Bet+Daniel

[|Beit Daniel]**, Tel Aviv, IS (Progressive, 500 household units) ** Beit Daniel, the Centre for Progressive Judaism in Tel Aviv-Jaffa, stands on three pillars: education, prayer and social justice. As a congregation we aim to be a model of a community based on equality and pluralism. The //New// //Heights// project will work to strengthen Jewish learning and living of Beit Daniel's preschool network families through holidays and Shabbat celebrations. Families will have the opportunity to take a moment out of time to enjoy engaging experiences that also challenge parents and children to carve out what is Jewish to them in their daily life, while providing parents with accessible tools to continue the experience and the reflective exploration at home within the family framework. The project recognizes the importance of working in parallel with three main target audiences: (a) staff, preschool teachers and educators, (b) preschool families, (c) overall congregation. // New Heights // will reinforce Beit Daniel's preschool community, where at its core is the pulsating Jewish experience.
 * "New Heights" **

//New Heights// [|Beit Daniel - Handout.doc]

** Talia Avnon-Benveniste, education director: talia@beit-daniel.org.il Mailing address: 62 B'nei Dan St. Tel Aviv, 62305, Israel
 * Contact info

**** Beit Daniel and the Challenge for the Jewish Israeli / Talia Avnon-Benveniste ** Over the years, education systems in Israel abandoned Jewish education within school curriculums despite the ongoing struggle for the integration of Jewish curriculum by different education ministers. Committees were formed and guidelines were arrived at and there was a dedication to creating an education framework that provides Jewish education to a population that is not Orthodox. The largest obstacles in creating such a framework that fits with world outlooks and values of a largely secular population. Today, the public school system in Israel places emphasizes on the renewal of the Jewish people in the land of Israel and almost disregards the Jewish education content. In other words, secular Israelis have become estranged from fundamentals of the Jewish world, recognizing leading Jewish figures, knowledge of Jewish literature, acquaintance with Jewish lifecycle events, customs, and the Jewish language. In addition, many of the schools follow Israel's secular society and are unaware if of the rich spiritual and cultural world found beyond the limited knowledge of Judaism they provide students. They are satisfied with very little as an expression of Judaism: speaking the same language, knowing Bible stories and serving in the army. More than this does not exist. Most never enter a synagogue and only enter a synagogue when they are traveling abroad or attending a bar-mitzvah of a family member. **Judaism for them is not a home and they do not speak the language. For full article: English - translation ([|Stand Up Many Students.doc]) Hebrew - original ([|והעמידו תלמידים הרבה.doc])**
 * __Mission and Vision__**
 * “Stand Up (raise up?)Many Students” – **** (Pirkei Avot, Book One, Chapter One)

1. Letter to preschool parents (Hebrew) [|מכתב להורי גני הילדים.doc]
 * Relevant documents:**