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Beth Emeth has active youth groups: BESTY (Beth Emeth Senior Temple Youth) -(9th through 12th grades), JR. BESTY (6th through 8th grades) Etc. (4th through 5th grades), and ITYGA  (K through 3rd grades)

Beth Emeth Youth Trip to Washington

  "Get up, stand up- stand up for your rights. Get up, stand up- don't give up the fight." Bob Marley

Who would have thought that these words, written before any of us were born by a Jamaican reggae legend, would define the shenanigans of a 4-day-long convention of hundreds of Jewish high-school students. But really, Bob Marley could have been speaking into the coordinator's ears. During L'Taken (to repair), an intensive social action seminar in Washington D.C. (Dec. 12-15), we had the opportunity to do just that- stand up and "fight" for what we care about.

  Thirteen Beth Emeth youth group members attended L'Taken. We spent the weekend learning about the Union for Reform Judaism's political arm, the Religious Action Center. The Religious Action Center defines the URJ's position on topics ranging from Israel to homelessness to Darfur to campaign finance reform. We participated in simulations to learn the lobbying process, and chose one area to focus on- the four topics that Beth Emeth students chose were children's hunger/nutrition, reproductive rights, the genocide in Darfur, and LGBT rights.

  We spoke to members of Senator Biden's, Senator Carper's, and Representative Castle's staff. (We even got to take pictures in VP-Elect Biden's office!) The staffers seemed to really appreciate our speeches and the effort we had put into them. We told them about specific bills relating to our topic, and asked them to consider cosponsoring them when Congress reconvenes next term.

  This amazing opportunity wouldn't have been possible without the support of the Beth Emeth Sisterhood and Beth Emeth Scholarship Committee. On behalf of the whole youth group, I'd like to thank them for giving us this chance, and Shoshana Rosen and Erica Goldberg for organizing and chaperoning this trip.

And in the words of Matisyahu, a Hebrew rapper, "Young man, the power's in your hand, slam your fist on the table and make your demands."

- Becca Caspar-Johnson