Connections: Early Childhood Educators of Reform Judaism

Universal Pre-K and Atlanta's Jewish Early Childhood Programs

2011-04-08T14:49:00.000-07:00

As the URJ and ECE-RJ continue their talks and work about universal Pre-K, we here in GA are doing the same. GA’s Pre-K is funded through lottery dollars and classes of 20 children are funded at sites that are approved. Parents must enroll their child in one of these specific GA Pre-K classes. Programs that have a faith component may not apply for Pre-K funding/classes. The directors in Atlanta’s Jewish preschools are working towards resolution to be able to receive Pre-K funding since faith based primary and secondary schools are able to receive state tax dollars that families have re-allocated.

Read more about Georgia's Pre-K and their impact on the Atlanta's synagogues and early childhood programs at:
http://www.atlantajewishnews.com/schoolstories/atlanta-synagogues-feel-impact-state-government-funded-pre-k-program

Edye Summerfield, Director
The Temple Early Learning Center and Camp Minimac
Atlanta Georgia

To Facebook or Not to Facebook?

2011-03-27T19:04:00.000-07:00

We use Facebook and love it! I find that it is an easy way to share the values of the school. I rarely use it to advertise events, and try to focus more on giving families gifts- items that they will find useful at that moment. I think of it as a way to reach out to them. So every day for the past two weeks I've done a Purim countdown, sharing a recipe, costume idea, book recommendation, or anything else they might be able to use at home. I might take a 20 second video of the music teacher teaching a new song, or the rabbi leading the Shabbat blessings, or a photo of an inspiring set up in a classroom.

My experience is that Facebook really allows you to get into the home and reach people in an accessible, easy way. A parent told me that after reading some of the articles I posted she renewed her interest in education and has decided to go back to school to become a teacher. It's that powerful. In my opinion, Facebook inspires more face to face conversation. For example, parents come in already knowing about the song their child sang in music class that morning and mention to the teacher that it was their favorite song as a child, or ask for a copy to use at home. I think it depends on your community and how you use it, but I would expect it to deepen connections, not minimize them.

We have an open group, so I don't post photos of children's faces. I find it to be a creative challenge to take photos that avoid faces. It is amazing how much action you can capture in hands, feet, backs, and materials.
If you decide to use Facebook, I think it would be a shame to disable the comments (and I don't think you even can). The goal of doing this by Facebook and not by email is to encourage the building of community through the comments. That's the fun of it. The comments are what makes Facebook a unique way to communicate and what helps bring people together to make connections with each other. You start the conversation with a post, which you hope will draw people in and keep them coming back. One of the markers of a good post is that it gets comments (both on Facebook and face to face at pick up.) Facebook will even measure the percentage of people that comment so you can track their engagement.

There is a particular technique to a good Facebook page, and my recommendation is to start by noticing the things going on around the school that you want others to notice as well, and highlighting them. Today a class visited a nursing home to deliver shalach manot and I snapped a photo and noted that they were doing a Purim mitzvah. It really helps families notice all the work we do to foster their children's learning.

If you want to check out our page, you can see it here.

D'Var Torah: Shemini

2011-03-27T07:34:00.000-07:00

This week’s Torah portion is Shemini. Many important teachings happen in this portion, but the one that stands out for me are the laws of Kashrut. A detailed description of the laws of ritual defilement regarding animal carcasses is given. An instruction of how we should eat and a list of forbidden foods are recorded. God set out a specific way and a path for the Jewish people by commanding a dietary regimen that an entire culture would follow. Following these dietary laws would solidify the survival of the Jewish people. Kashrut kept Jews separate and the regimen was intense. It took a person a lot of discipline to follow. An entire community of people was needed to follow this commandment. Jews would have to band together and help each other to be successful at it. Keeping Kosher is a commandment from God. Kashrut teaches us respect for life. Kashrut teaches us that we can’t always have everything we want. Keeping Kosher has helped keep Jews as a unique people and is a tradition observed by our recent ancestors. It links us to them.

Keeping and holding to rules impacts our lives each day as Directors of early childhood programs. After reading the explicit description of Kashrut, it made me think about the boundaries and rules we set forth for the children, parents and teachers in our schools. It made me reflect about what kind of community we should create for our young Jewish people. Rules are important and help us keep our values and mission in line. Questions to think about are: What do we think are the most important rules in our schools? What rules are we not willing to bend? What rules are there to protect the children in our programs and the teachers who work for us? What traditions and customs in our schools makes us Jewish? Having a clear set of rules is extremely important and how we communicate them even more important. Our rules, and there can be many of them, can seem overwhelming to some….but extremely important to running an effective and professional Jewish early childhood program. We should be mindful of these rules when we interact with parents. From the parents who we have the easiest and loving interactions with and the parents who we have difficult interactions with. As long as we are clear, consistent and communicate effectively and lovingly, our programs will grow strong – just as the laws of Kahsrut made our early Jewish people.

Dale Laing
Director
Zipporah S. Abramson Center For Early Childhood Education at Congregation Beth Or
ECE-RJ, Ritual Chair

Member Perspectives: Cathy Rolland on the 2011 Conference

2011-01-24T06:24:00.000-08:00

I am honored to have spent three days with ECE-RJ colleagues from all over the country as we explored "Ani V'atah" together in sunny Phoenix, Arizona! Mazel Tov to those of you who had the good fortune of being with us, as our amazing keynote speaker, Mark Horowitz began to "Blaze New Trails" with us! URJ Chairman, Peter Weidhorn delivered a dynamic speech emphasizing the importance of early childhood education. You can click this link to read his remarks. Whether or not you attended the conference, please consider sharing this link with lay and professional leaders, as well as members, in your congregations.

Hope to see you all in Boulder, Colorado next March!
B'Shalom,
Cathy Rolland

Cathy M. Rolland
Early Childhood Specialist
Union for Reform Judaism

Follow Us On Facebook!

2011-01-22T06:25:00.000-08:00

ECE-RJ is now on Facebook. "Like" our page to see what the organization is working on, our photos, news, and event updates!

Simply click this link to go directly to our page:
Early Childhood Educators of Reform Judaism Facebook Page

D'var Torah: B'shalakh (from 11th Annual Conference)

2011-01-20T12:02:00.000-08:00

This week’s parsha, B’shalakh, is a parsha of miracles: we learn about the parting of the Red Sea and the description of the chase is truly dramatic. We see the miracle of the provision of food in the barren desert and the transforming of bitter water into drinkable water. We follow how Moses takes instruction from God in order to conjure water from a rock. We read how Aaron and Hur accompany Moses up the mountain and with upraised arms, defeats the enemy Amalek.

This Shabbat is Shabbat shira, named for the triumphant poem sung by the Israelites after the final defeat of Pharoah. Here, the children of Israel feel the release from physical enslavement – here they revel in their awesome rescue and the miserable demise of their enemies.

This marks the beginning of their wanderings and their transformative journey from Hebrew slave to Hebrew nation. The children of Israel have entered into the wilderness already with their historical narrative – they have a collective history and even carry part of their history with them – the bones of Joseph. This is the generation that experiences redemption directly but now they must unite together to form a nation. In this parsha, the scene is set and God begins his work in creating the Jewish people.

So what does it take to create a nation apart from physical redemption? Let us consider the importance of spiritual, psychological and emotional redemption. How might we choose, now that we can make choices, to worship our God, to behave towards one another, and to express our feelings? As we progress through the readings in the Torah, the blueprint for Jewish nationhood unfolds.

