Heritage Florida Jewish News - Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice

Thirteen teens were selected to be a part of Orlando's J-Serve Teen Task Force 2014-2015. The Teen Task Force is a unique leadership opportunity for Jewish teens in grades eight through 12 to plan the community's annual J-Serve day of teen community service. These teens have a desire to plan and lead their peers through community service, representing all local Jewish youth groups.

The team members are: Hannah Fenster (senior at Lake Brantley High School), Jonah Goldberg (junior at Lake Mary Prep), Jordan Harris (8th grader at Jewish Academy of Orlando), Taylor Harris (junior at Virtual School), Jonathan Hefley (sophomore at Seminole High School), Rebecca Michel (sophomore at Winter Park High School), Sarah Michel (senior at Winter Park High School), Daniel Perreault (junior at Lake Highland Prep), Dana Samelson (senior at Lake Howell High School), Danielle Samelson (senior at Lake Howell High School), Emily Weinstein (junior at Lake Brantley High School), Hannah Wieselthier (senior at Lyman High School), and Zachary Wieselthier (senior at Lyman High School).

The first Teen Task Force meeting was held on Sept. 10 at the Roth Jewish Community Center of Greater Orlando. The meeting focused on creating a team out of the new group, sharing ideas, answering questions, and even included a short color war activity!

"At the first meeting, we got to know each other through many different icebreaker activities. I'm excited to work with a group that loves community service as much as I do," said Taylor Harris.

The beginning months of planning for the April 12 J-Serve event will focus on teambuilding, selecting a theme and creating an action plan. The Task Force will work together on all aspects of event planning from marketing to fundraising and outreach to programming. Local Jewish professionals will come to Task Force meetings to share their expertise. The guest educator for the November meeting is Amy Geboff, director of Youth and Family Education at Congregation Ohev Shalom. In December, Dr. Sheryl Sacharoff, director of education at Congregation of Reform Judaism, will lead a learning session for the Task Force.

J-Serve is the International Day of Jewish Youth Service, held on April 12, 2015. J-Serve provides teens with the opportunity to fulfill the Jewish values of gemilut chasidim, acts of loving kindness, tzedakah, just and charitable giving, and tikkun olam, the responsibility to repair the world. Across the globe, teens will join together to make their community and the world a better place. For more information, contact Robby Etzkin at RobbyE@orlandojcc.org.