New Temple Chai staffer focuses on youth

Scott Goode is the new assistant director of education, youth and engagement at Temple Chai, a reform Jewish congregation in Long Grove. He will work with Laura Siegel Perpinyal, the temple's director of congregational learning, and focus on the temple's youth activities, including its youth groups.

"Temple youth groups take Judaism beyond the sanctuary and classroom and enable group members to embrace their Jewish identity in a welcoming, inclusive and relaxed social and cultural environment," said Goode.

"Youth groups are small enclaves within a large congregation and are designed to build lasting relationships."

Goode said that Temple Chai has five youth groups and each crafts and re-crafts programs to engage its members. Chalutzim, the group for first- and second-graders, features pizza parties with games and opportunities to explore the temple sanctuary, library and kitchen and to meet clergy, staff and older youth group leaders.

Club 345 has sponsored nature walks with bonfires and sledding with hot chocolate for third-graders and sleepovers at the temple and BBQs for fourth- and fifth-graders.

Middle school students in Junior Champy enjoy participating with other Chicago area youth groups in joint programs.

The high school group, Champy, has a student board that plans and implements its activities. Champy members have helped at Temple Chai events, including its annual Purim carnival, volunteered at nursing homes and served as board members for the National Federation of Temple Youth.

In the family group Mishpacha, parents, grandparents, and preschool children work as a team on family-orientated projects.

Youth group programs following Shabbat are often concluded by a brief Havdalah service.

"Havdalah is a time to pause and reflect on the week that has passed and to open ourselves to the week that will follow," said Goode

Goode recognizes that temple youth groups face competition from junior high and high school activities.

"The key for maintaining flourishing youth groups at Temple Chai is to continually invite middle school and high school students and parents of younger children to tell us what kind of programs they want," he said.

"We must listen to what they tell us and then be flexible in scheduling those types of events to achieve maximum participation."

Goode will continue to give high school students a sense of ownership in their group by encouraging them to initiate their own programs. In addition to working with Temple Chai's youth groups, Goode will head up the temple's Madrichim program, where teens tutor younger children in the temple's religious and Hebrew schools, act as song leaders, create art projects, and assist office staff.

"My goal for the youth groups and Madrichim is to foster an atmosphere where there is a feeling of immediate accomplishment and where new friends can be made and old friends retained," said Goode.

"Thriving youth activities at Temple Chai reward their participants with cherished memories and ensure the continuing vitality of the temple."

Goode grew up in Deerfield, where he played football and wrestled at Deerfield High School. He earned a geology degree at the University of Illinois because at one time he "wanted to travel and play in the dirt."

He has a teaching certificate in earth and environmental science and experience as a youth group leader and as a teacher for the Adventure Rabbi Program for six years. He and his wife Rachel have a daughter, Lyla.

When he is not at Temple Chai, Goode enjoys outdoor activities such as hiking, bicycling, and camping. He roots for both the Cubs and Sox, but is loyal to the Cubs when the teams play a city series.

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