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About JEMS
JEMS (Jewish Middle Schoolers) is a youth group created to engage Jewish youth in their community and connect them with peers at a critical time when many tend to pull away from their Jewish identity.
As many North American Jewish communities are aware, there is a significant drop in participation in Jewish activities following Bar and Bat Mitzvahs. This is true even for families already connected to their Jewish community. But there are countless families with no community affiliation, whose children may have little or no interaction with other Jewish youth. Unfortunately, as a collective Jewish community, we have not done enough to change this.
The desire to "blend in" with non-Jewish friends and activities is especially strong among youth living outside major Jewish centers. This sense of isolation intensifies during adolescence, a time when being different can feel challenging rather than special. With anti-Semitism on the rise, our youth need each other now more than ever.
However, most opportunities for Jewish youth to gather or support each other start in high school, which is too late, or are cost-prohibitive or restricted to those affiliated with major Jewish organizations.
At JEMS, we take a “big tent” approach to Judaism. The only membership requirement is that you identify as Jewish. We aim to bring Jewish youth together, breaking down the barriers that often divide us.
The Joke That Speaks the Truth
When I was a kid, I heard a joke:
A rabbi arrives at the temple one morning and sees a pest exterminator and the temple president standing outside, looking frustrated. The rabbi asks, “What’s going on?”
“We have a mouse infestation,” replies the temple president. “They were probably drawn in by leftover challah crumbs from last night’s shabbat. We’ve tried every humane way possible to get rid of them, but nothing has worked.”
The rabbi strokes his beard. “Tried everything, huh?” Without another word, he walks up the front steps. Several minutes later, the door opens, and dozens of mice stream out of the temple, never to return.
“It’s a miracle!” exclaims the president. “How did you do it?”
The rabbi, stroking his beard, replies, “Simple. I gave them all Bar Mitzvahs!”
Though funny, this joke also points to a sad truth. Too often, Jewish youth drift away after their Bar Mitzvahs, never fully returning to their community.
Who JEMS Is For
JEMS is not for everyone. If you judge other Jews for being too religious or not religious enough, for being too liberal or too conservative, or because their last name or heritage isn’t “Jewish enough,” JEMS might not be the right group for you.
However, if you genuinely want to connect with other Jewish youth, have fun, make a difference in each other’s lives, and build lifelong friendships, then JEMS is for you.
You belong here.
The JEMS 4 Pillars
By far, the most important function of JEMS is to connect our Jewish Middle Schoolers and help them foster community and friendship with their peers. A very close second function is to simply have fun. However, nobody ever said that fun activities can't be infused with continual opportunities for personal growth. As such, all JEMS activities are structured around one or more of our Four Pillars which are designed to help each of our Jewish Middle Schoolers be the best version of themselves.
