trips, we will reach out for drivers/chaperones.  

Unit 1 - Food Insecurity
Sunday, September 14th
Wednesday, September 17th

Unit 2 - Mental Health
Wednesday, October 8th
Sunday, October 26th
Wednesday, November 5th

Unit 3 - Civil Rights
Sunday, November 16th
Wednesday, December 3rd
Sunday, December 14th

Unit 4 - Disability Acceptance
Sunday, January 11th
Wednesday, January 21st

Unit 5 - LGBTQ+ Rights
Wednesday, February 4th
Sunday, February 22nd

Unit 6 - Antisemitism
Wednesday, March 4th
Sunday, March 15th

Unit 7 - Respect for Elders and Conclusion
Wednesday, April 15th
Sunday, April 26th

Unit 8 - Mitzvah Day and Conclusion
Wednesday, May 6th
Sunday, May 17th
Wednesday, May 20th: Last Day Celebration

Note:  

• Students can apply the hands-on learning hours to volunteer hours for school and/or towards their G’milut Chasadim pillar for B’nei Mitzvah.   

• The 7th-grade program is required to become a B’nei Mitzvah at Temple Judea. However, it does not include Hebrew learning, which is directly incorporated into the Beit Midrash preparation process.