Ivri Anochi Jewish education program to start at Sylvan Adams YM-YWHA
On October 17, the Sylvan Adams YM-YWHA is launching a year-long opportunity for elementary school students grade one through six who do not attend Jewish day school. This interactive, experiential program will foster a deep sense of Jewish identity amongst its participants by encouraging friendships with other Jewish children, nurturing a connection to the Montreal Jewish community and to Israel, deepening students’ connection to Jewish values, tradition and culture, and providing kids with a basic comfort with the Hebrew language.
Ivri Anochi will run on 22 Sundays between October 17 and April 22. The cost is $265/child, but fees will never be a reason for any family to opt out of participation in this or any of the Y’s other programs. The Y will make it possible for all Jewish families to participate.
“We will use a hands-on, pluralistic approach to Jewish holidays and traditions. Our focus is teaching tradition, culture and values by doing and reflecting,” explains Keren Ludvig, Chief Program and Community Engagement Officer at the Sylvan Adams YM-YWHA. “Ivri Anochi students will internalize the Jewish value of chessed (helping others in need) by donating their time as a group to a local Jewish cause, and reflecting back on the way their own participation helped others. They will learn about Chanukah by exploring the lyrics and tunes of traditional and modern songs. They will learn about Israeli society by preparing and sharing popular Israeli recipes. Ivri Anochi is a program that will engage children and make them participants in their learning. They’ll be excited to come back each week to see what activities they’ll get to try out, what new ideas they’ll get to discuss, and what new aspect of themselves they’ll get to learn about.”
Ivri Anochi has been designed to be accessible to all Jewish families, no matter how knowledgeable of or involved in the Jewish community each family considers itself. Diversity will be valued and all students will be invited to reflect upon, to share and to celebrate what makes them unique but also what they have in common as members of the Ivri Anochi program and the Jewish community. It is the only program of its kind in Montreal – unaffiliated with a religious group and truly open to all. Children will be grouped by grade cohort (grades 1-2, grades 3-4, and grades 5-6), and within their groups, partner and small-group activities will be encouraged so that students really get to know each other.
The program is also open to participants with special needs who demonstrate eligibility and a desire to be involved in this unique learning opportunity. The Y’s inclusion professionals will meet with the families of children with special needs, assess the suitability of the Ivri Anochi program, and determine if and how the learning materials could be adapted for each individual. The goal is to give each participant his or her unique learning experience within the parameters of the cohort. Training and preparation for the program will include training to work in an inclusive environment and will include working with families of special needs participants to ensure proper support is maintained throughout the program and that participants and their families are seamlessly integrated into the Y family.
The curricula for each cohort will be age-appropriate and theme-based. Each age group will explore a variety of topics, such as: What it means to be a Jew; The Montreal Jewish Community and its rich history and heritage; Our relationship with Israel – as a people, as a community, and as individuals; Man’s responsibility to man; Understanding the Holocaust; Jews from other lands; and, The spirit of belonging. For each unit we will provide concrete opportunities for experiential learning, and much of the learning with be experienced through meaningful song, dance, drama, and art projects.
Parents and siblings of the Ivri Anochi participants will be included in some activities through the year, and although participation for the whole family is entirely optional, families are encouraged to give feedback and get involved. Because Ivri Anochi will take place at the Y, there will also be many opportunities for parents and siblings to find their own activities to engage in. After dropping off their children at Ivri Anochi, parents can take advantage of the Y’s other facilities. “You can’t beat the convenience of being able to fit in a spin class and a cup of coffee!” says Ludvig. “Or after Ivri Anochi ends, take your kids to the pool for a swim!”
The Sylvan Adams YM-YWHA is a not-for-profit organization that plays a prominent role in the life of the Jewish community in Montreal, upholding a long rich history of Jewish values and traditions for more than 110 years. The Y provides a welcoming, engaging, pluralistic, inclusive Jewish environment where the Montreal community can connect with each other and build a sense of community, while accessing a range of exceptional programs and incomparable services for the body, mind and soul.
For more information log on to www.ymywha.com
