A groundbreaking peer-based approach to Jewish religious education achieved unprecedented retention rates among adolescents by prioritizing community formation over traditional cognitive learning methods. The experimental program centered on eighth-grade students during their critical developmental period surrounding puberty, establishing a specialized peer community called the "Vov Class." Drawing on adolescents' fundamental need for peer group affiliation, the initiative created an organic Jewish learning environment that wove cultural materials from diverse contexts into specifically Jewish educational experiences. The methodology deliberately shifted away from conventional knowledge acquisition models to focus first on building strong social bonds. This strategic emphasis on community yielded remarkable results: participants demonstrated increased motivation for formal Jewish study, and remarkably, every member of the Vov Class continued their formal Jewish education two years after the program's conclusion. The outcomes validate community-based learning as an effective pathway for cultivating both cultural sensitivity and substantive knowledge of Jewish sources among teenagers, offering a promising model for religious education during adolescence.