During off time in the Panim El Panim Summer JAM program Jessica Brezel (far right) joins friends from Ohio, Arizona and Illinois in an evening of fun watching a Washington Nationals Baseball game. (See photo on Page 8) Jessica Brezel, a senior at Mainland Regional High School and the daughter of Dr. Mitchell and Lisa Brezel of Linwood, has just returned from a four-week experience as part of the Summer JAM program of Panim El Panim, in Washington, D.C.

Also known as The Washington Institute for Jewish Leadership and Values Summer, JAM is a program planned specifically for Jewish high school teens who are about to enter the eleventh or twelfth grades who have an interest in putting Jewish values to work in our contemporary society through learning, working on various direct service projects and becoming familiar with policy making in our government.

Summer JAM is supported and encouraged locally by the Board of Jewish Education as part of the High School of Jewish Studies extra curriclur program.

The program is held on the campus of George Washington University in the District of Columbia each summer.

As part of the JAM experience Jessica had the obligation to identify two of three choices that she could study, both from a public policy and Jewish knowledge view, and work at in depth during the program. The educational choices were poverty, health care or education as broad experiential learning topics. Jessica chose both poverty and health care issues to study.

Said Jess, "This was an amazing experience. I am now so much more aware of how important our democratically elected government is in our lives.

"I think I learned a tremendous amount that will be valuable for me this year since I will be voting in the national elections for the first time. Being a Jew and being a knowledgeable American go hand in hand in helping me to act as a mature adult.

"I really hope that more teens from our community will consider Summer JAM next summer."

For more information please call Linda Kulp at the Board of Jewish Education at 822-1854 or send an email to bjeatlnj@yahoo.com.