The following was originally printed in the SHPiEL, a student-run bi-weekly Jewish newspaper out of the University of Florida

And now for Part 2 of Millenial Mania…
I am here to discuss the remaining four characteristics that have been assigned to this generation: The Millenials. Remember, the Millenial generation has been loosely defined as those born between the years 1980 and 1994.

4. Team Oriented From ?Barney? and team sports to collaborative learning and community service, Millennials have developed strong team instincts and tight peer bonds.
Rabbi:
Good News- There will be no Jewish people unless we can get out of our own personal world and link up with a greater plan, a community of people.
Something to Ponder- With an emphasis on ?peer culture? comes the potential to inhibit independent thought. Communal standards can be set by society and are often difficult to break. Ultimately, Judaism is an anti-establishment religion, whereby its basic tenants are upheld, irrespective of the system within which it finds itself functioning. It is important to have a strong support network and, perhaps, more important to know when to make a personal decision.

5. Conventional Taking pride in improving behavior and comfortable with parents? values, Millennials believe social rules and standards make life easier.
Rabbi:
Good News- Following the rules can help create a sense of stability that is essential to the well-being of any individual, certainly in such an unstable world. The idea of ?improving? is at the center of the Jewish mission and has been the defining feature of Jewish participation in the governments, institutions, and academies in which we have found ourselves since the beginning of our exile.
Something to Ponder- There are times when following the rules is not the best idea. I am not promoting a life of crime, rather a life of critical thinking. If we were to accept all standards, the result could be a compromise of our ability and need to express our individuality. There was nothing ?standard? about the behavior of any of the founding fathers and mothers of the Jewish faith. Most of them spent the better part of their lives swimming upstream. Rebbe Nachman of Breslov was fond of saying: ?If no one is against you, you are probably doing something wrong.?

6. Pressure Pushed to study hard, avoid personal risks, take full
advantage of opportunities adults are offering them,
Millennials feel ?trophy kid? pressure to excel.
Rabbi:
Good News- Not much good here.
Something to Ponder- This is a tough one, and I feel for you. You guys are pressured to
succeed like no other generation. You have to fight this, whether it is coming from
parents, peers or the surrounding University culture. The most successful people become who they are by taking risks and pursuing a passion, not by following a sound plan.

7. Achieving As accountability and school standards have risen in America, Millennials have become a generation focused on achievement and are on track to becoming the smartest, best-educated young adults in U.S. history.
Rabbi:
Good News- The Jewish faith places a value on education above all else. Not only is
education a means towards equipping an individual for personal success, but it is the very
application that allows us to know ourselves. Jewish tradition places a heavy emphasis on
maximizing our ability to realize our intellectual capacities for the sake of us becoming
more evolved human beings. Put in these terms, this is a great trait.
Something to Ponder- The idea of focusing on achievements is very problematic.
Achievements are a result of hard work and careful decision-making, not a goal on its
own. The word for Jewish law is Halacha, translating literally as going. This is to remind us a clear fact that is illustrated in many ways in Jewish thought: we are supposed to be on a path, in a process. To achieve real results with integrity can only come about by focusing on the process.

I believe in you Millenials. You face the challenge of your generation, so put it all in the perspective of history and future and don?t be afraid to see how small you are.