Bonnie Rubinstein, in last year’s dvar Torah from ve-yakel & pekudei discussed the creation of the mishkan – the tabernacle – and in effect, the creation of sacred spaces. She talked about how we as educators create the sacred space of our classroom. From the four walls, we design an environment for children to find wonder and to form a community.

In B’shalakh which precedes pekudei, we can find the notion of sacred time. The children of Israel are instructed to gather a double portion of mannah on the sixth day and on the seventh day they will not be able to gather it. ‘Eat it today, for today is a Sabbath of the Lord; you will not find it today on the plain. Six days you shall gather it; on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will be none’ And a few lines later Moses reiterates ‘ Mark that the Lord has given you the Sabbath; therefore He gives you two days’ food on the sixth day. Let everyone remain where he is: let no one leave his place on the seventh day.’ EX:16.29

Rashi explains that this prohibition to leave one’s place, is in reality, a prohibition of going out to the field to try and collect mannah.
Why is this description of collecting the mannah so important? Why is it repeated? Here we have the foundations of Jewish time. For six days God worked and created, and on the seventh day, He rested. Here we acknowledge the wonders of God’s creation and we reconnect historically and spiritually. The concept of kodesh and hol (the secular and the holy) in temporal terms is the foundation to the rhythms of Jewish life and the cornerstone to structure, routine and continuity.

As early childhood educators, we know how crucial routine and rhythm are to the security and well-being of young children. We observe the boys and girls to ascertain what activities are appropriate at different times of day and we honor their needs. Creating a Jewish classroom, however, is also about creating a Jewish sense of time. Imagine your classroom without your kabbalat Shabbat routine! If you do daily brachot, or tefilot, and then took that routine away, what would make your classroom Jewish? We are not a religion focused on objects – we are a religion which revolves around time, which uses time to unite in remembering and worshiping and of course, celebrating.

ECE-RJ 11th Annual Conference

2011-01-18T12:15:00.001-08:00

Jewish Early Childhood Educators “Blaze New Trails” in Phoenix

Recently, 250 early childhood educators from Reform Jewish congregations across the United States came together for the eleventh annual ECE-RJ conference. This year’s theme was Ani V’atah! You and I Can Change the World. The conference was held January 12-15, 2011 in Phoenix, Arizona.

This dynamic conference offered a unique opportunity for those of us who work in Jewish early childhood education to renew our own commitment to learning and to Judaism, while focusing on expanding our knowledge and faith with the same devotion to learning that we aspire to instill in our children and their families throughout the year. A highlight of the conference was an address by Chair of the URJ Board of Trustees Peter Weidhorn. Weidhorn’s presence at the conference underscores the Reform Movement’s commitment to early childhood education.

The conference consisted of three days of workshops, networking and creative worship, bringing together congregational early childhood education directors, teachers, specialists and lay leaders. Mark Horowitz, Director of Early Childhood Education at the JCC Association of North America, set the tone with his insightful key note address at the opening dinner. In addition, attendees participated in a wide variety of workshop offerings and learned about innovative program ideas.

The conference was hosted by two congregations in the Phoenix area, Temple Solel and Temple Chai. Friday afternoon, Tricia Ginis, the early childhood director of The Solel Preschool at Temple Solel and her dedicated staff lead tours of their dynamic classrooms. A wonderful Shabbat dinner was served following the uplifting Shabbat Shira service led by Rabbi John Linder and Cantorial Soloist Todd Herzog and his band. Saturday morning Temple Chai served as the host congregation with Rabbi Evon Yakar engaging us in a beautiful Shacharit worship service. Afterwards Early Childhood Director Debbie Popiel White and her enthusiastic staff made themselves available for tours of their wonderful early childhood facility. We then enjoyed a delicious Shabbat brunch.

Saturday afternoon provided the option to take in the natural beauty of the Desert Botanical Gardens. Showcasing the Arizona desert vegetation and landscape, six trails were open for exploration before we reconvened as a group athe the Gardens’ ampitheater for a breathtaking Havdallah and installation of the 2011 ECE-RJ board, officiated by Rabbi Jan Katzew, Ph.D., Director of Lifelong Learning at the Union for Reform Judaism. Conference attendees enjoyed the chance to socialize with one another over dinner at various Scottsdale restaurants and concluded the conference experience with a special hands-on make and take session with local teacher and artist Karen Bell-Zinn, designer of the 2011 ECE-RJ Conference logo.

Early Childhood Educators of Reform Judaism (ECE-RJ) is the youngest affiliate professional organization of the Union for Reform Judaism. ECE-RJ represents professionals in all fields of Jewish early childhood education, serving as a voice for educators, providing synagogue leadership with current information about the benefits of early childhood education for congregations and young families, as well as useful guidelines for its members and their extended communities about salaries, contracts, and benefits, and cultivating opportunities for lifelong learning and continuing education.

New Twitter Account

2011-01-14T14:35:00.000-08:00

Shehechiyanu

2011-01-13T13:24:00.000-08:00

Shehechiyanu

This is my first ever blog.

Look out world - I'm getting the blogger bug

Stay tuned for some very interesting discussions!

D'var Torah: Bereishit

2010-09-28T10:37:00.000-07:00

Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech haolam, asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu la-asok b’divrei Torah.

Blessed are You, Eternal our God, Ruler of the universe, who has sanctified us with Your commandments and commanded us to engage in Torah study.

This week’s torah portion tells the story of creation. As one who doesn’t always know the stories, I thought I’d start by giving a brief overview. In Bereishit we learn that G-d created the world in 6 days and rested on the 7th. G-d made the Garden of Eden and created Adam and Eve to live there. G-d welcomes Adam and Eve to eat from any tree in the Garden, except for the Tree of All Knowledge. Fruit from that tree is forbidden. Adam and Eve give in to temptation, eat from the tree and are exiled. They must now work for their food and existence. They have two sons, Cain and Abel. Cain kills Abel and is punished by G-d, sentenced to wander the earth. Adam and Eve go on to have another son named Seth. The Torah lists the generations from Adam to Noah. At the end of the portion, G-d is regretting having created man and decides to destroy the earth and, with it, man’s wickedness, but Noah has found favor with G-d.

As I was reading this story I was struck by so many points. First of all, how interesting that we begin a new school year at the same time we start at the beginning of the Torah. As we are creating our school and classroom environments, we are reading how G-d created the world. The Garden of Eden was an idyllic place where man and woman would have everything they could want or need. They had no shame as they walked around the garden in their nakedness and felt completely comfortable with themselves. While our schools and classroom are not always idyllic, we certainly do our best to create environments that give each child what he or she needs, where they can feel confident, capable, and competent.

When thinking about the fact that Adam and Eve could not eat the forbidden fruit, I wondered about what is forbidden in our schools and classrooms. What restrictions do we place on children? How do we teach them self-control? To resist yetzer hara, an evil inclination, and embrace yetzer tov, an inclination towards good? Along with everything we teach young children, we must help them to learn when to resist impulses and when they can and should try something new. For our youngest students, we model turn-taking and give them the words to ask for, rather than grab, a toy. As the children get a little older, we talk to them about their “plans” for their day in the classroom. We listen when they ask why they cannot do, or have, something. We often ask the children why they think something is restricted. Sometimes, these conversations result in giving the child permission. Other times we help them understand our thinking.

