Perfect attendance is an achievement that few students realize, especially in Hebrew School. But perfect attendance is something quite common at Beth El’s Downtown Satellite Hebrew School. The weekly school of 9 children ages five through eight is growing both in numbers and in how much it means to the families that are a part of it.
 When you think of a downtown Hebrew school, thoughts of Lombard Street and a musty smelling cheder might come to mind. The Beth El school is in much the same vein, just without the smells. The school takes place at Art School 33, a former school now museum, and most children walk there each week for the Thursday afternoon classes. The teachers, Jill Eisen and Jillian Book, begin each class with the singing of the Hatikvah and end it with tzedekah and the Shabbat blessings.
The students at the school learn much the same context that most students learn: holidays, Torah, and basic Jewish values. The second graders read Hebrew, while the younger children learn just to recognize letters. Hebrew board games, cliffhanger Torah stories, and Israeli dancing all make the school something that the children truly enjoy being a part of. What makes the school special is its real sense of community. A Chanukah party for families featured chanukiah and dreidel making, songs and of course food. A Purim party is planned in the near future and with the fantastic parent involvement it is sure to be another memorable educational experience.
Andrea Shelby, a parent of a student, adds, “(The teachers) have been much more than teachers, (they) have helped communicate the warmth and sweetness that is Jewish life. I am so grateful to Beth El for working with us on this project and I hope the effort is repaid with more and more students as the word spreads.”
Beginning in September, the students displayed their projects on the walls at Art School 33 in an effort to create a learning space of which they are truly proud and a part. There are Purim and Passover Open Houses planned for the Downtown School. If you or someone you know might be interested please do not hesitate to contact the school office for the chance to be a part of this great learning experience.
|
