Vision for Conservative Early Childhood Programs: A Journey Guide

Music. A large percentage of the music available in the classroom should be
Jewish in nature. The Jewish cassette tapes or CDs should be mixed in with
secular tapes or CDs and played frequently
Books. The children’s bookshelf should contain a large percentage of Jewish
books, which are rotated frequently (just as all the books should be rotated
frequently). There are many Jewish board books for younger children, and
many popular English children’s books are available in Hebrew. Favorite
English stories printed in Hebrew help to familiarize children with Hebrew
writing in a relevant and fun way
Props for block play to facilitate synagogue, Jewish life and Israel play, such
as camels, stained glass blocks, Jerusalem stone blocks, people with kipot,
castle blocks, etc.
Blocks with Hebrew letters and Jewish pictures
Magnetic Hebrew letters mixed in with magnetic English letters
Catalogs from Judaic stores and old New Years cards to cut up
Materials and supplies also can be useful in integrating Jewish elements into secular
topics. For an example, a unit on construction might include blueprints for a synagogue
or aron kodesh. The community helper unit could be supplemented by adding a “rabbi
uniform” – talit, robe, kipah, siddur – to the dress up corner. A unit on dinosaurs could
include the book Dinosaur on Shabbat by Diane Levin Rauchwerger. Seeking out ways
to integrate Jewish elements into the unspoken, seemingly secular curriculum will insure
that the whole curriculum is truly integrated.
This material adapted from Jewish Every Day: The Complete Handbook for Early Childhood Teachers, by
Maxine Segal Handelman, A.R.E.Publishing, 2000 (available from Behrman House,
www.behrmanhouse.com)
Vision for Conservative Early Childhood Programs: A Journey Guide
Maxine Segal Handelman
USCJ Department of Education
129