August Services - Shir Tikvah

4
Reflections on Jewish Learning
The text messages, Facebook posts, and emails fly. It’s a Thursday morning in late June, and seven 13-year-olds
and their parents try to coordinate getting the kids to the synagogue for the Friday night service celebrating
the b’nai mitzvah of two classmates.
There are siblings to shuffle, rush hour traffic to contend with, work schedules to adjust, championship baseball
games and soccer games conflicting, but the only place our kids want to be is at Shir Tikvah for Friday night services
with their classmates and friends—even though Religious School has been out for over a month.
As another parent and I muse, there are worse places for the kids to be on a Friday night. And isn’t that exactly
what we wanted when we signed them up at Shir Tikvah?
So, despite the logistical challenges, we make it all work out and kvell that our kids cherish their Jewish friends and
their connection to their Jewish life at Shir Tikvah.
Why do I tell you this story? Because as a mother of three kids, having grown up active in Jewish life, Jewish youth
groups, and Jewish education, I wanted nothing more for my kids than to embrace their Judaism, soaking in the
learning through connections to the past, present, and future.
To be truthful, I was a bit hesitant about whether Shir Tikvah could offer that for my kids. Fortunately, I have been
more than thrilled at the Jewish education and experiences my 7th-grader gained this past year.
We have formed a supportive cohort of families to get us all through the b’nai mitzvah year and have watched
the friendships, the “values education,” the safe forum for honest discussion, the decision by the class to create
a tzedakah collective, the autographed baseball for my child because his Shir Tikvah classmates know he loves
baseball, and the Skyping for another who was out of the country.
These are not only Jewish values, but the human values of compassion, inclusion, charity, and social justice that we
all share, or strive to share, to make the world a better place (tikkun olam).
My biggest goal for my child, besides being healthy and self-confident, is that he is a mensch. Shir Tikvah not only
gives him opportunities to practice menschlikite, but the congregation itself lives these values every day.
For that, I am grateful to the Shir Tikvah community, and especially to the Religious School faculty. Thank you for
encouraging our kids to express who they are, to be confident in their beliefs, and help them integrate it all with a
Jewish perspective. Jennifer Lewin
I
have been fortunate to have taught at Shir Tikvah for 14 years. When I first
began, my son Casey had just begun kindergarten and I secretly wanted to
know more about Judaism. I thought that teaching would be a good way to
learn, and I was correct.
I grew passionate about Judaism from my 5th-grade religious school teacher, who
taught me about the figures and tales from the Tanach.
This past year, I discovered how Pharaoh’s “hardened heart” could be found in my
life, and how Joseph’s brothers throwing him into the pit had much to say about
the modern experiences of bullying. I was able to learn more about prayers and the
various B’rachot (blessings).
I could have possibly discovered these insights through another venue at Shir
Tikvah, but teaching opened these doors for me. Likewise, I have been able, in the
tradition of teachers before me, to pass on some of the beauty of studying Torah
and being a Jew to my students. By having the kids write a midrash based on what
they’ve learned in class, or make a movie, paint a mural, or correspond with their
peers in our sister school in Israel—my hope is that they will be inspired as I was.
The thing that keeps me coming back year after year is the kids. They are loving,
crazy, wise, and funny. Each year I find myself filled with joy by teaching them.
Barry Epstein, 1 st -grade Religious School teacher and 4 th -grade Hebrew School teacher
As a busy adult interested
in continuing my Jewish
education, I found what
I was looking for right here at
Shir Tikvah. Prayer, history,
some Torah, some Talmud, great
discussions, and a true sense of
welcome—no matter the course of
one’s Jewish journey.
Rabbi Latz is a dynamic, engaging
teacher, Rabbi Simon makes
beginning Hebrew seem attainable
(this is my fourth try), and I’ve
enjoyed getting to know my
classmates. The whole experience
has been a real blessing.
Mary Small