This year 7th grade will formally meet on 6 Sundays. However, students will have the unique opportunity to complement their Wednesday learning with guest speakers at our Sunday adult education classes, exploring themes of racism, social justice and equity. The “Blacks and Jews” class will extend student learning on the topic of the civil rights movement and the rise of Tikkun Olam and social action as a central tenet of reform Judaism. Students are invited to attend the sessions, on 10/28 and 11/18. On 12/16 families will participate in a 7th grade brunch family education session with Rabbi Cari. She will talk about Jewish values as an interactive way to build Jewish identity. From January 6th through February 10th, students will explore Mussar for teens with 5th year rabbinic student Mimi Micner. Mussar is a Jewish spiritual technology designed to help us as individuals, and our Jewish community, embody the highest ethical ideals of the Torah in service of the ultimate perfection of the world. In this mod, we will learn the basic ideas of Mussar and work on a few "soul traits", such as patience, humility, and honor.