The Orange County Bureau of Jewish Education was organized in 1978 with one primary goal in mind: to provide transformative Jewish learning experiences for teenagers who were increasingly becoming disengaged from religious school after becoming a Bar or Bat Mitzvah.  The original program - Adat Noar, a community-wide program for 9th graders - was conceived and implemented in partnership with synagogues, parents, and the Jewish Federation.

Since then, Bureau programs have expanded to encompass high school students and pre-teens.  The Bureau now serves roughly 900 students each year in grades 3 through 12, and draws participants from Orange County, Long Beach, and the Inland Empire.  TALIT Nation is the core program for 9th-12th grade high school students, and the new Adat Noar program is offered to 8th graders.

Bureau programs are designed to cultivate Jewish pride, participation, and leadership.  Those who participate become part of their own Jewish community - a pluralistic community consisting of 100s of young people from many congregations, from all denominations, and from a widespread geography.

Our education and cabin staff are trained to create a fun, welcoming environment where youth can safely explore and make choices guided by their Jewish values.  Staff members act as strong positive Jewish role models, who exemplify the values and leadership traits being taught.

As a result of everything these programs embody, teens who graduate from TALIT Nation tell us they
LOVE BEING JEWISH.

While the religious and day schools in our community do an excellent job focusing on teaching Jewish history, culture, text, and religious customs, Bureau programs seek to supplement these with a menu of group experiences that bring Judaism to life.

Experiential learning combines carefully chosen experiences with a backdrop of core Jewish values.  Learners are engaged intellectually, socially, and physically in experiences that encourage curiosity, reflection, creativity, and the assumption of responsibility.  Staff members and peers encourage open dialog, exploration, respect, and a sense of joy in one another.

Our selection of appropriate learning environments and activities make the experiences meaningful and impactful.  These include:

• Camp - a beautiful Jewish camp setting for weekend retreats during the school year, remote and secure, where the community has a "home away from home"
• Youth Group - social activities held in a variety of locations throughout the region
• Social Action / Tikkun Olam - programs and events that focus on philanthropy and giving back to their community
• Israel - programs with Israeli themes, plus TIES - an amazing summer travel adventure to the holy land

For more information about the Bureau, click on any of the following:

• Staff Members - our backgrounds and information how to contact us
• The Bureau's Origin and History - written by our first staff member
• Board Members - our volunteer leadership