Non-traditional Jewish School Meets Twice a Month in White Plains

Hi everyone!

I wanted to let you know about a non traditional Jewish education program that many of our children attend. The families and educators involved in the program would like to reach as wide of an audience as possible in order to let as many people as they can know about it!

The program is described as non-traditional for a number of reasons, including that there is less of a focus on learning Hebrew as one would expect to find in a traditional Hebrew school. The syllabus and curriculum focus on teaching the history of the Jewish community, culture, traditions, holidays and ethical traditions. It also aims to teach morals and values through a Jewish lens but also through a universal lens.

It is also non-traditional because it is not affiliated with a synagogue, and it is a good fit for families that don’t want to belong to a synagogue but do want their children to have the foundations of a Jewish education!

And, perhaps what is most fun for the kids, the classes are very experiential in nature and the kids do a lot of cooking and other activities.

The children have the option to have a bar mitzvah or a bat mitzvah or do a b’nei mitzvah as a group. They also have the option to do none of the above!

The classes meet two Sunday afternoons a month in White Plains. The students come from all over Westchester.

In addition to that, the program has a Hanukkah party, a Purim carnival and they also get together for a celebration in a sukkah during the holiday of Sukkot.

The program is very inclusive and accepting of everyone! Many of the families are mixed faith marriages, meaning that one parent is Jewish and the other one is not! Families, and students, have different levels of belief and observance all around.

Finally, the origins of this program were founded on social justice activism and awareness, and the hope is that this tradition continues. In the past the students have volunteered in shelters for unaccompanied immigrant children who are in the country waiting to be reunited with their relatives, for example.

Please feel free to reach out to Lori Cohen at (914) 645-7271 or at [email protected].

Also please feel free to reach out to Joan Le Var at (914) 924-0416 or [email protected] for any questions!!