Pathways

Weekly 8th-12th Grade

Mondays from 6:00-7:30pm

• Class from 6:00-7:00pm (8th Grade meets by themselves from September to December, then joins our 9th-12th Grade cohort in January)
• Community teen dinner from 7:00-7:30pm 
• TaSTY (youth group) from 7:30-8:30pm (8th graders are invited beginning in January)

Core Learning from 6:00-7:00pm

After their B’nei Mitzvah, our young teens embark on an educational and fun journey to explore what it means to be a Jew today. Every Monday from 6:00-7:00pm, teens learn with our full-time team of educators and clergy to better understand how Judaism can inform their place in the world. From enduring questions like, “What does all of this have to do with me?” to exploring the rich history of the Jewish people through food, from bettering our social-emotional health to developing deeper connections with Israel, our sessions allow teens to explore rich and meaningful topics!  

Dinner from 7:00-7:30pm

All 7th-12th graders are invited to gather for a communal teen dinner. Menus rotate each week, with past options including the following: “breakfast for dinner,” sushi, pizza/pasta/salad, Chinese, BBQ, Mexican, and Israeli/Mediterranean food. All dietary restrictions which we know about in advance will be met.

TaSTY from 7:30-8:30pm

Our teen youth group is called TaSTY – Temple Shaaray Tefila Youth. Led by the teen-elected TaSTY Board, TaSTY offers social programs and holiday celebrations open to all Pathways teens. Each week, teens gather to hang out and relax over crafts, “minute to win it” games, and stress-relieving activities. TaSTY also sponsors a handful of social and service-oriented activities throughout the year.

Teaching Assistants (TAs) work as a team, with guidance from the Religious School teaching staff, to assist students from Kindergarten to 6th Grade in their Jewish learning and one-on-one Hebrew study. TAs earn community service hours for their time spent learning and growing professional skills during either Sunday (9:00-11:30am) or Monday (4:00-6:00pm) Religious School. TAs engage in an initial application process to identify their strengths and growing edges, followed by an orientation and then ongoing professional learning. 

Shir Leadership is our exclusively teen choir. Teens train with Senior Cantor Kipnis to learn unique pieces of music and prayers, gain valuable experience as music and worship leaders, and find inspiration from the prayers and melodies they perform. Teens rehearse on select Monday evenings during Pathways (6:00-7:00pm) as one of their Pathways choices, and perform at services and events throughout the year. If you are interested in joining Shir Leadership, please reach out to Cantor Kipnis!

(additional fees are required)

A cornerstone of the Temple Shaaray Tefila teen experience is our Jewish immersive teen travel oppourtunities. Each year, there is a Pathways trip available for each grade to visit somewhere meaningful and unique. All trips include elements of Jewish learning, community service, sightseeing, and free time. For many trips, there are pre-trip and post-trip learning sessions to deepen the trip experiences. Space is limited for all trips, and additional fees and registration are required to participate. There may also be additional permission forms and releases to fill out for trips. In 2026-2027, our trips include:

8th & 9th Grades: Service Learning Seminar in Detroit

February 12-15, 2027

At a moment when so much communication happens through screens, headlines, and soundbites, this immersive experience invites teens to slow down, listen deeply, and practice meaningful dialogue across differences. Through conversations with community leaders, peers, and changemakers across Detroit’s diverse cultural, religious, and political communities, students will build real-world skills in leadership, listening, civil discourse, and respectful disagreement. Visit some of the city’s key sites like the Motown Museum while also engaging in hands-on service learning, gives students the opportunity not only to talk about community responsibility but to actively contribute to it.  Rooted in Jewish values and designed especially for teens, this experience will challenge participants to think deeply, ask better questions, and discover how disagreement can lead to growth rather than division.  

9th-12th Grades: The Religious Action Center (RAC), Washington, DC

February 5-8, 2027

9th-12th Graders take a transformative trip to Washington D.C. where they learn how Jewish values and political processes intersect in the halls of Congress. Our teens spend a weekend with Jewish lobbyists to learn how the many Judaic principles and morals that they have learned after years in our Religious School are translated into legislative proposals and documents. There will be opportunities to sightsee around DC, including the United States Holocaust Museum and other key sights, then participants will pick an issue they care deeply about and craft a lobby speech that integrates key legislation with their own passions to deliver to our elected leaders on Capitol Hill!

10th-12th Grades: Jewish Heritage Seminar in Rome

February 11-16, 2027

At a moment when many Jewish teens are asking deeper questions about identity, belonging, antisemitism, resilience, and what it means to be part of the Jewish story, Rome offers a powerful living classroom.  Standing beneath the Arch of Titus, exploring the ancient Jewish ghetto, and engaging with one of the oldest continuous Jewish communities in the world, participants will deepen their connection to Jewish history, peoplehood, and community while reflecting on what it means to carry Jewish life forward today.  Alongside immersive cultural experiences, iconic historic sites, authentic Italian cuisine, service opportunities, and time to build lasting friendships, teens will grow as thoughtful, confident Jewish leaders through an experience designed not only to deepen their understanding of Jewish history but also strengthen their sense of pride, purpose, and place within the Jewish future.

Teens can register for one of the options below:

Pathways ALL

Program includes all options listed above
Cost: $1,250

Pathways Teaching Assistant (TA) Only

Cost: $1,150

Pathways Travel Experiences Only

Cost: $750

Enrollment in Temple Shaaray Tefila Religious School and Pathways is available to member families in good standing.If you are not current in any of your Temple financial obligations, we cannot process your registration and we will not hold a spot for your child until you are in good standing. It is our policy that all fees need to be paid prior to the first day of school. Students will not be allowed to start Religious School until full payment is received. If you have any questions about this, please contact Amy Schwach, our Executive Director, by email at aschwach@tstnyc.org or by phone at (212) 535-8225.

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Please do not hesitate to call us in the Religious School office at (212) 535-0912 or email us at RSEnrollment@tstnyc.org. We look forward to getting to know you and developing relationships with each of you during the year.