Our Community Teen Initiative

In February, the Lawrence Family JCC and Federation launched a community-wide teen initiative to connect the more than 7,000 Jewish high school students in San Diego to our Jewish community in ways that broaden and deepen their commitment to Jewish life. The Jewish Community Teen Initiative will become a collaborative effort among the Jewish Federation, JCC, synagogues, teen groups, JFS, Hillel, Camp Mountain Chai and every other organization that chooses to participate.

More than 160 Jewish teens from across the community joined together on March 14, 2014 at the Lawrence Family JCC for the first annual Shabbat 360 celebration, which included a traditional Shabbat meal. The night opened with the traditional Shabbat blessings over the candles, wine and challah, and followed by a delicious meal. Participants were then treated to a magician and improv show to conclude the evening.

On April 6, the teens will gather again for JServe, a day of service. With the guidance of a new community teen advisory council and staff of the JCC, Federation, synagogues, and other community organizations and agencies, the initiative will endeavor to break new ground in engaging San Diego teens and raise the necessary money to support that effort.

Ultimately, the initiative will strengthen the San Diego Jewish teen community, encourage more involvement in teen synagogue programs, and solidify the Jewish community as a whole, by expanding outreach to all teens countywide.