My Special Sister

by Noa Rubin for Fresh Ink for Teens   

I’m in awe of the intelligent and reflective young woman my little sister, who is autistic, has become.

“First you, Ron. Harry! Wait for Hermione!” my sister Naomi barked in a British accent while we waited in line for a waterslide. The other kids tried to go in front of us and she said, “No, sorry, but my wizard friends need to go first.” I apologized to the strangers and waited my turn. Later at the pool, a girl from the waterslide pointed to Naomi and whispered to her mother, “That’s the one who was talking to herself!”

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Telling the Teen Story: A guide to share with teens at Pesach

ReformJudaism.org
The Passover Seder is the ultimate educational experience. It is an interactive method of story-telling, a learning (and re-learning) of our people's ancient memory, and navigating through text and time and tradition to make that story our own.

Teenagers are an integral part of the Passover experience, bridging the children and the adults who can bring a unique perspective to any Seder. While they may be too old to be participating for the first time with fresh eyes, they are still questioning, struggling, and wrestling with the themes that we experience during Passover as they contemplate their own journey towards adulthood. Just as the Jews were redeemed from slavery and led into freedom, so too do we have an obligation to guide our teens towards their ultimate understanding of the journey towards adulthood. Teens have an obligation to make the Passover story their own, so they too can tell it for generations to come. We urge you to begin to see your teens as leaders capable of great understanding and even greater potential to embrace their Judaism and find new and innovative ways to make it relevant for us and for everyone at your Passover Seder.

Download this resource to engage in a dialogue with your teen, or as a starting point for them to lead a seder table discussion.

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How Not to Plan a Bar Mitzvah in 13 Easy Steps

By Stephanie D. Lewis for Kveller

By the time our fifth child was nearing the age for his bar mitzvah–Judaism’s traditional rite of passage–we decided to search for a more meaningful and less materialistic experience than our other four children had. You know, the synagogue ceremony (which many showed up late for or skipped altogether) followed by the huge dining/dancing affair (which put my large Jewish wedding to shame) in a social hall.

If this alternate idea sounds intriguing and you’re also looking to accomplish a similar goal, just follow these 13 simple steps.

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Israeli Intelligence

by: Bailey Frohlich for Fresh Ink for Teens

Facts for you to counteract myths about Israel.

I recently walked with my grandmother and sister down a main street in Bal Harbour, Fla. on the way to eat dinner at a local restaurant. Out of nowhere, a woman on a bicycle rode by us and screamed, “How could you support apartheid against Palestinians? It’s like the Holocaust over there!” To be honest, I didn’t process her words at first. Our modest attire of mid-length skirts and T-shirts did not automatically indicate we were Jewish or believers in Zionism, so why would she randomly shout the word “Holocaust” at us?

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