'Heart, Mind and Soul' is program for Jewish teenagers
By Arie Staller
Oct 24, 2003--Today's adolescents face a variety of difficult challenges. Countless teens feel lost or confused during the transitional time of the teenage years. Drugs, alcohol, eating disorders, depression, criminal behavior, and even suicidal notions are rapidly plaguing Jewish youth. Throughout the last decade or so, the Jewish community has begun to address such issues rather than to deny that they exist.
"Every single Jewish teen knows someone with these problems," says Rabbi Shimmy Trencher, assistant regional director of New England Region National Conference of Synagogue Youth (NER NCSY). "Why should they struggle, if we can help them?"
To aid teenagers, Trencher has designed "Heart, Mind, and Soul," an organization "dedicated to helping Jewish teenagers reach their full potential through an understanding and appreciation of who they are," boasts the website created by Trencher.
With years of experience working with teens, especially at weekend retreats, Trencher noticed that many teens refuse to participate.
"They sit outside the program, and many of those kids are unhappy," reveals Trencher. "They are looking for something and don't know how to find it."
The plan expects to help teens by including a modified version of "Understanding Yourself and Others" (UYO), a course developed by Bill Riedler of Global Relationship Centers, Inc.
Global Relationship Centers, an international network of more than 60 centers worldwide, which to date has provided more than 100,000 unique learning experiences, has partnered with "Heart, Mind, and Soul" to bring this program to Jewish youth.
"This is something that gives youth the tools to communicate better," Trencher explains.
The program aims to help its participants learn to understand how they think, how they feel, and how to get what they want out of life. To do so, the course provides a safe environment where adolescents can express their emotions and still be accepted and not judged, because "every person wants nothing more than to be loved," avers Marc Geisler, clinical advisor to the program.
"This environment allows the teens to feel more comfortable looking within, and to develop the courage to take responsibility for their actions and their lives."
"You can tell kids, they're great, but that's not enough," says Trencher. With the aid of the course's instructors, Trencher is prepared to show teenagers that they do matter and that people care about them.
Staff for the modified UYO program consists of instructors who have received at least 1,000 hours of training and assistants who have taken the UYO course in the past.
"I walked away from UYO having achieved a greater self-appreciation," says Ariela Adler, NER NCSY staff coordinator and regional advisor. "It is a change in lifestylethere isn't a person out there who could not benefit from a course like this, specifically teenagers."
The assistants, many of whom are youth group advisors, will serve as supports and role models for the participants, both during and after the program.
To ensure the success of the program in a religious and spiritual environment, Rabbi Elie Weinstock has been appointed as Rabbinic Advisor to "Heart, Mind, and Soul," to aid in altering the program to fit in accordance with halachic (Jewish law) standards.
"I'm convinced in creating an environment for teens to grow mentally, religiously, and spiritually," asserts Weinstock. "It helps them work out issues, and maximize relationships with friends, family, and religion."
"It's more pressure, than simply peer pressure," explains Weinstock. "It's not easy to be a teen, everyone's in a rush to go from point A to point B."
The UYO weekend provides teens with a chance to slow down for a few days and to figure themselves out.
"They come out a lot happier," says Weinstock, "because it gives them an opportunity to recognize certain issues and come up with solutions."
In addition to benefiting adolescents, the course helps the UYO staff improve themselves.
"I gained a sense of happiness on a much deeper level than I have ever experienced before," affirms Adler. "A course like this would help them [teenagers] find clarity that would not only be the stepping stone to confidence, but also a lifetime of fulfillment."
Reprinted with permission. © 2003, The Jewish Ledger.