Do not judge by the vessel but by what it contains. — Mishna, Pirkei Avot 4:27. In my flesh, I see God. — Job 19:26. Session Summary: In this session, we address Jewish male body image and male body image in general. The number of teen males dissatisfied with their bodies has tripled over the…
My God, guard my tongue from evil. — from the Siddur (based on Ps. 34:14) Session Summary: From the first chapter of Genesis (“God said, ‘Let there be light!'”) to the nine little Aramaic words that create a newly married couple, Jewish tradition is full of examples of the power of words to create and…
Who is rich? The one who is happy with their portion. — Pirkei Avot. Summary: Many teen boys fantasize about becoming men like Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk, or other billionaires—or at least they contemplate what it would be like to have a couple hundred million like LeBron James. Jewish tradition values wealth as…
Make for yourself a teacher, acquire for yourself a friend. — Pirkei Avot 1:6. Objectives: By the end of the session, participants will be able to: Identify the messages that media, society, and Judaism send about male friendships; Describe characteristics of healthy and supportive friendships; Describe the role of a friend and why it is important…
A person’s life has three phases: the phase when their body develops, the phase when their thought develops, and the phase when their deeds develop. — Tikkune Zohar, Tikku, 19, 67a. Introduction: Maimonides believed that internal balance was essential for living a healthy and fulfilling life. That is, a person must take care of their…
The Jewish religion existed for the Jewish people and not the Jewish people for the Jewish religion. — Mordecai Kaplan. Introduction: Rabbi Mordecai Kaplan, one of the most important Jewish thinkers of the 20th century, wrote that there are many ways to be Jewish. Some boys might value the ritual of lighting candles on Shabbat,…
Goals: Help the guys understand why people feel uncomfortable talking about money. Help them connect to Jewish ethics around money, particularly around fairness, clarity in transactions involving money, and the imperative to give. Give them an experience of community giving—namely a tzedaka activity that is focused on poverty and how to address it with philanthropy.
“Hundreds of guys have experienced Shevet as a lot of fun and a really safe and special place to be. In the next few sessions we are going to be talking about some sensitive or serious topics. To make sure that this group is the best it can be, and that everyone feels comfortable here,…
Objectives: To identify positive physical contact and risky, potentially harmful physical contact with others. To describe the way that discussion around sexuality is “gendered” in different ways. To explain the underlying issues regarding sexual consent, particularly addressing foreplay and the initial steps of a sexual encounter.
Objectives: To identify and discuss different ways that men and women are portrayed in various cultural media and different ideas that boys have about relationships and what is attractive, sexy, desirable, natural, and healthy. To make space for boys to talk about and reflect on the ways that boys are “set up” and offered a…
