Children’s Education

Sukkot drama at Beit Warszawa, Poland

Beit Polska’s multi faceted vision for the renewal of Progressive Polish Jewish life is supported by Friends of Jewish Renewal in Poland (501 3c) and the European/World Union for Progressive Judaism (EUPJ/ WUPJ). In addition we seek your vital support–through your foundation, through family celebrations and memorials, and through your personal gifts.

Click here to see the ‘omnibus’ projects;  we seek your partnership and collaboration.Your interest is key to redeveloping Jewish life in Poland. Be sure to sign up for our newsletter and blogs, PolishJewsReviving.org and RabbiBeliakBlog.org, and help us create the miracle.

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Target $76,000 per year

Currently 10-12 children attend Saturday Shabbat (Shabbat Yachad) and Holy Day learning sessions at Beit Warszawa. We want to expand that group and offer additional children’s programs in other communities.

Shabbat Yachad morning programs include guided games, song, and crafts all focused on elements of Judaism and some Israeli culture. On Shabbat, the children join the adult service during the Torah procession while holding small Torot, and standing at the Bimah (reader’s desk) during the first Aliyah (Torah reading) to see how the Torah is read. Classes near the holidays also include learning the key symbols and foods, hearing Shofar on Rosh Hashanah; at Sukkot helping to build and decorate the Sukkah.

• Inspiring children’s connection to Jewish holidays and symbols
• Becoming comfortable with Jewish religious experience
• Training the “next generation”
• Learning about Jewish connection with Israel, and Jews around the world

Beit Warszawa/Beit Polska would like to reinstitute a summer day camp. In cooperation with the city of Warsaw and the Joint Distribution Committee, Beit Warszawa in 2011 was the site of urban day camp trips that included excursions for swimming, horseback riding, and visits to parks and museums. A considerable part of the program included music and preparations for Shabbat on Friday afternoons.

• Re-institute the Beit Warszawa summer day camp (last held in 2011): $15,000 each year
• Easter week alternative programs (see below) $8,000 each year

Objectives

• Acquaint 30 children per year with Jewish life at monthly Shabbat gathering: Increase
  from current 15 children to total 30 children.
• Develop more effective recruitment, via word of mouth, email, social media
• Continue financial support for 2 part-time teachers

Activities

• Acquaint 30 children per year with Jewish life at monthly Shabbat gatherings: Increase
  from current 15 children to total 30 children.
• Shabbat Yachad (sabbath together) once/month began 2 years ago; expand with additional activities on Sunday in format of “family days” (e.g., day in the country, treasure hunts focused on holidays);
• Emphasis on enjoying Jewish activities and identifying with symbols and holidays.
• Develop more effective recruitment, via word of mouth, email, social media
• Start-up pre-school/kindergarten
• Continue financial support for 2 part-time teachers
• Publicity through schools; email lists; attendees at Limmud Poland
• Establish “parent’s commission” to study needs and methods (to improve on the current programs available for children’s’ Jewish education), for example: Explore opening a Hebrew/Yiddish child care/gan

Easter Vacation

Passover week often corresponds to Easter in Poland, all schools travel to churches for
baptism. About a third of the students stay home during this week because their parents do not want them Baptized. Not all of them are Jews or descended from Jews. Many are part of a determined group of atheists or free thinkers. Offering a Progressive Jewish alternative to these families may fill a void. During this week, offices are full of bored children who were dragged to work by their parents. Some alternatives might be:

1. Activities, trips, and projects that give positive Jewish identity building for
   younger children
2. Each high school class has an ethics/religion requirement that does not yet
   have a Jewish component: need more teachers to go out to public schools–as a
   year-long course
3. Offer non-Jewish partners to attend Judaism identity classes with their
   converted partner (note: rarely, the non-Jewish partner will decide later to
   join): see Step-by-Step.

Partnering Organizations

• We are about to launch a crowd funding campaign to support programs addressed to
  children
• We will partner with local nursery schools, to foster kids-to-kids events.

Staffing

• Dominika
• Judyta

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