We are all facing a challenging time, managing complex and difficult emotions around what is happening in Israel, in Gaza, and on college campuses all around the United States. But as a community, we are committed to balancing these emotions with creating joyful interactions for our students and our families in our Jewish spaces - here and in Israel. We are here to support each other, our colleagues, and the parents in our schools as we navigate these feelings together.
As Jewish Early Childhood Centers, we work hard to develop a love of learning and Judaism in our students. We help to facilitate the creation of core Jewish experiences, which will become the foundation of our students' Jewish identity. Israel and Yom Ha'Atzma'ut are key components of that curriculum. We want the students to learn about Israel as the Jewish homeland where many of the stories of our people, our history, and our holidays take place. We aim to provide some understanding of the culture of Israel in a hands-on, experiential approach - with a focus on specific sights the children may visit (i.e., the Dead Sea, the Shuk, the Kotel, Tel Aviv, Tzfat) and get to taste some Israeli food, learn Israeli songs, dances, and language.
We know that Israel's history is complicated and fraught with conflict and emotion. Especially in a time of war where there are opinions to be found in all directions, we are committed to teaching Israel in an age-appropriate way, to celebrating Israel for all the people and the land mean to us, and to being a source of beautiful Jewish joy in a world so in need of it right now!
As you consider your own observance of the holiday, we are eager to hear more about what you are thinking and what decisions you make. Please be sure to share in the forum and/or on FB so that we can all learn from and with each other.
Leslie Scheck, VP of Marketing and Communications
