Sex-Ed Lockdown
Remember your old Hebrew school curriculum: Jewish ethics, Jewish history, Jewish laws and customs, Talmud Studies, Jewish sex? …Jewish sex? Right, there was no Jewish sex.
But this past weekend, Houston-area high schoolers had the rare opportunity to talk shop — that is, talk sex — from a Jewish perspective. The overnight retreat, “There’s Only 1U,” which was billed as “the sexuality and Jewish crash course,” was created by Rabbi Amy Weiss as a way of applying Jewish values to basic sex education.
Held at the Houston Hillel, the event was lock-in style – guys on one floor, girls on another – and included off-beat educational tools, like a “South Park” sex-ed episode, to get the conversation flowing.
Jewish mothers have that “my kid doesn’t do that”-type of attitude, Weiss, the executive director of the Initiative for Jewish Women told Houston area blog Believe It Or Not, but such is not the case according to an Atlantic Monthly article, which cited a trend of kids having oral sex at bar mitzvahs.
Now that’s disturbing.
I’m personally matching all gifts to the Forward, up to $36,000. Can I match your gift now?
Hello, fellow Forward reader! I’m Joel Brown, a Forward reader and supporter for more than 15 years, and currently the chair of the board of directors.
I’m an avid Forward reader because it ticks so many of my essential boxes: excellent journalism, Jewish focus and diverse viewpoints. In today’s political climate, what I most appreciate is the Forward’s independence — made possible by the generosity of its membership.
The Forward is committed to bringing you unbiased, nuanced Jewish news. From my position as board chair, I see an exciting future as we expand our position as the definitive independent voice of contemporary American Judaism.
— Joel Brown, Forward board chair
Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