As I’ve come to find out, quite recently as a matter of fact, reading Torah is truly a thought provoking endeavor. Reading this portion, Bereishit, at this time of year, has helped me to stay mindful of the environment I want to create and the skills and qualities I hope to cultivate in each child that enters my classroom.

Back to School

2010-08-22T16:15:00.001-07:00

Its that time of year again! Excitement, nerves, planning, new families and colleagues to meet and greet, classroom and school environments to create, inspiration ready to be made into reality...what a wonderful time of year! What are you doing to create a warm, welcoming, Jewish community in your classroom and/or school? Please share your ideas and inspirations with your colleagues. We'd love to hear from you!

Some Photos from the 2010 Intensive

2010-03-19T04:05:00.001-07:00

2010-03-18T04:42:00.000-07:00

Jewish Early Childhood Educators
Take the Lead in Their Own Growth:

A Leadership Intensive
*10th Annual ECE-RJ Conference*

Recently, forty-nine educators from URJ congregations across the United States came together for the tenth annual conference of Early Childhood Educators of Reform Judaism, Take the Lead In Your Own Growth: A Leadership Intensive, held March 7-9, 2010 in Dallas Texas.

For two and a half inspiring days, the group focused on how early childhood centers within the Reform movement discover and express their core ideals and values in many areas of early childhood administration, from building a vision of community to the importance of the budget process. The conference scholar-in-residence was Lyndall Miller, Director of Jewish Early Childhood Education and the Legacy Heritage Institute for Jewish Early Childhood Educators, at Gratz College in Elkins Park, PA. We participated in a variety of discussions exploring issues and challenges facing all of us in Jewish early childhood education, as well as learning about innovative program ideas.

The conference began on Sunday afternoon with a gathering to welcome Panim Chadoshot (new faces) after which we jumped right into our topic by beginning to think, both generally and personally, about leadership. Prior to dinner, incredible words to challenge and inspire us were provided by Nancy Bossov, RJE Vice President of Professional Development, followed by ruach, havdallah and the installation of the 2010 Board of ECE-RJ.

Two congregations in the Dallas area were our hosts: Temple Emanu-El and Temple Shalom. On Monday, Bonnie Rubinstein, the early childhood director at Temple Shalom welcomed us for conversations surrounding school visions and leadership. The inspiring discussion began with thinking about “directing the light of the Jewish image of the child.” We spent time considering how to educate children based on their own paths. That afternoon, we toured the beautiful classrooms at Temple Shalom’s Preschool and then reconvened to think about topics including the impact of the environment and involvement of parents in our programs.

On Tuesday, Temple Emanu-El and its early childhood director, Shelley Sender, welcomed us. In the morning we engaged in discussions about developing as directors, teaming with teachers, planning staff meetings. We also had the opportunity to tour the wonderful Pre-School facility. We heard some inspiring closing remarks from Lyndall Miller and enjoyed a festive “Texas Round-Up” lunch provided by Temple Emanu-El’s Pre-School. The closing ceremony gave us an opportunity to connect with colleagues in our field and to reflect on the wealth of information and introspection we had obtained in the previous two and a half days.

We are very fortunate to be members of the Early Childhood Educators of Reform Judaism (ECE-RJ), the youngest professional affiliate of the Union for Reform Judaism, and to be able to attend the worthwhile conferences ECE-RJ sponsors each year. ECE-RJ represents professionals in all fields of Reform Jewish early childhood education, serving as a voice for educators, providing synagogue leadership with current information about the benefits of early childhood education for congregations and young families, as well as useful guidelines for its members and their extended communities about salaries, contracts, and benefits, as well as in cultivating opportunities for lifelong learning and continuing education.

"The Very Best Place for a Penny"

2010-03-12T08:31:00.000-08:00

Every year I read a wonderful book to the 3 and 4 year old classes. The book is titled "The Very Best Place for a Penny". It is written by Dina Herman Rosenfeld. The story is the adventure of a penny that rolls out of a boy's pocket, into a washer dryer, under a bed and travels around the house looking for "the very best place for a penny". Ultimately, the penny ends up in a Tzedakah Box where we then learn about Tzedakah and Mitvah. The children love the story and I tell it with a prop- a very large penny. Then the children make a classroom Tzedakah box by decorating an empty oatmeal container. The box gets filled weekly and the children always remember the "very best place for a penny"!

ECE-RJ's Upcoming Leadership Intensive

2010-03-04T15:11:00.000-08:00

ECE-RJ is buzzing with excitement about our fast-approaching leadership intensive. This Sunday, forty nine members from across the country will convene in Dallas, Texas. For two and half days, we'll explore our individual abilities and interests. Participants will engage in conversation about issues and challenges facing all of us in Jewish early childhood education today. Education consultant, Lyndall Miller, will use Jewish concepts, educational theories and her own expertise to stimulate the discussion and support reflection. We'll be hosted by Temple Shalom and Temple Emanuel and have the opportunity to tour their schools. This is sure to be an inspiring conference. Keep an eye on the blog for a post-conference update!

URJ's "Inside Leadership"

2010-03-03T15:04:00.000-08:00

Here is a link to a great URJ article discussing early childhood engagement! I particularly liked the distinction between "engagement" and "education," as well as the focus on the whole family.

Take a look and leave a comment with your thoughts:

http://urj.org/inside/march2010/?syspage=article&item_id=34540.

Getting to Know our Families

2009-12-17T07:44:00.000-08:00

I recently joined my first book club called Mom Salon. I thought it would be interesting as a mom but at the same time I am always looking for ways as a Director to better understand parents. We are reading four books focusing on the daily life of motherhood. The topics we discuss deal with the concepts of bad mother vs. good mother, various challenges and pressures we deal with on a daily basis plus the history of women. The moms in the group have children ranging from age one to twelve. There are no characters in the stories but the women in the group really make up the true story of motherhood. I found this group so interesting because each participant has her own story similar to the parents we see each day in our schools. One mom suddenly lost her husband at 40. One mom, who is Jewish, was raised by her father after her mom left her as a baby. This mom was raised solely by an African American nanny who she attended church with each week. Some of the moms are divorced and a few grew up with divorced parents. I casually talk to my parents each day at drop off and pick up but this was different. The moms really delved into their beliefs and feelings on parenthood and the variety of pressures they were contending with on a daily basis. It was interesting to see the connection to their upbringing and how they are raising their own children. During these book club meetings I was wondering how our adult life circumstances play a role on the choices we make each day when it comes to our children lives. Do we raise our children based solely on how we were raised or does our belief system change along the way due to financial circumstances, societal pressures, and caretaker responsibilities? This book club reminded me how I continuously tell my teachers to think about each child’s habits, traits and personalities which are being developed by their home environment. Currently I have children enrolled with single moms living with extended family, same sex partners, stay at home dads and parents struggling financially. There are so many factors thrown into the mix when these formidable years are being developed. I am sure we all have parents walking in with their cell phones while picking up their children and don’t understand what message they are sending to that little child waiting for them. On the other hand, I have the mom who is working two jobs but will spend an hour on our playground playing with their child at pick up time. We have parents that let their kids go to sleep at 11:00pm because “they are too tired to argue” and the parent that is afraid to allow their child to have a munchkin in fear that it will start a downward spiral of terrible eating habits. Everyday we set out to teach children to be kind, follow certain directions, wash their hands, sing songs and have fun. Teachers also have the children’s various developmental needs to contend with but we have to be very aware of what the home life is of each child. There also times when a parent confides in me about a situation at home that a teacher is unaware of. We have to remember that the majority of parents have a lot of pressure on them and they try to combine what society is telling them, their peer group and mix it in with their own inner beliefs from how they were raised. That child in your class that seems so needy and always craves attention might have parents that don’t get home until close to bed time. The child who is aggressive and doesn’t like to share might have a home without structure or "rules in roost”. We need to step back and really think about what happens before and after our students leave us. As a Director we are not only here to educate the children but also the parents. I try to provide workshops from a local parenting center, have helpful parenting books, and just let parents know I am accessible if they need advice or someone to listen. It is important to remember that whatever our individual beliefs may be about child raising, we must respect that each child comes from a home with different structures, rules, values, culture and ideals.

