On Wed, April 5th, the Preschool teachers, Rabbi Greenstein, and I brought the Passover story to life, in front of a room full of preschoolers and their families. Our stage even included a giant camel, palm trees, and plenty of bricks for pyramids.
On Wed, March 29th, the JLC enjoyed a visit from the Matzah Factory. Our social hall was transformed into an actual matzah bakery, and students learned how to make matzah from scratch. (more…)
Over the last few months the Shomrei Teens of Montclair, STOM, has spent time volunteering at the Babrow Kosher Food Pantry which is housed at Oheb Shalom Congregation in South Orange. The food pantry serves over 200 families each month from local communities. Donations to the food pantry are both state and privately funded.
On Saturday night (Jan 21), Preschool families gathered for Havdallah in Pajamas, with Rabbi Greenstein and myself. We always schedule this beautiful ceremony for a cold, winter night, which allows for more preschool families to attend before they start tucking their children into bed for the night.
With children running around in their jammies, the scene was set for some adorable photos. However, what sticks out in my mind even more, was the fact that this sweet and serene ceremony is always experienced for the first time each year by a new family. They might come out of curiosity, or simply because they know a friend will also be there. However, the magic of havdallah brings everyone together in a matter of minutes. (more…)
Each year, the start of January signals a time to reflect on our progress since September and look forward to a strong finish of the current school year. I feel the same about JLC. When we first began dreaming what a revision of JLC would look and feel like, Shabbat was always at the center of our vision. The sheer concept that families now come as a unit to Shomrei every week on Saturday morning is still an absolutely beautiful sight to witness. Our students are davening Shabbat morning prayers in their classrooms, with joy and enthusiasm. Our older students eagerly gather around a round table, examining the Torah, matching trope (the “musical notes” of the Torah, if you will) they learned in class to the actual markings in the Torah. Both classrooms bring the weekly Torah portion to life, using drama, creativity and engaging important leadership skills. We practice Hebrew words, learn new tunes and practice old ones, and most importantly, we are building a cheerful and dedicated Shabbat community. Above all, I am proud of this network of students and families that deepens by the week. We count on each other, reuniting every Saturday at Shomrei. Shabbat has always been about these connections for me, personally. I am overwhelmed seeing it replicated among our JLC students and their parents, as they feel more comfortable in the larger Shomrei community. (more…)
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