JOLT (Jewish Opportunities and Learning for Teens) is gearing up for the start of the school year, which will include new, monthly special events in addition to its trimester-long courses.

New this year are individual “Beyond the Classroom” events for all teens, JOLT participants and youth groups. The first event is from 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 7 at the Harvey Kornblum Jewish Food Pantry, 10601 Baur Boulevard. RSVPs are encouraged. On Wednesday, Oct. 29, participants can sign-up to attend the performance of “The Diary of Anne Frank” at the New Jewish Theatre. “Beyond the Classroom” experiences are planned monthly through April and include community service, cultural and educational opportunities.

JOLT will kick off the year with “Roll Out” Your JOLT Journey on Thursday, Aug. 28 at Traditional Congregation, 12437 Ladue Road. Teens can enjoy pizza and a Challah Make and Take, learning to make and braid challah from scratch. Dinner will be served from 6 to 6:30 p.m., followed by challah baking, ending at 8:30. Participants will also have time to learn about JOLT course offerings for the year.

JOLT begins its first trimester of courses and optional dinner with time to socialize on Thursday nights starting Sept. 4. The courses are for teens in grades eight through 12. New classes include:

• Cooking it Up Israeli — preparing popular Israeli cuisine

• This I Believe — using the NPR book as a springboard, exploring personal beliefs and constructing essays 

• True or False: Good Character Matters — discover the “real” you through Jewish traditions and texts while searching for relevance in everyday personal interactions

• Pop Culture: Everything Old is New Again — learning how popular movies and TV shows resonates with Jewish traditions, texts and ideas

• Jewish Impact on American History — gaining insight into famous Jews in our society and culture

Returning classes are  Jews “R” News, Israel through Cinema, Teens Take Action, Strong Girls-Healthy Relationships and Understanding the Holocaust through Film.

The first trimester includes eight sessions on Thursday nights from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. A dinner option is available at 6 p.m. Participants may register before or on the first night of classes Sept. 4. Pre-registration is encouraged to guarantee class choice. Course descriptions and registration form are available at www.cajestl.org or contact JOLT Director Maxine Weil at 314-442-3757 or [email protected].