Mishkan Ha'am The Westchester-Riverdale Reconstructionist Group

She'arim/Gateways (Hebrew School)
  
Rabbi Ezra Weinberg, Education Director RebEzraMH@gmail.com

Click here to link to the 2011-2012 She'arim/Gateways Calendar

She'arim/Gateways, Mishkan Ha'am's innovative approach to Hebrew
School, is rooted in a vibrant group of families from Riverdale through towns along the Hudson River (from Yonkers up to Irvington) who are interested in an innovative approach to Jewish education and community. Our school supports our families’ desires to raise their children with a deep appreciation, understanding, and excitement for Jewish life in its various manifestations - cultural, religious, and communal. In building our Hebrew School community, we strive to create a climate of acceptance and security, where all questions are honored and each child is appreciated.

Through storytelling, games, crafts, role-playing, movie-making and discussion, our students learn about the Jewish holidays and history; Jewish values and ethics through mitzvot (good deeds), tzedakah (acts of charity) and tikkun olam (repairing/taking care of our world and global community). Starting in Kitah Bet, we introduce both modern and prayer Hebrew and work towards discussing and “grappling with” the Torah and related stories/text/prayer in ways that are relevant to our lives today. To welcome a diverse range of students, our classes are designed to meet the various needs and abilities of each individual as well as the group. So although there is a general blueprint for our curriculum, it also evolves based on the experiences and skills of our students and teachers.

Under the leadership of Rabbi Ezra Weinberg we also draw on the educational resources of the Reconstructionist Movement, as well as the priorities of our member families. In general, Hebrew language instruction, Jewish culture/history, and ethics receive equal emphasis. Our school currently serves an intimate community of children ranging in age from kindergarten to 6th grade. B'nei Mitzvah-aged children participate in their own unique programming.

The school calendar is based on the Jewish holiday calendar, the schedules of several different school districts as well as public and private school calendars. She'arim/ Gateways classes start on Thursday, September 15, 2011 and run through May 24, 2012.

· Weekday classes are Thursdays starting at 4 pm at the Reformed Church, Hastings-on-Hudson. Please remember to send a snack with your child.
· Students participate in She'arim Shabbat services one Saturday morning a month, starting at 10 am.  Parents are encouraged to participate as well.

She'arim/Gateways Schedule:

In the fall of 2011 we will be resuming our Hebrew school and wanted to make everyone aware of the classes.

There will be 3 different classes:

1 – The 5th - 7th graders, who will meet approximately 3 Thursdays a month and one Saturday.
      Teacher: Aliza Garofalo, time: 4-6pm

2 – The 2nd- 4th graders, who will also meet approximately 3 Thursdays a month and one Saturday.
      Teacher: Dorit Nivens, time 4-5:30pm

3 – The pre-schoolers (age 4-6), who will 
meet approximately 2 Thursdays a month and one Saturday.
      Teacher: Elaine Atzmon , time 4-5:30pm


Past years have been very successful, both for the students, parents and teachers alike.

Feel free to offer the classes to friends outside of MH as well.

Please call us 
(914-478-4996) with questions or concerns.


Registration is ongoing and forms will be sent out in the near future.

Payments at this point will be sent to Rabbi Ezra: RebEzraMH@gmail.com


We look forward to a wonderful school year!!

Regards,
Rabbi Ezra
Sara Stave, Co-Chair Educ Committee
Orit Oppenheimer, Co-Chair Education Committee

  Please Note:
All services/programs, including She'arim/Gateways, are held at the Reformed Church of Hastings, 18 Farragut Avenue, Hastings-on-Hudson, NY, unless otherwise specified.  Click for directions.