Do you believe that each child is part nature and nurture or just one or another?As a Director/Teacher how can you learn more about your family’s home life, child raising philosophy?Have you had a family whose values or child rearing practices go against your schools philosophy? How did you handle it?

Happy Hanukkah to All,

Beth Berman M.S.Ed
Director of Early Childhood Education
Richard E. Rudolph Jr. Preschool

Eilu V'eilu December 1, 2009 Volume 45, Week 1

2009-12-09T14:17:00.000-08:00

What is the role of the early childhood educator in our congregations today?

By: Ellen Dietrick

During a typical day in our congregations, the early childhood educator nurses a scrape, offers a listening ear, and confers with a committee. It is through these many interactions that shape the day, that the educator works to connect our families to our congregational communities. Pirkei Avot 2:4 admonishes us, “Do not separate yourself from the community.” Jewish life depends on Jewish community. Many parents discover for the first time what it means to be part of a larger Jewish community when they enroll their children in a synagogue-based early childhood school. In fact, research supports this: a recent nationwide study by Jack Wertheimer found that, “Good schools intentionally work to develop a community among their students, staff, and parents. Beginning with the assumption that learning cannot be separated from context, and that to a large extent the school’s most important message is embedded in the culture and relationships it fosters, these schools devote much time to building a community that attends to the needs of individual children; embraces them in an environment where their classmates become their good, often their best, friends; and connects them to the larger congregational body. . .”1 The early childhood educator is uniquely positioned to foster this connection.

The first years of a child's life are focused around identity formation. At the same time, the family is also developing its own identity. In Jewish families in particular, this is often the time when new parents begin experimenting with their sense of themselves as Jewish families. They ask questions such as: Do I adopt the Jewish traditions of my childhood or create new ones? What is my own connection to Judaism as an adult? What are my spiritual dreams for my child? It is at this critical life stage that many of our families first encounter the synagogue through the early childhood program. Research shows that Jewish early childhood education has an unparalleled ability to influence the entire family's Jewish practice through their children, as "children may move parents to start thinking about their own relationship to the Jewish community, to Jewish religious practice (such as Shabbat celebration), and to other aspects of Jewish life"2. Helping young Jewish families address these questions, and enabling them to begin to develop and build their Jewish identity creates the first chance many families will have to do so through a Jewish institutional framework.

As a child typically spends several years in preschool, the regular daily contact between students, their parents, and the early childhood educator help form a significant connection that may have a lifelong impact. Who else in our synagogues is at the door greeting congregants five days each week? As their relationships with the early childhood professionals develop, families begin to value Jewish community and look for opportunities to become more involved. In my own congregation a parent of two young children recently commented, “Through our involvement with the preschool, our family’s Jewish practice and identity has been strengthened more than I could have imagined. We've become a true part of the synagogue community, and I’m constantly amazed by the growth and enthusiasm of the families around us.”

It is experiences like these—more common than one might suspect—that motivate families to integrate Jewish ideas and practices into their homes while becoming involved in the life of the congregation. As a collaborative member of the professional staff and lay leadership team—together engaged in a community-building enterprise—the early childhood educator seeks synergy and new potential points of connection with families. This provides a tremendous resource and a singular entry point even for families with a tentative connection to the Jewish community.

In practical terms, in my own congregation this community building takes a multistep approach. As the early childhood educator, I am often the first point of contact a family may have with the congregation. I begin by building a personal relationship with the family through an individual preenrollment conversation. The family then receives a personal visit to their home from their child's teacher. Moving to the next level, we make a systematic effort to connect families to one another, which starts even before the child begins the school year. Families take turns hosting class get-togethers and a popular program matches families for monthly Shabbat dinners in their respective homes. Finally, we connect families to the congregational community as a whole, matching them with numerous opportunities within the congregation for worship, education, and meeting others. These relationships grow as the child goes through the preschool years and well beyond.

Register for the Eilu V'Eilu list (on shamash.org) at:
http://urj.org/learning/torah/ten/eilu/

Eilu V'eilu December 1, 2009 Volume 45, Week 1

2009-12-07T02:58:00.000-08:00

What is the role of the early childhood educator in our congregations today?

By: Karen B. Goldstein

It was the first week of kindergarten for my son, Ben. When I came through the door at the end of the day, he ran to me and blurted out, “I don’t think I can go to this school, Mommy. They don’t know what they are doing!” I started to tell him that it was only the first week and that public school was different than gan (kindergarten or prekindergarten). But he interrupted me saying, “They didn’t have Shabbat, Mommy. They don’t know what they’re doing.” Now, the “mom” in me felt really bad for my disappointed little boy. But the early childhood educator in me silently cheered, “Yay!” at the confirmation that the development of Ben’s Jewish identity was well underway. And, it started in my temple’s early childhood center—a child care center that serves families with children aged six weeks to five years—which I was lovingly growing.

The role of the early childhood educator is varied, but I see my primary focus as that of a “connector.” I connect young families to the center, the gan staff, other young Jewish families, our clergy, and, if I do my job well, I connect these young families to our temple. I provide the opportunity for our gan families to form a community within our temple community in which they feel supported, included, responsible, and in touch with their sometimes forgotten or neglected Judaism.

I strive to provide an environment where the children and their parents—and even their grandparents—are comfortable asking questions. I’m asked a lot of them, and there are no “bad” questions! Our families learn alongside their children and eagerly digest any and all communication and information provided to them. Because I provide parents with the language, the information, and the courage to support their children’s growing knowledge of Judaism, as well as the more traditional kindergarten readiness curriculum, I am often viewed as an “expert” in all things kid-oriented. It’s assumed that I know all there is to know about such varied topics as: continuing to breast feed while returning to work, toilet training, biting, common childhood illnesses, developmental milestones, redirecting children, getting a child to hold a parent’s hand in the crazy parking lot outside, moving, death, and anything else you can possibly think of!

I am an advocate for young children, parents, and my gan staff, along with our lay leaders and clergy. I wish to be that little voice inside everyone’s head when decisions are being made—the one that whispers, “Will this benefit the children?” I model this by making certain that all my decisions are based on what is best for each child every day. I share with you that this does not make money for the temple. It makes something more precious—it makes members!

Current brain research and a glance at the concept of emotional intelligence support the idea that identity is formed by age five. This includes our children’s Jewish identity. A firm Jewish identity is not easily formed in a two-hour, once-a-week religious school program without some serious input from parents at home, who may or may not have the knowledge and skills to support this teaching. More recently, the impact of learning before the age of two has come to the forefront of educational research. Our children are Jewish at birth—they don’t become Jewish at age two or three or (God forbid) in the third grade—and we as a movement should be supporting and developing quality, early childhood programs that include infant and toddler care. If we don’t supply this community for our youngest learners and their families, where will they go, what will they learn, and from whom will they learn? My role is to ensure that every young child and every young family who chooses to come into our center develops a relationship with our temple in order to prevent Judaism from becoming like an overcoat that is put on and taken off as needed. Judaism should be worn every day, regardless of the weather.

