Thirty-nine students graduate from CAJE's Hebrew High School

The Colorado Agency for Jewish Education (CAJE) held Commencement ceremonies for 39 graduates on Monday, May 1 at 7 p.m. at RMHA Upper School on the Denver Campus for Jewish Education.

“Hebrew High,” a program of CAJE, offers a variety of formal classes and informal opportunities for nearly 400 Jewish teenagers from 33 different public and private high schools. Each week, the teens gather at one of many campuses and satellite locations in Denver or Boulder to study, explore and connect with their heritage and with each other in an atmosphere of friendship, inclusion, and commitment to Jewish values and traditions.

The class of 2006 included students from B’nai Havurah, BMH-BJ, Bonai Shalom, Hebrew Educational Alliance, Har HaShem, Kohelet, Rodef Shalom, Congregation Emanuel, and Temple Sinai, as well as students not affiliated with a congregation.

The ceremony, with the theme of “We Came as Many, and We Leave as One,” featured the talent of these teenagers, including a performance by Hebrew High’s own Klez Garage Band, and a video featuring the graduates.

“This year’s graduating class chose a theme that says it all – we came as many, we leave as one,” says Denver Hebrew High Principal Steven Glickman. “This is the mission of Jewish education, and these students typify the unity we strive to encourage among Jewish young people. It has been an honor and privilege to serve Hebrew High for the past seven years, and looking at the Class of ’06, I am once again inspired by our community’s future leaders.”

Jacqueline Sprinces Wong, principal of Boulder Hebrew High, reflects, “There are so many extra curricular activities on teenagers’ plates these days – above and beyond school work – I am simply in awe of those who have chosen to make Jewish education a priority for themselves. I hope that they keep Judaism close to their hearts as they continue their journey in life. ”

As seniors, Hebrew High students studied a range a topics, from the life and teachings of the Baal Shem Tov to Jewish life on campus. They worked with many guest speakers, wrestled with texts, and generated wonderful social energy.