B'nai+Keshet+(Montclair,+NJ)

B’nai Keshet will expand its grade-based family education program built around five core values of Jewish spiritual peoplehood by launching “Values in Action,” engaging the entire congregation in learning and practice framed by one of these core values the year, with the congregation addressing a different value each year over the course of a five-year period. This value will create an overarching theme to all congregational activities, inform meetings, adult learning, Shabbat and holiday observance, and create a synergy between the religious school and the rest of the congregation.
 * Bnai Keshet,** **Montclair** **NJ** **(Reconstructionist, 250 household units)**

Update, June, 2011: We have embarked on a new stage in re-envisioning education. In the 2010-2011 year, we had two visits from educational consultant Rabbi Golan Ben-Chorin who helped us reframe the conversation about education at Bnai Keshet. While we continue with the "Values in Action" program described above, with Family Education for parents and children in grades 3-7, and with a curriculum centered around Reconstructionist values, Hebrew, and experiential learning, we are trying a new model, with a Director of Congregational Learning (DCL) who will oversees all learning for the shul and is integrating learners of different ages into our Bet Midrash program (school for learners from 3-year-olds up through adults at every life stage), as well as infusing learning into our holiday celebrations and other large congregational events. During the time of our support from Legacy, our school has made a transition from Sunday school to Shabbat school -- starting in fall of 2011, all learners will attend on Shabbat, bringing families into the shul at its busiest time and affording more opportunities for intergenerational elective learning and reducing the "drop-off" feeling that Sunday school education can sometimes have.

The main thrust of this year was the work of the Search Committee who selected Rabbi Ariann Weitzman as our DCL. The links below show the evolution of this process, the materials that were circulated and sent out to congregants to bring them along of the vision, and the language we developed to talk about a vision of education that sees the synagogue itself, the community and its doings, as the laboratory for the formation of Jewish identity and experiences.

[|Website]

99 South Fullerton Avenue Montclair, NJ 07042

Rabbi Elliot Tepperman, rabbielliott@bnaikeshet.org Rabbi Ariann Weitzman, Director of Congregatinal Learning, dcl@bnaikeshet.org

//**Informational and Marketing Materials**// Initial draft of our new educational vision after first weekend with consultant Rabbi Golan Ben-Chorin: [] A piece for our "Rainbow Reporter" on our re-envisioning with Rabbi Golan: [] A digest of some of Rabbi Golan's ideas: [] An update to our congregants about the Search Committee Process: [] Our job posting for the Director of Congregational Learning: [] Our letter announcing the appointment of Rabbi Ariann Weitzman: [-%20letter%20of%20welcome.doc]] Rabbi's Ariann's letter of acceptance for this position: [.pdf]]



Family Education 3s shabbat workshop

Adult Education Shabbat

Publicity - newspaper article - hanukah

Retreat