Register for the Eilu V'Eilu list (on shamash.org) at: http://urj.org/learning/torah/ten/eilu/

Eilu V'Eilu

2009-12-04T02:58:00.003-08:00

The following was copied from http://urj.org/learning/torah/ten/eilu/

Eilu V’eilu
These and those are the words of the Living God

After two successful years of 10 Minutes of Torah, we’ve added a new dimension: Eilu V’eilu. This point/counterpoint model involves a dialogue between two scholars and provides for your active participation. This kind of intellectual debate is at the center of our tradition. The term eilu v’eilu comes from the following Talmudic text:

For three years there was a dispute between Beit Hillel and Beit Shammai, the former asserting, “The law is in agreement with our views,” and the latter contending, “The law is in agreement with our views.” Then a bat kol, a voice from heaven, announced, Eilu v’eilu divrei Elohim Chayim, “These and those are the words of the living God, but the law is in agreement with the rulings of Beit Hillel.”

Since, however, “Eilu V’eilu, both are the words of the living God,” what was it that entitled Beit Hillel to have the law fixed according to their rulings? Because they were kindly and modest, they studied their own rulings and those of Beit Shammai, and were even so humble to mention the words of Beit Shammai before their own. (Eruvin 13b)

“These and those.” Two conflicting opinions can both be valid. Furthermore, there are conflicting points of view which cannot exist without the other. The phrase Eilu V’eilu emphasizes the incompleteness of any single opinion. The v’, which means “and”, is essential, uniting and complementing the two opinions without choosing one or compromising the integrity of either. Both “are the words of the living God;” the debate between Hillel and Shammai is a machloket l’shem shamayim—an enduring dispute in the name of heaven.

Eilu V’Eilu follows in the tradition of the preservation of the debates between Beit Hillel and Beit Shammai.

One month, two Jews, (at least) two opinions.

Week 1: Two position papers. You have a chance to submit your questions.
Week 2: Rebuttals and challenge.
Week 3: Responses to questions from you.
Week 4: Summary.

Register at the bottom of the page: http://urj.org/learning/torah/ten/eilu/ for the Eilu V'eilu list (on shamash.org).

We'll be posting Ellen Dietrick's and Karen Goldstein's articles, regarding the role of the early childhood educator in congregations, next week!

What the Maccabees Heroes and Pre-Writing Have in Common

2009-12-02T04:54:00.000-08:00

In early October there was a lively discussion on the Director’s Shamash ListServ about the acquisition of pre-handwriting skills. Many felt the best approach to this concept was the implementation of the “Handwriting Without Tears” curriculum. While some felt it was inappropriate to use a pre-written curriculum, others felt that if used correctly the curriculum noted was both extremely developmental and at the same time very age appropriate.

Handwriting is a developmental skill that emerges over time. So, now that we are fully into the school year and fast approaching the Chanukah season that celebrates the strength of a small band of Jews, it seems like a fitting time to revisit this discussion that focuses on strength in small motor development.

In the past, prior to the availability of commercially written curriculum, it was second nature for the classroom teacher to provide multiple classroom opportunities so children would strengthen growing muscles. Since there were no curricula, we used our own ingenuity and creativity.

So let’s go back to the basics! What are you doing in your classrooms to encourage small muscle strength in the fingers, hands and arms? What kinds of vertical and horizontal large motor activities are you providing which strengthen the body? What kinds of weight bearing activities are you providing to strengthen the shoulders? And how are you tying all of this into your Chanukah based curriculum?

Here are a few ideas. (1) Using playdoh to make a pretend chanukiah; (2) Taking turns rolling cookie dough as you make Chanukah cookies for snack; (3) Pushing or pulling a wagon full of blocks as the class rebuilds the temple.

Perhaps we can come up with our own developmentally appropriate list of things to do at Chanukah time that not only teach about the holiday, but also help children to be strong like the Maccabee heroes while at the same time develop those small and large muscles.

Now it’s your turn to share!

Remembering the Values

2009-11-30T02:58:00.000-08:00

In my classroom the curriculum comes from the children. That being said, the curriculum is anchored around the Jewish holidays. Each year I try to focus on the central value represented in the holiday, rather than on the project associated with the holiday. For example, during Chanukah, we help the children think about how they would feel if someone came into the classroom and broke our materials, table and chairs, as King Antiochus' soldiers did in the Jewish temple. Like Macabee's we pretend to pick up chairs, clean floors, and mend our toys. We even pick up our pretend menorah and wonder aloud what to do about the spilt oil.

While most parents understand the value of having their child "own" the story and the struggles of the Jewish people, there is always the question about when the projects will start coming home. Parents want to see a menorah, a seder plate, or a challah cover. And while these are important tools for helping to celebrate, far too often they become the focus of the holiday. I've been thinking about how to make "Jewish Values" present every day, rather than just during holidays. I've wondered how to help parents and other staff members understand the importance of shifting the focus from projects to the process of a child understanding their "Jewish Identity."

-How do you accomplish these goals?
-Do you begin thinking about values before the holiday starts?
-Do you continue working on them after the holiday ends?

Visual Torah

2009-11-20T07:16:00.000-08:00

While traveling in Venice two summers ago I found a small Israeli Art Gallery. On the wall, was the most amazing piece of artwork I have ever seen...an illustrated Torah! I knew this would be a wonderful addition to the Nursery School's Shabbat experience. Well, I was right! It's been an important part of the curriculum. The children not only hear, but now they see the Parsha of the week. It has brought meaning to the story of the Jewish people. Check out the website and see for yourself. Shabbat Shalom, Debbie Zamoiski

Hot Off the Presses

2009-11-19T09:41:00.000-08:00

We are so thrilled with the Winter edition of Reform Judaism magazine which has two great articles supporting early childhood education. Please share them with your lay leaders, colleagues and communities at large.

The first is a wonderful conversation with Rabbi Jan Katzew, entitled, "Preventing Post B'nai Mitzvah Dropout." Click on the link below to learn more about this important topic!
Interview with Rabbi Jan Katzew

The second is the "Chairman's Perspective" with Peter Weidhorn, urging members of our movement to "give the gift of an early start on the road to Jewish Identity."
Chairman’s article on Identity

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

L'Shalom,
Cathy Rolland

URJ Biennial 2009

2009-11-13T03:00:00.000-08:00

The URJ Biennial took place in Toronto last week, November 4-8, 2009. Early Childhood had a significant presence there for the first time. About a dozen early childhood directors came to Toronto from coast to coast. We were inspired; we made connections, and we had a lot of fun.

For a sample of 2009 Biennial moments click on the following website and click on the "Memories" box. http://biennial.urj.org/

The people in the picture, from left to right, are Jill Cimifonte, Cathy Rolland, Tammy Vener, Sari Luck Schneider, Tricia Ginis, Edye Summerfield, and Norma Cahen. Also attending were Shelley Sender, Karen Goldstein, Nan Blank and Jill Band. All of us attended the Biennial and/or preceding Symposium.

