BMR ACTIVE LEARNING NETWORK: ASSIGNMENT #2 V ALUE T ENSIONS GOALS: •
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Identify and explore value tensions relating to b’nai mitzvah that live in your congregation. Imagine programs/policies/rituals that might live in the intersection of the values. WHAT:
A 1.5-­‐hour meeting with your B’nai Mitzvah Revolution Action Learning Network team
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Welcome -­‐ 5 minutes Review -­‐ 10 minutes Value Tensions discussion – 60 minutes Wrap-­‐up -­‐ 10 minutes Next steps – 5 minutes ACTIVITIES:
1. Prior to the meeting, encourage all team members to watch Webinar #2 featuring Dr. Isa Aron on the BMR website and to spend time with the Theory of Change, available as a Prezi and narrative document on the BMR website, http://www.bnaimitzvahrevolution.org/changetheory 2. Review the Theory of Change and the idea of Value Tensions 3. Discuss the 3 questions relating to Value Tensions 4. Wrap-­‐up WELCOME (5 MINUTES)
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Welcome and thank everyone for participating. Give an overview of this meeting and the work to be done by the May 13 due date REVIEW (10 MINUTES) As a group, review the B’nai Mitzvah Revolution Theory of Change. What stood out for you about this idea? What do you think is important for your group to keep in mind as you continue this work? B’nai Mitzvah Revolution is a joint project of the Union for Reform Judaism’s
Campaign for Youth Engagement and Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of
Religion and its Experiment in Congregational Education (ECE).
VALUE TENSIONS (60 MINUTES) As a group, discuss the questions below. You may want to post a large image of a Venn diagram to use as a visual organizer. A few possible ways to organize the discussion: • The whole group works together on one of the value tensions. If there is time and interest, do another value tension. • Work in small groups, or pairs, all on the same value tension. Be sure to plan time to gather the whole group to share ideas. • Work in small groups, or pairs, each with a different value tension. Be sure to plan time to gather the whole group to share ideas. The B’nai Mitzvah Revolution staff suggested the following possible value tensions. You may identify others as you see them in your community-­‐-­‐ feel free to add them to the chart. Value
Value
Needs/interests of the early adolescent
Demands of the tradition
Community Prayer
Private ceremony (Family event)
Keva (traditional liturgy)
Kavannah (meaning and individuality
Desires/values of the family
Desires/values of the community
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: 1. Which value tensions are most “live” in your congregation? Which served as the impetus for change? 2. What are some concrete examples of how these tensions play themselves out in your current practices regarding b’nai mitzvah? 3. What new programs / policies /rituals can you imagine in the intersection of these circles? Which of these are big and ambitious, and might take several years to realize? Which might be started next year? Keep in mind this is a brainstorming exercise; we urge you not to make any decisions at this point. Based on experience, we expect that your ideas for experimentation will continue to develop as you go back and forth for a while in the Visioning and Planning for Experimentation stages. We urge you to keep this conversation fluid before deciding on an experiment. The next webinar, in May, will focus on Community Engagement, which will move you further towards experimentation decisions. B’nai Mitzvah Revolution is a joint project of the Union for Reform Judaism’s
Campaign for Youth Engagement and Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of
Religion and its Experiment in Congregational Education (ECE).
WRAP-­‐UP (10 MINUTES)
Invite everyone to reflect on the meeting by sharing something about the discussion that they want to discuss with someone not present. What will you say to someone who asks “What was your meeting about?”
NEXT STEPS (5 MINUTES)
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Submit idea(s) to info@bnaimitzvahrevolution.org by May 13. Use the template on the website. Meet again to offer our feedback to another congregation’s idea(s) BMR Active Learning Network Webinar #3 on Community Engagement May 23, 2013 Thank You! B’nai Mitzvah Revolution is a joint project of the Union for Reform Judaism’s
Campaign for Youth Engagement and Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of
Religion and its Experiment in Congregational Education (ECE).