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Teenagers and the Synagogue
In many congregations, teenagers drift away. Once the Bar or Bat Mitzvah is done, there is a feeling of ‘mission accomplished.’ The big party is over, the Torah portion has been read. Hebrew school and/or layning lessons are complete.
 
Naturally, synagogues want to keep their teenagers involved - and offer a variety of classes, youth groups, trips, etc. to engage them. A web site can be an excellent addition to any teen program.

Keep in mind that teens create online content. A lot.*:

    * Of the 93% that are online, 64% of them have created content online.
    * 39% of online teens share their creations online.
    * 33% create or work on others’ blogs or web sites, be it for friends, groups they belong to, or classroom assignments.
    * 28% have created their own blog.
    * 27% have a personal web site.
    * 55% have created a social networking profile at sites like Facebook and MySpace.
    * 47% have uploaded photos.
    * 14% have posted video online.

What does this mean for the synagogue? Teenagers aren’t passive readers. They need places to talk, to post, to communicate. The teen section of a synagogue website provides that. Was there a teen trip to Israel? - Let them post pictures and video. Set up a forum. The director of the youth group might have a blog.

With teenagers, it’s important not to condescend. And you need to provide teenagers with some control over content. That doesn’t mean you can’t moderate - make clear at the beginning what is and what is not appropriate, and step in when needed. You may want to appoint a teen moderator - who has an adult he or she can turn to if needed.

Consider requiring a log in for the teen section of the site, for security. You can allow self-registration, or approve users individually as they sign up.

If there are several synagogues in the area, you may want to collaborate on a teen site. It could include information from all the local programs - educational information, calendars, etc. as well as user generated content.

*Source: Pew Internet & American Life Project

 

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3.25 Copyright (C) 2007 Alain Georgette / Copyright (C) 2006 Frantisek Hliva. All rights reserved."