The focus of the Symposium was on Jewish Identity and Identification. See more information at http://http//urj.org/learning/teacheducate/symposium/

Some of the highlights included outstanding musical moments with all of us singing and swaying arm in arm. There was traditional Jewish music, current and more camp-like music, Japanese drumming, Gospel music, Arabic/Muslim music. There was a feeling of hope and openness.

Study sessions were inspirational, taught by leaders in their fields. There was text study, history, and various other topics including ones for those involved with early education. There were also many inspirational moments of Tefila.

Perhaps most importantly, was the lunch we had with a representative of the Early Childhood Education Committee. We discussed the importance of providing rabbinical and cantorial students with information about early childhood; why the age group is critical for continuity and how to connect with that age group. We are hoping that there will be classes or seminars at HUC.

The next Biennial will be in Washington in 2011. We hope the influence of the ECERJ will grow and that more of us will be able to go and benefit from the power of the Biennial.

The Role of the Lead Teacher As Mentor

2009-11-09T03:42:00.000-08:00

Over the years, in addition to educating the children, supporting the parents, being part of the staff, and growing personally, I have realized that lead teachers have another role...mentor. When working as a team, I believe it is the lead teachers' role to guide, educate, and model how to be a great teacher.

In my classroom, we begin each year by creating a "vision" for the room. Each teacher in the team contributes ideas about what they feel is essential for the children, some things they do not like to see in a classroom, and some goals for their own personal growth. This can sometimes be a difficult conversation. On the one hand, I want to honor all members of the teaching team and their ideas. On the other hand, it is my job to make sure the room is developmentally appropriate, supportive of the children and their families, and reflective of the philosophies of both the school and the temple.

Particularly at the beginning of the year, I try to use my education and experience to set the tone for the class. Sometimes that means overriding the input of the other teachers. I explain the reasoning behind my decisions by describing typical development, theories of education, and some of my personal experiences. As the school year progresses, I encourage the teachers I am working with to put some of their ideas in to practice and then try to help them evaluate the experience. As is true with the children we teach, "hands-on" is often the best way to learn!

On a weekly basis throughout the year, we reflect on the children's development, our goals for them individually and for the class as a whole. I use these weekly meetings as a time for mentoring. Separation, parent orientation, curriculum night, informal parent conversations and formal parent conferences (both during preparation and the actual event), are other times when I am particularly cognizant of my role as mentor.

I am curious how others develop their role as mentor.

-Is it presumptuous to think all lead teachers are/should be mentors to the teachers in their teaching team?

-Lead teachers:

Are there specific things you do as a mentor each year?
How do you make this relationship successful?
Do you find this role fulfilling? Challenging?
What happens if the other teacher is resistant or not receptive?

-Assistant Teachers:

Have you worked with a lead teacher you felt was particularly skilled as a mentor? What did they do?
Have you had negative experiences in this situation?
Do you have ideas about how this relationship can be most
successful?

-Directors:

How do you support your lead teachers in this additional role?
What have you seen/heard about that helped to make this relationship
successful?
How do you help when the teaching team is having difficulty?

I look forward to your responses!

Etiquette???

2009-11-05T02:21:00.000-08:00

I will begin with what happened...because it started off as a lovely evening walking to the local trendy pizza joint. My family and I went out for dinner and we were engaging in great conversation and enjoying one another's company. The children ordered pizzas and my husband and I ordered salads and soups before the pizzas. The soup and salad never came. Not awful. We didn't really need the calories anyways. When the bill arrived, we asked the waiter to kindly take the soup and salad off as we didn't get these items.

And I watched...

What would be the waiter's response to his mistake? He rushed over to the manager, as he needed authorization to take the items off the bill. I saw them looking our way and speaking in the low and hushed tones that only people who have erred can do.

And I watched...

The waiter never apologized, and as I watched the manager, he made himself busy but also never came over to apologize or offer perhaps a token gesture for the mistakes the very trendy and well-known establishment had made. Instead, we paid our bill and walked out without so much as a kind word.

Who do you think were the parents of these two employees? What did they teach and instill in their children? Who were their teachers when they were growing up? I wondered how my own four children, now ages 10-21, would have responded had they been the employees? As an early childhood professional, I realize that while the children in my care are very young, they are not to young to learn etiquette. Etiquette really is a prescribed set of rules and values that we assign to the many facets of our life. Etiquette dictates how we behave, react, and approach life. Sounds a lot like the Torah! I mean, if you really get down to it, the Torah is nothing more than a set of rules of how to live, a big book of etiquette. It is peppered with stories that illuminate these principles so that those that have a hard time understanding the rules will be able to learn through these stories. And it also tells us that we come from a long line of people who have made mistakes and it was ok as long as they did something about it. So I got to thinking, how would the Torah have taught these two employees to handle the mishap with the ommission of soup and salad? Back in the day, if you sinned, whether by transgression or omission, you begged forgiveness and a sacrifice was in order. I think this was a great idea. Too carry that into the 21st century, and not to offend my neighbors with the awful smell of burning and rotting lamb sacrifices, myrr and incense, I think that a different sacrifice is in order. In the case of the restaurant omission, a sacrifice of a discount, a free dessert for the children, or even something non-monetary would have been in order. In other cases, a phone call, a letter, flowers, or a heartfelt invitation could be in order. The meaning of a sacrifice is that you give up something to show your true feelings.

A sacrifice can actually be therapeutic. How many times have we made a mistake and it causes us anxiety and stress? Offering a sacrifice to make amends has healing properties. We forget to call someone who is sick at home so we send a card of mazal tov on a complete recovery. We forget to follow through on a promise to help a friend so we simply show up on another stressful occasion for them and roll up our sleeves. But how do we teach our youngest children etiquette? How do we bring menschlichkeit back into our world? It starts with me. I would say it starts with you but that would be passing the buck. It starts with me because I am the director of a Jewish preschool and it is incumbant upon me to make sure that the children in my care learn to be appropriate, learn to sacrifice when they have committed a sin of omission, and learn to carry out the well-intentioned promises they will make in their lives. I think the Torah is a great place to start. Stories abound about Abraham welcoming guests and feeding them first, about Moses being humble before God and sticking his nose out for a fellow Jew who was being hurt. It starts with me. I have to be an example for the teachers and families in my center for the menschlichkeit I want them to learn. If a parent is rude and inappropriate, I will be more kind and more appropriate. I will do onto others and I will do more than that. I will go out of my way. It starts with me. I will stick my nose into other people's business if I think they are being harmed or abused. Even if those people are far away in lands I had once never heard of like Sudan and Darfur, I will try to help those less fortunate and will make sacrifices for others and for my own failures.

It starts with me. I am now sharing it with you.

And I am watching...

Diffusing the Issue

2009-11-02T16:43:00.000-08:00

Several years ago on Back to School Night a father approached me about his son. The child, who was extremely tall for his age yet socially immature, would turn five two days after the cut-off (in our area October 1^st) and so was not eligible to enroll in the public kindergarten program in his community. The father, a high-powered executive with a New York City based firm, was also large in terms of stature, girth, personality and volume! He approached me in front of a group of other parents, invaded my/our space, and publically demanded that I place his son in our private kindergarten.

How many times as educators have we been confronted with a situation without the time to mull over an appropriate answer? When we have been expected to come up with a miraculous solution at the flick of a finger? When we have had to redirect a potentially combustive circumstance within a blink of time? As professionals we are expected to be experts at handling these difficult challenges, but the truth is how often do we walk away with a feeling of “Aha! I did that really well! Hooray for me!”

