Our youth groups are an important part of our educational program at Congregation Beth Shalom. Youth groups provide an opportunity for socialization within a Jewish context. We are members of the Pinwheel (Pacific Northwest) Region of United Synagogue Youth, encompassing Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Alberta, and British Columbia. Youth Group Membership is included in Religious School and Prozdor for grades 2nd-7th.
We offer four youth groups based on grade.
Matanot – For youth grades 2nd and 3rd. This group holds one event per month. Events include activities such as Shabbat dinners, a Chocolate Seder, and mini-golf.
Chaverim – For youth grades 4th and 5th. This group holds one event per month. Events include improv, laser tag, board games, ice cream parties, and volunteering.
Kadima – For youth grades 6th-8th. This group holds 1-2 events per month and participates in the Regional Shabbaton at Camp Solomon Schechter. Post B’nai Mitzvah students may also attend the monthly USY Youth Minyan. Events include Masterchef Jewnior, Israeli Movie Nights, and Kadima only Shabbat dinners.
USY (United Synagogue Youth) – For youth grades 9th-12th. Regular events for this group include a monthly youth minyan, board meetings, participation in Regional and International programs, and other social and religious events. Popular events include: Into the Night, Havdallah, Movie Nights, and more!Follow our USY Chapter, Seattle Nimratz, on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/seattlenimratz/
Meet 2018-2019 Youth Group Advisers!
 | Noah is excited to be your Kadima Adviser for the coming year! Noah is originally from Texas (coincidentally attending a different synagogue called Beth Shalom there) and was Bar Mitzvahed in Idaho. He currently studies space, brains, and the Middle East but mostly he just likes to read. He’s looking forward to having tons of fun with our 6th to 8th graders all year long, making sure to set a new record for the most-fun-had by any Kadima group in recorded history. |
 | Noam is the CBS 2018-2019 shinshinit and Co-adviser for both Kadima and USY! Noam has 3 sisters, she is the second one. She is from a small town next to Beer Sheva named Omer and she is a counselor at the Israeli Scouts. Her major in high school is Chemistry and she loves traveling and running in her free time. You can contact Noam by clicking here! |
 | Joel is our USY Advisor! Joel is a recent graduate of the University of Oregon where he studied Planning, Public Policy, and Management. He has worked at Camp Solomon Schechter for the last 6 years and was a camper there for 8 years. While he studied in Oregon he was very active in the Jewish and Pro-Israel communities. He hopes he can use the knowledge he learned throughout his time in college and at Camp Solomon Schechter to enrich the Seattle Jewish Community. He is excited to be working with the USY chapter at Beth Shalom and share his experiences |
Beth Shalom Youth Groups require a yearly registration and membership fee. Here are the prices for each of the youth groups 2018-2019:
| Youth Group | Membership Fee |
| Matanot (2nd & 3rd Grade) | $50 |
| Chaverim (4th & 5th Grade) | $50 |
| Kadima (6th-8th Grade) | $60 |
| USY (9th-12th Grade) | $110 |
For overall youth department questions, please contact Rachel Wachtel, Director of Education by email.
