Media literacy for young people is such an important issue, Cantor Daniel Leeman believes, that Beth Israel Congregation will urge the general public to attend an upcoming symposium.

“Media Literacy Effective in Reducing Violent Behaviors in Youth” will take place at 11 a.m. April 7 at 862 Washington St. The session is free.

“The whole country wants to reduce the violence in our schools and in our society, and we start with the children,” Leeman said. “We want the community to know about this because we feel we’re providing a service not only to our congregation, but to the community as a whole.”

Rokna Zlokower, executive director of Media Power Youth in Manchester, N.H., will address mounting concerns about the media’s influence on real-life violence after the tragic elementary school shooting in Newtown, Conn., where 20 first-graders and six educators were murdered on Dec. 14.

“The goal really is to empower children to think closely about their own choices with the media — to empower children and to assist parents with that,” Leeman said. “People are using these media in unhealthy ways.”

In 2007, Zlokower’s leadership led to the founding of Media Power Youth, which guides parents and professionals to help kids succeed in school and make smart choices regarding their media use.

Zlokower maintains that many of the young perpetrators of school shootings and other violent acts spent considerable time viewing and participating in violent media.

“While children appear to be technologically savvy, research shows they lack the maturity, judgment and critical thinking skills to avoid atrisk behaviors encouraged and portrayed by media and other use,” she said.

In its presentations, Media Power Youth provides a series of lessons for building media literary skills while making healthy choices.

Leeman knows what to expect of Zlokower.

“I went to undergraduate school with her,” he said. “She’s a gentle, intelligent and thoughtful woman.”

lgrard@timesrecord.com