New Reta Emerson Fellows/TAP Teens Off To A Great Beginning!
By Gabrielle Kaplan-Mayer, Director, Whole Community Engagement The Reta Emerson Fellowship/Teen Assistant Program (TAP) is Jewish Learning Venture’s education initiative through which a group of selected high school students are trained and mentored to assist children with special needs and those experiencing difficulty in congregational classroom settings. Beginning with a week-long intensive training, and continuing monthly through the school year, teens study, learn skills, work in classrooms in their congregations, and reflect with one another about their experiences. The program is generously funded by the family of Reta Emerson, z"l, who was dedicated to helping children and worked tirelessly [...]
PJ Library Forges Connections in Education
By Ellen Walters, Director, Learning Initiatives in Early Childhood Education I was fortunate to attend the newCAJE conference in Naperville, Illinois, through the generosity of the PJ Library program. Twenty participants in PJ Goes to School K-2 spent each day learning together with Lisa Litman, National Director of PJ Goes to School, and the talented Bible Players. PJ Goes to School K-2 is a pilot program that is currently in six schools in the Greater Philadelphia area. The program is designed to “enrich and extend the curriculum, strengthen bonds between home and school, and spark meaningful Jewish conversations in class and at home." The conference allowed me [...]
Building community from generation to generation
The annual jkidphilly Grandparents’ Celebration is a wonderful opportunity for grandparents to engage in Jewish activities with their grandchildren. This year, the Grandparents’ Celebration will take place on September 11, 2016 from 2:00pm – 4:00pm at the Morris Arboretum. The event celebrates Jewish community by creating an inviting environment for families of all denominations from across the Philadelphia area. Co-chair Marcy Bacine shares her perspective on why the Grandparents' Celebration is so special. Marcy with Executive Director Rabbi Phil Warmflash, Past President Jonathan Broder, and Director of Family Engegement Lori Rubin at 2014 Grandparents' Celebration How did the Grandparents’ Celebration come about? Years [...]