This year Ma’ayanot is celebrating literature with a schoolwide Book Day whose theme is “Growing Up.” Students chose from a variety of sessions connected to this theme and explored adolescence from two perspectives. The first was growing up from a Torah perspective which included topics such as “Is there a Jewish Approach to Choosing a Profession?,” “The Holiness of the Rebellious Teen,” “Who am I? How Telling Our Family Stories Impacts Who We Become” and many more. The second focus highlighted the adolescent narratives of American literature and media with sessions such as “Youth Protest and Civil Rights—From Birmingham to Today,” “Growing Up as a Theme in Literature,” “Are Young People Portrayed Fairly in the Media? A Deeper Dive” and more. The day culminated with a Book Fair, where students were given a choice of books to take home all related to the Book Day theme. What a great opportunity for students to explore topics that go beyond the curriculum and to connect with faculty drawing from text, personal perspectives and experiences.