FAMILIES
Notices
What's happening in Youth & Family Education Next Year?
Click here to read the invitation to a parent meeting with Hollis Gauss, soon to be the Director of Education (Youth & Family), about next year. Hollis hopes to meet with as many parents as possible, regardless of where their children receive their Jewish education. .
Young Judaea
The next club meetings will be on Sunday, March 21 in
Frankel Hall at BJ's 88th St. Sanctuary. Ofarim, kids in grades 2-4, will meet at 1:00PM. Tsofim, for kids in grades 5, 6, and 7, will meet at
3:00PM. For more information, please e-mail Amy or call x248.
BJTeens
BJTeens offers many opportunities for your son or daughter to participate the BJ community. Gesher is our core program, your teen can participate in Ozrim, and/or Moadim. Follow the links below for In-depth descriptions of the three programs, as well as sign-up application.
- Eighth Grade
- Gesher, a weekly informal learning program is the central gathering place for BJTeens
- Ozrim are teen aides in the BJ Hebrew School and at Children's Services
- Moadim are special event programs throughout the year
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Services
WEEKLY
Join us every Saturday morning at 10:45AM in the Chapel at 86th Street* for a special service led by Director of Family Life Hollis Gauss along with Cantor Ari Priven. This service creates the kavanah (intention) for Shabbat in a warm, interactive setting that includes singing, dancing, storytelling within the framework of the Shabbat morning service. Parents are welcome and encouraged to participate, and are required to accompany children under the age of 7.
Following the Torah reading, the children form four separate minyanim by age:
- Minyan Alef for children ages 3 and under.
Held in the Parlor Room at 86th Street, children explore the meaning of Shabbat through song, movement, and storytelling. This minyan is led by musician and educator Joel Stein.
- Minyan Bet for children in pre-k and kindergarten.
Held in the Chapel at 86th Street, children deepen their understanding of Shabbat and the Jewish year through storytelling, games, discussion, and Shabbat-appropriate art projects. This minyan is led by educator Shira Farber.
- Minyan Gimel for children in first and second grades.
Held in the upstairs library at 86th Street, children engage in meaningful discussion about Shabbat, the weekly Torah portion, Israel, and Jewish values, along with singing and Shabbat-appropriate art projects. This minyan is led by Heschel School art educator Susan Miller.
- Minyan Dalet for children in third, fourth, fifth, and sixth grades.
Held in the upstairs nursery at 86th Street, children work with the leader to create a learning community in preparation for becoming b'nai mitzvah. Activities include games, dancing, and dialogue about the weekly Torah portion and other Jewish issues, with opportunities for dramatic re-enactments of the reading. This minyan is led by Sara Klein, formerly of the New York State Department of Family Affairs, and currently in law school to become a children's advocate.
Following services, the groups come together for a light kiddush in the Parlor Room at 86th Street. Families are encouraged to socialize after kiddush or to join the main service in the Sanctuary for the end of Musaf.
* Please note that Children's Shabbat Services are held in Frankel Hall from the last Shabbat in June until the first Shabbat after Labor Day.
MONTHLY
Family Kabbalat Shabbat Service
Held on the first Friday of each month from September through June at 6:00PM in the Sanctuary at 88th Street, this service is especially for families. It is interactive and includes singing and storytelling appropriate for children under 13. It is led by all of our rabbis, who rotate coverage each month.
Tot Shabbat Service
Held on the third Friday of each month from September through June at 5:45pm in the Sanctuary at 86th Street, this service is especially for families with children under 5. It is led by Director of Family Life Hollis Gauss along with musician Mira Rivera. A light kiddush follows services.
HOLY DAYS AND FESTIVALS
Children's Services begin at 10:45AM on all days when adult services are held, including Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, the first and last days of Sukkot, the first and last days of Pesah, and Shavuot. Children's services are held in Frankel Hall on Holy Days and Festivals, except on Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and when Holy Days fall on Shabbat.
For more information,
e-mail Hollis Gauss, Director of Family Life, or call the Children's and Families Services Hotline, x318.
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BJ Homeless Shelter
Each month, children in a different grade and their families are invited to help prepare a simple meal for guests of BJ's Homeless Shelter on Tuesday evenings from 5:00 to 6:30PM in Frankel Hall. We'll meet to assemble the meal and set the table together, and conclude with an age-appropriate study piece about the mitzvah of feeding the hungry.
Each month, a different parent Coordinator keeps a list of the families planning to attend, assigns ingredients for each family to bring, and divides the chores among the assembled cooks. If you would like to volunteer to cook or to serve as your child's grade's Coordinator, please call Ulrika Citron at (212) 877-0880, Beth Kern at 724-5336, or Harriet Saltzman at (212) 496-1892.
Dates for the 2003-2004 school year are as follows:
- December 9: Kitah Dalet (Fourth Graders)
- January 13: Kitah Gimmel (Third Graders)
- February 10: Kitah Bet (Second) Graders
- March 9: Kitah Aleph (First Graders)
- April 20: Kitah Gan (Kindergarteners)
- May 11: Pre-K and Younger Children
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