Confirmation marks a young adult’s affirmation of his or her Jewish identity. Confirmation takes place at the end of 10th grade, after students spend a year of intensive classroom study with our clergy striving to define their personal Jewish philosophy and theology. Students in the confirmation class discuss and debate Jewish social ethics and values and consider how these apply to contemporary issues. They also look at issues of identity, sexual values, antisemitism, and mixed marriage, and read sections of Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, Ruth, and Esther.

A highlight of the confirmation year is a trip to Washington, D.C. to the Reform Movement’s Religious Action Center, where students learn about social justice, lobbying, and the Reform Movement’s positions on political issues. confirmands celebrate their commitment to Jewish life by creating a special Confirmation service held on Erev Shavuot.