Temple Judea of Manhasset has announced an innovative program to introduce the community to its new Journeys program. The synagogue, affiliated with the Union for Reform Judaism, will waive tuition fees for the 2014-2015 school year for families with school age children who become new synagogue members.
Journeys, a flexible, fun, innovative religious school program for students in grades 3 – 6, offers families the opportunity to choose pieces of the program that best accommodate their child’s needs and schedules. These choices will supplement the weekly class that will be held on Wednesday afternoons.
In addition, the program’s family workshops will offer opportunities to connect with other families in the temple community, a context for learners to experience Shabbat and Jewish holidays, and provide community service programming through a Jewish lens.
School families, who come from many of the surrounding school districts including Roslyn, Manhasset, Herricks, East Williston and Port Washington, have expressed that they appreciate the opportunity to come together and get to know one another in Temple Judea’s warm and welcoming community.
Hebrew instruction through the program will incorporate technology and experiential learning, along with a new modern Hebrew curriculum, “Hebrew Through Movement.” Additionally, students in grade fifth and sixth will participate in a weekly Hebrew tutorial group of no more than three students. The student groups will be homogeneously assigned, ensuring that all students in each group are working towards similar Hebrew goals. The small group size will enable individualized attention, a hallmark of the program at Temple Judea.
The school director, Lauren Resnikoff, RJE, explained that the new program arose from a process in which the Education Committee spent the last year rethinking the goals of Jewish education at Temple Judea. At the same time, committee members explored other religious school models that have been implemented across the country. The committee noted pieces that they felt were aligned with the goals that had been set and designed the program. The committee is excited about the new program and the innovative way in which the community will now offer meaningful Jewish education for students and their families.
Although the Journeys program is specifically designed for students in grades three – six, Temple Judea also offers innovate Jewish educational programs for children in grades K-2. New initiatives are being introduced this year for this age group as well, led in part by the temple’s collaboration with The Jewish Education Project. In addition, Temple Judea has received a grant to offer free PJ Library programming for children age 0 – 8. Temple membership is not required for any of these programs.
Temple Judea’s teen program, Teen Mitzvah Corps, offers young adults the opportunity to earn community service within a Jewish context. The program integrates a number of off-site trips for its teens.
For more information about Temple Judea of Manhasset, or any of its school programs, contact Maxine Peresechensky, Executive Director, at 621-8049 or visit the temple website at www.temple-judea.com.