What’s your experience with this? What challenges have you faced? How many times have you felt as if you had “aced” it?

OUTCOME: Sometimes thoughts just flow into your head from nowhere. That’s what happened to me in the above situation. Realizing that the father was impressed with his own power, I asked him if he wanted his son to be a successful adult (don’t we all!)? I explained that all the skills he would need in life would be learned in the Pre-K classroom: negotiating, evaluating, persuading, team building, selling of ideas, etc. The father walked away feeling comfortable; the child had a fabulous year of growth, exploration and stretching; I was able to diffuse a potentially combustible situation; and more importantly the child went on to have an extremely successful academic career!

Welcome To Our New Blog

2009-10-29T04:15:00.000-07:00

On behalf of all of us, I am thanking Ellen Dietrick (director, Virginia), Tammy Vener (director, California), and Dana Rosenbloom (teacher, New York) for all the work they have put into this new blog. Thank you. Thank you.

We all have had moments when we need advice, new ideas, support; we all need a moment to share our successes, and we need to do it with someone who really knows what we're talking about. Our listserv has been serving that purpose to some degree. I'm suggesting a discussion about how we can best take advantage of each different venue. Is there a way to use the listserv to alert those who are interested, about discussions that are taking place on the blog? Then the listserv might be able to be used more efficiently and for more immediate purposes.

Cathy Rolland, our representative in the URJ, is working on developing a new way to reach us with a publication like Ganeinu in a new format, so we can continue to receive professional articles pertinent to the field.

Please let us know how we can best work together to keep communication happening. Post comments!!

Sari Luck Schneider

Early Childhood Director

Temple Shaaray Tefila

New York, NY

Make ZVUVI’s ISRAEL Part of Your Classroom Curriculum

2009-10-26T14:29:00.000-07:00

As an Israeli-American who made Aliyah in 1977, I believe that connecting American Jewish children with Israel should start at a young age, and not wait for youth movement groups to kick in. That’s why I wrote my new book ZVUVI’s ISRAEL featuring my fictitious, fun-loving fly, Zvuvi. Its beautiful, rich illustrations created by Ksenia Topaz (an Israeli-Russian immigrant) invite kids to tour the country and have fun.

I would like to extend that fun to your classroom. Here are some ideas on how to integrate Zvuvi into your curriculum:
• Start off by turning Zvuvi into a fun-filled game – something like “Pin the Tail on the Donkey”, only this time the game is “Pin Zvuvi on to Israel.” Here’s what you have to do: Cut out a picture of Zvuvi. Put a large map of Israel on your board at the head of the class. For a blindfold, take a scarf that’s blue and white (and explain why you are using these colors). Taking turns, each blindfolded student will “pin” Zvuvi on to the map. Find a matching “story” (double page spread) in the book that matches (as close as possible) Zvuvi’s landing spot and read it to your students. Since Zvuvi is playing
“Hide ‘n Seek” on most of these double spreads, you want to have as many books as possible for the kids to look at, so that at the end of the “story” they can find Zvuvi. Give the first one to find Zvuvi some sort of a prize – maybe an extra star on one of your class charts.

• Create your own “Mini Israel” using ZVUVI's ISRAEL as a guideline. If you can, involve an Arts & Crafts teacher and turn this into a long-term project that ends by making it the focal point of your Yom Ha’Atzmaut celebrations. Here’s what I suggest: Once a week, month, every two weeks (you determine the frequency), you read a Zvuvi double spread story. After each story, use the arts & crafts time allotted to the class around creating your own “Mini Israel.” For instance, you’ll start this project off with A “Wail” of a Time in Jerusalem. You read the story and talk about it (“what are the different activities we see in this story?” “which shapes can you find?”, etc.). Through the guidance of a crafts teacher, you start building Jerusalem. Once you’ve finished you go on to the next story – The ZigZag Jerusalem-Tel Aviv Highway - and repeat the process. Do this until you have finished the entire book.

• Hold a “Zvuvi Israeli Food Day” and make it a family affair. You’ll find food mentioned in four different stories that you’ll read along with the students and their families: Felafel in A Wail” of a Time in Jerusalem; Humus in The Zigzag Jerusalem-Tel Aviv Highway; Biblical Breakfast found in the second double spread of this same story; and grilled St. Peter’s fish in Round and Round the Kinneret. You can contact me for Biblical Breakfast ideas and/or you can visit the Neot Kedumim Biblical Landscape Reserve website.

• Finally, keep Zvuvi going beyond the book. To help kids learn more about life in Israel I’ve started a Zvuvi blog. I put out a new post every two weeks and try to make it as interesting for pre-school and elementary school kids as possible. You can check it out on your own, or if you like, contact me at tami@tlwkidsbooks.com and I’ll be happy to add you to my listserv.

Le’Hitraot…Tami Lehman-Wilzig

Family Education

2009-10-26T00:00:00.000-07:00

Shalom,
Family Education is so important on many levels. It is our goal to enrich the Jewish lives of parents and students at school and in their homes. We also need to facilitate connections between families in the school to create a school-wide community. We need to create avenues (printed information, items to borrow, etc) that will enrich parents’ understandings of Jewish values, Jewish holidays and other aspects of Jewish life. We should offer school-based or non-school-based programming for children, parents and families. Ultimately we need to try to help families make Jewish connections during and beyond the preschool years.

Some Ideas:

Mom’s Night Out Mezuzah Making
Go to a Local Pottery place and have each of the Moms make their own Mezzot. Do a mini teaching on the reason why we hang Meuzzot on doorposts. Provide a list of Websites where they can order a Kosher scroll for the Mezzot.

On the doorposts of traditional Jewish homes you will find a Mezuzah. (Heb.: doorpost), because it is placed upon the doorposts of the house. The mezuzah is not, as some suppose, a good-luck charm, it is a constant reminder of G-d's presence and G-d's commandments. The commandment to place mezuzot on the doorposts of our houses is derived from Deut. 6:4-9, a passage commonly known as the Shema (Hear, from the first word of the passage). In that passage, G-d commands us to keep His words constantly in our minds and in our hearts, by (among other things) writing them on the doorposts of our house. The words of the Shema are written on a tiny scroll of parchment, along with the words of a companion passage, Deut. 11:13. On the back of the scroll, a name of G-d is written. The scroll is then rolled up placed in the case, so that the first letter of the Name (the letter Shin) is visible (or, more commonly, the letter Shin is written on the outside of the case).

Challah Baking
“Mmm… Challah!” Everyone love to eat Challah on Shabbat! Bring in a baker or get a group of parents together and make Challah. Provide an explanation as to why we eat Challah.

On Shabbat every Jew is commanded to eat three meals (one on Friday night and two on Saturday). In Judaism, a "meal" includes bread. Hence, Jews will traditionally eat Challah at the beginning of their Shabbat meal. As with any other type of bread, the blessing "Baruch atah Adonai, eloheinu melech ha'olam, hamotzi lechem min ha'aretz" is recited before the Challah is eaten. Translated, it means "Blessed are you, Lord, our God, king of the universe, who brings forth bread from the earth." One of the greatest mitzvah that Jewish woman have is the privilege of performing the mitzvah of separating the Challah. (Men are also required to separate the Challah if they are the one making Challah). The two Challot (pl. of Challah) placed on the Shabbat table is called Lechem Mishneh (Double Bread or Extra Bread), because before Shabbat Hashem brought down a double portion of mann (manna) for each person. (Shemot 16:4-5, 14-16). It is traditional to cover the challot with a Challah cover representing the mann that was covered above and below with dew from heaven.

