Family Education 2024-2025
​
Specific Education questions, please contact
Yardena Prawer - Education Director
All other questions: Please contact Cynthia
Jewish Learning is a life-long journey. That’s why our unique approach prioritizes family learning, where adults learn alongside their children and model the value of exploring Jewish text, culture, spirituality and traditions.
We offer three programs to meet the needs of children ages 3-13.
After age 13, we work with each family to find the right offering
in the wealth of amazing and varied post-b’mitzvah Jewish learning experiences.​​​
​​
Programs for Children
Tot Shabbat
Ages 0-7
Nehar Shalom offers Tot Shabbat programming for children ages 0-7. Parents attend alongside their children and are an integral part of the community. Just bring yourselves for this half hour long program at 10am on the first and third Saturdays of the month as well as the Chagim (please check the Nehar calendar for up to date program scheduling). This half hour is interactive for the children and includes movement, singing, stories, and puppetry. We learn through songs and stories about Tefillah (prayer), community, Shabbat and Chag (festival) rituals, and Hebrew language. Our time together in Tot Shabbat is rooted in Nehar’s values of community, ritual, and inclusion.
Yuvalim Learning
Ages 3-7
​Nehar Shalom is excited to announce the launch of the Yuvalim Program! Children ages 3-7 are invited to gather from 3-4:30pm on the first and third Sundays of the month from September 22nd to June 15th (please check the Nehar calendar for up to date program scheduling).
Educational activities will be built for the spectrum of age appropriate learning and our focus this year will be Jewish time. We will learn about the rituals, values, and ideas behind the cycle of the Jewish calendar year, including Shabbat, Chagim, and Rosh Chodesh. We will learn how the wisdom of Jewish time helps us be present in our community. Sessions will include opening circles, songs, learning about ritual and festival, experiential play based activities, communal snack time with brachot learning, and closing circles. We value educating our children and want to empower them through education to participate in community with a sense of ownership and engagement with their tradition. We are Nehar Shalom, and our river is sustained in part by our children, all the Yuvalim (streams)!
Beit Midrash Nakhal Shalom
Ages 7-12
In keeping with our name "Nehar Shalom," all of the youth programming will be named after the different parts of a river system. As such we will be calling our new mishpacha program "Beit Midrash Nakhal Shalom" (Beit Midrash, meaning house of study, Nakhal, meaning stream)
In an effort to embed this program into our community, we are holding these sessions on Shabbat mornings when Nehar Shalom is having services.
The program will meet on every 1st and 3rd Saturday Morning of the month, September 21st through June 14th (please check the Nehar calendar for up to date program scheduling).:
​
- 11:20-12:00 Parent-child learning with a facilitator followed by group discussion. The learning will be based around the Jewish Calendar and the Torah portion.
- 12:00 Join the shul main services to lead "Adon Olam" at the end of the prayer service.
- 12:15 Join the community for kiddush where there will be kid friendly snacks
B-Mitzvah Program
Preparation for Becoming a Responsible Community Member
Our B-mitzvah program welcomes students and families with diverse backgrounds and Jewish educational experiences. We work with each student and their family to define goals that will feel like a meaningful accomplishment while not being stressful or scary. B-mitzvah cohorts create a supportive community of families to accompany and support each other through the process. The program offers opportunities for students to explore their Jewish identities as well as their personal relationship to Jewish history, Jewish community, mitzvot and practice, antisemitism and other forms of oppression, and justice work. In addition to individual tutoring, the program includes family workshops, attending Shabbat services, working with an adult mentor who is a member of the community, and an independent project of some kind.
​
Please contact Rabbi Leora for more information.​​
