Posted on July 29, 2013
According to a recent article in The Marshall Memo, research has found that societies in which teenagers are engaged and encouraged to participate with adults in adult-like work and issues have less teenage apathy and rebelliousness. The research points out different ways in which to help adolescents deal with the stage of being “almost adults, but not quite adults yet,” which can be very frustrating for many teenagers.
This is a very thought-provoking idea that prompts us to consider what else we could do to engage our teenagers and get them more involved in real-life Jewish issues. Involving them in chesed, tzedakah and tikkun olam is one idea but in addition to having them volunteer in soup kitchens or visit nursing homes and showing teenagers that they are taken seriously and can have a positive effect on the world we need to empower them to address real issues and effectuate change. I welcome your thoughts and ideas on this subject.