L’Shalom,
Lori Kowit
Gannon Gil Preschool of The Temple-Tifereth Israel
lkowit@ttti.org
Beachwood, Ohio

Book & Teacher's Guide: A Grandma LIke Yours/ A Grandpa Like Yours

2009-10-19T05:24:00.000-07:00

Teacher's Guide

Pre-Reading:

Do you like visiting your grandma and grandpa? How often do you see each other? What special names do you call them? If you and your grandparents were animals, what animals would you be?

Discussion Questions:

1.What is special about elephant grannies?

2.Do you think chimpanzee nannies really make challah with their grandchildren? Have you ever made challah with your grandmother?

3.What is the “Horah”? Do you know how to do it?

4.What’s in the baskets delivered by bow-wowing bubbies? What would you like to get in your Purim packages?

5.What’s a mitzvah? Can you think of any mitzvot that you could do?

6.What animal appears on almost every page in the book?

7.Have you ever been to a Seder? What special things did you do during the Seder?

8.When is a shofar blown? Have you ever blown a shofar?

9.What special things have you done with your grandpa?

10.When is Matzah eaten? Have you ever seen it made?

11.What are the groundhogs doing and why are they doing this?

Classroom Projects

Language Arts:

Write an acrostic poem where the first word of each line begins with a letter from the word GRANDPARENTS. The words should describe some trait or characteristic of grandparents. You can use other names for grandparents instead if you prefer.(nanny, granny, savta, papas, grandpas, zayde) Here’s an example:

G-reat friends
R-eady for fun
A-rms always open
N-ice and patient
D-elighted to visit
P-erfect pen pals
A-wesome listeners
R-espected relatives
E-ager babysitters
N-ap buddies
T-reat givers
S-torytellers

Music and Movement:

Dancing the Horah:
Play the song "Havah Nageelah" and get the children in a circle. Clap out the rhythm of the music. Teach the melody. Show them how to move around the circle, and then in and out to the beat of the music. Try moving slowly at first. Later try the doing the dance faster.

Science:

Have children pick out one of the animals in the story and research some Fun Family Facts about that animal. (How are they born –live or in eggs? Who raises the babies? How many babies are born at once? What do they eat? Do family members stay together, or go off on their own? Where do they live? How long do they live?)

Art:

Have the children make tissue paper collages (see some of Eric Carl’s picture books) featuring animal babies and their grandparents.

Or

Make Purim masks featuring some of the animals from the book. (elephant, chimpanzee, kangaroo, dog, giraffe, rabbit, groundhog, sheep, porcupine, zebra, quail, llama, lizard.

This teacher's guide was created by Andria Warmflash Rosenbaum

Library Essentials

2009-10-15T04:38:00.000-07:00

We can all agree that there is almost nothing as important as educating our children! We can also agree that children's books are a big part of that endeavor. With the help and support of our incredible parent body, we've recently renovated our children's library! The space is beautiful and inviting. We have also begun using a computer program that categorizes and labels the books with barcodes, as well as creates library cards with barcodes for the children and staff. Now, as I search for Jewish books in our computer program, our collection seems thin. We'd love some suggestions of Jewish children's book "essentials" to add to our collection. Have you used a particular vendor for purchasing these "essentials?" Thanks in advance!

New CD- A Little Taste of Torah

2009-10-12T08:14:00.000-07:00

Little Taste of Torah is Peter & Ellen at an entirely new level. The fourteen new, original songs reflect the Allard's growing maturity and sophistication as Jewish educators and musicians, while remaining true to their roots as writers of Jewish children's music that is easy to sing, high energy, and FUN. The sparkling, state-of-the-art digital production makes these songs come alive with a vibrant energy that, if you have seen Peter and Ellen perform live, you will recognize as uniquely theirs. Several of these tunes - "Shofar Blast," "Shake, Shake, Shake," and "Baby Moses in a Basket" to name just a few - became instant classics after being introduced at Hava Nashira, and are now widely taught and sung in Jewish schools across North America.

To order A Little Taste of Torah

Calling all Teachers! Join today!

2009-10-08T13:08:00.000-07:00

Are you a teacher in an early childhood classroom at a Reform Jewish center or temple? Would you like to enhance your classroom and become more active in the field? Then joining Early Childhood Educators of Reform Judaism might be for you. Teacher members can:

Get inspiration and ideas for your classroom!
Ask questions and get quick responses on our listserv.
Get involved in the exciting new things that are happening in reform Jewish early childhood education!
Be part of a network of hundreds from across the country who do just what you do.
Read and contribute about hot topics on our blog!

We anticipate another exciting year in 2010 and we’d love for you to be a part of it. Lead teachers should belong to a national organization; why not make it Early Childhood Educators of Reform Judaism? We invite you to become a member by October 31^st at a discounted rate of $18. The membership year runs through November 30, 2010 and entitles you to participate in both the Teacher ListServ and Blog.

Please download the 2010 Membership Brochure from www.ecerj.org , one form per teacher please. Just complete the information and mail with your check to ECE-RJ, PO Box 2349, Livingston NJ 07039. After November 1^st dues for lead teachers will be $36 for the year.

We hope you’ll join us,

Dana Rosenbloom & Elaine Gaidemak

A Read Aloud Favorite

2009-10-07T13:47:00.000-07:00

My all time favorite Shabbat read aloud book is Once Upon a Shabbos by Jacqueline Jules. A great choice for ages 2-8 for any group setting, the book uses a fairy tale format to tell the story of a bear who gets lost in the middle of Brooklyn. The best parts are the repeating refains: "Are you meshuga? Bears don't live in Brooklyn!" and 'Honey, honey, sweet as Shabbos." The children quickly learn these lines and start chiming in with the reader, making it ideal for the classroom or for Tot Shabbat. I love the gentle introduction of Yiddish vocabulary and the appeal to both children and adults.

Jacqueline Jules is a prolific author of Jewish children's books and would make a great topic for a classroom author study. For more information check out her website.

A Torah Resource

2009-10-06T13:36:00.000-07:00

G-dcast is an easy introduction to the weekly parsha (torah portion.) This week's portion is Vezot Habracha. What ideas do you have for using G-dcast in your community?

Parshat Vezot Habracha from G-dcast.com

More Torah cartoons at www.g-dcast.com

The Shofar as a Wake Up Call

2009-09-22T18:37:00.000-07:00

Jewish tradition tells us that the sounding of the shofar is a wake-up call, startling us into reviewing and rethinking the past year of our lives. If there are people we have wronged or hurt, we need to ask their forgiveness. If there are things we want to change, this is our opportunity for a fresh start.

With your children, share the steps to t’shuvah—repentance, that Maimonides, a 12th century sage, taught centuries ago.

1. Cheshbon Ha-Nefesh—take an accounting of the soul.We are to ask ourselves, “What have I done right and what have I done wrong this year?” Share with someone or draw your reflections in a journal.

2. Say you are sorry to those you have hurt or wronged during the past year.

3. Make a plan for how you will behave in the future.

4. Through prayer, ask God to forgive you. How does one know if one has truly repented? The sages tell us if we have truly repented, we choose differently and appropriately when we face the same situation again.

From The Jewish Parent Page of The Union for Reform Judaism