Temple Ner Tamid is inaugurating its newest group of Jewish Family Journeys, a family based alternative approach to religious education for families with children in grades K and 1. This year’s theme is “A Trip through the Jewish Year”, focusing on history, meaning, traditions, customs, communal and home observances of Jewish holidays and holy days. The first family get-together was building a sukkah at the home of one family on September 30th. The program features parallel learning for adults and children, family based experiential learning, trips, Shabbat dinners and holiday celebrations, along with family-centered projects.
“This has been an amazing opportunity for young families to create Jewish memories together,” said Iris Schwartz, Director of the Temple Ner Tamid Religious School, and a long-time advocate of family and experiential learning. “It is a break from traditional Religious School, and we are very excited that Cantor Meredith Greenberg will be helping to lead the program. This is a new model that families are finding rewarding and a fabulous entry into Jewish and synagogue life.”
Its goals are to provide young families with an opportunity to experience Jewish living and learning together on a regular basis, while encouraging families to add to their Jewish knowledge and ability to celebrate Judaism, while creating Jewish memories.
The classes meet twice a month with parents and two additional times for the children on Sunday mornings. Siblings can participate in trips, holidays and Shabbat celebrations.
There is still room for additional families in Jewish Family Journeys, which is a bridge to temple membership. The cost for new families for the first year is religious school tuition, with no additional charge for parents. For information, contact Temple Ner Tamid at 936 Broad Street, Bloomfield, NJ 07003.
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