Children & teens are vital members of our community, and we want them to feel that NVHC is their synagogue too – a place where they feel safe, comfortable, and valued. We also want this to be a place where they can form their own Jewish community and have fun just being kids with their Jewish friends.

To help with that, we have three youth groups – Olim (Ascenders) for 3rd-5th graders, Chalutzim (Pioneers) for 6th & 7th graders, and NoVTY (Northern Virginia Temple Youth)/Tamid for 8th-12th graders. Our teens can also engage in Jewish life through a number of regional and national youth groups. Learn more about each below!

Want more information, have a question, or have a youth group program that you would like to make happen? Contact our Youth Engagement Coordinator.

  • Olim - 3rd-5th Grade

    We offer approximately four events throughout the year for 3rd-5th graders. These events are mostly social and give students an opportunity to build community with their peers outside of the more formal classroom setting. Past events include trips to a pumpkin patch, Fall Festival, Post-KL Recess, and more!

  • Chalutzim - 6th & 7th Grade

    We offer approximately four events throughout the year for 6th & 7th graders. These events are a chance to build community, have fun, and be introduced to “teenagerly” concepts at NVHC and beyond as they approach adolescence. Past events include a trip to TopGolf, Game Show Night, ice skating, and a B’nai Mitzvah Preview Party.

  • NoVTY/Tamid - 8th-12th Grade

    NoVTY, our youth group for 8th-12th graders, runs a wide variety of activities throughout the year, all planned by our teens in partnership with the Youth Engagement Coordinator. Past events include museum days, apple picking, shul-ins, a trip to King’s Dominion, and more! NoVTY is under the Tamid umbrella, although you don’t need to be registered for Tamid to attend NoVTY events.

    Regional & National Teen Youth Groups

    NVHC is part of three regional/national youth groups:

    NFTY-NOVA – NFTY-NOVA is a hyper-local youth group for teens from NVHC, Temple B’nai Shalom, Temple Rodef Shalom, and Beth El Hebrew Temple. Loosely affiliated with NFTY, delegates from each of these congregations meet monthly to create programming for all the Jewish teens in Northern Virginia, hosting two major events each year and several smaller ones in between. Email Emily Hummel at emily@nvhcreston.org to learn more and get involved!

    NFTY – NFTY is the Union for Reform Judaism’s national youth movement! NFTY offers a variety virtual and in-person teen experiences which serve as great opportunities to build friendships, explore teenage Judaism, and have a ton of fun. Click here to learn more about NFTY and click here or follow @nfty_mar on Instagram to keep up with our regional (NFTY-MAR, Mid-Atlantic Region) events.

    BBYO – B’nai B’rith Youth Organization is a global pluralistic Jewish youth group with regional and local chapters which host many events throughout the year. While NVHC is not formally affiliated with a particular chapter, many of our teens participate in BBYO and have an amazing time creating bonds and Jewish experiences with teens from around the world.

Upcoming Youth Group Events