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In This Section
- July 19, 2011
GreenFaith announces the release of a NEW Energy Conservation Resource - May 10, 2011
Hidon HaTorah 5771: Photos - April 14, 2011
Synagogue Leadership Conference 2011 Workshops: “Religious School for All” - March 3, 2011
Dr. Josh Kulp: METNY Scholar in Residence Program - February 25, 2011
PaRDeS Yaakov: Mid-Year “Report Card” - More...
Early Childhood Programs
An Overview of METNY’s “Building Our Jewish Home” Initiative
by Rabbi Cara Weinstein Rosenthal
Building Our Jewish Home Program Coordinator and METNY Education Fieldworker
How do you get young families excited about Judaism?
METNY’s pilot keruv (outreach) program, Building Our Jewish Home, has entered its second year of finding creative and engaging ways to do just that. Building Our Jewish Home began in August 2008, funded by a grant from UJA-Federation of New York. In its first year, BOJH partnered with three synagogues in Northern Westchester to reach out to families with nursery-school-aged children and to help those families become more fully involved in their synagogue communities. For the 2009-10 year, BOJH is proud to be partnering with five synagogues and to have expanded its reach to Southern Westchester and Long Island.
This year, BOJH is exploring different ways to involve young families in synagogue life and to help young parents take an active role in their children’s Jewish education. At some congregations, BOJH has focused on programs that involve the whole family, like “Mezuzapalooza,” held on November 22 at the Hewlett-East Rockaway Jewish Centre. More than 25 families filled the HERJC gym on a Sunday morning to learn what a mezuzah is and to make their own kosher mezuzot. The morning was capped off by a snack, during which the kids had fun making edible mezuzot out of pretzel rods, marshmallows and fruit roll-ups.
This year, BOJH is also experimenting with offering programs designed just for parents, geared towards giving busy parents an opportunity to have some “adult time” and to learn from Jewish tradition and from each other. At the East Meadow Jewish Center, BOJH sponsored a three-session mini-course entitled “Parenting With Heart and Soul.” Ten moms (and one grandmother!) came together to discuss the joys and challenges of parenting, using insights from the new Jewish parenting classic “Can I Have a Cell Phone for Hanukkah?” as a lens through which to explore how Jewish tradition can answer some common parenting questions. BOJH plans to offer another parenting mini-course at EMJC in the spring.
BOJH is also branching out this year to include Shabbat and Havdalah programs. On November 14, the First Hebrew Congregation in Peekskill hosted a “PJ Havdalah” that welcomed families to the synagogue on Saturday night to mark the end of Shabbat together. Led by Rabbi Lee Paskind, parents and kids joined in the Havdalah service, enjoyed a family-friendly dinner, and made their own Havdalah sets to take home and use. According to Rabbi Paskind, “In the year and a half that we have participated in Building Our Jewish Home, First Hebrew has welcomed upwards of 30 families to various events. Some have continued to attend sessions at our synagogue, and some have even joined and signed up their children in our Hebrew School. These families have been drawn closer into the Jewish community of Northern Westchester and into the circle of First Hebrew Congregation.”
How can you use the ideas behind BOJH programming to further outreach efforts at your congregation?
First, make sure that the programs you plan are “low-barrier” – that people with different levels of Jewish background can enjoy them. Holiday celebrations, cooking or baking classes, and mitzvah projects are events in which participants can take an active role regardless of their level of Jewish knowledge.
Second, it is essential that your program publicity is inclusive and welcoming. Adding even a brief sentence to a flyer such as “All are welcome” or “No prior knowledge necessary” might make the difference for someone who’s interested in coming but concerned about not knowing enough to participate.
Third, one last tip is to “think outside the box.” Just because an event is sponsored by a synagogue doesn’t mean it has to be a typical “synagogue event” with coffee and cookies in the social hall. Consider having events at other locations and venues. A storytelling event at a local bookstore or a kiddush-cup-making workshop at a pain-your-own-pottery place might attract people who want to become more Jewishly involved but who don’t yet feel comfortable coming to a synagogue. Once a new participant is “in the door,” his or her level of Jewish knowledge and synagogue involvement has the potential to grow.
Building Our Jewish Home has been widely covered in the Jewish press. To read more about BOJH please visit The Jewish Week and the North County News.
Building Our Jewish Home is grateful for its success and excited about continuing to help congregations become exciting destinations for early childhood families. For more information about Building Our Jewish Home or about upcoming programs, please email me at rabbi@drosenthal.org, visit the Building Our Jewish Home page on METNY’s website, join our Facebook group, or call Rabbi Paulette Posner, METNY Director of Education, at 212-533-0800.
Program Ideas, Curricula, and Flyers
Family Activities and Resources for Shavuot Packet (PDF)
Family Activities and Resources for Shavuot Packet (Word)
Synagogue Leadership Conference Presentation Packet Cover Page
Don’t Put All Your Hamantaschen in One Basket Event Flyer
Don’t Put All Your Hamantaschen in One Basket Event Packet
Tot Shabbat Flyer
Noah’s Ark Live Event Flyer
Noah’s Ark Live Event Packet
Parenting with Heart and Soul Event Flyer
Pesach Family Resource Packet
PJ Havdalah Event Handout
Outreach Tips
In the News
- “The Traveling Synagogue”
- “New Program Reaches Out to Jewish Families”
- “New Programs Serve Growing Number of Young Families in Northern Westchester”
