Does Junior Need Jewish Preschool — or Is Shabbat Sing-Along Enough?

Early Childhood Centre at Holy Blossom Temple

By Pamela Cappe Hamovitch, Director, Early Childhood Centre at Holy Blossom Temple.

Our Early Childhood Centre at Holy Blossom Temple is committed to providing a high-quality learning experience in which Jewish values and traditions are integrated into a play-based curriculum. In doing so, we are enabling children and their families to create permanent connections to Judaism and to create tomorrow’s Jewish adults. Nowhere else can we engage parents so effortlessly.

Regardless of the reason why you may have chosen our program, regardless of your affiliation or lack thereof, it is our job to support what may be an emerging Jewish interest in the hope that it will be become a commitment.

For most children, our school is their first Jewish experience outside of the home.  Therefore, the Jewish aspect of the classroom environment is critical.  It informs the child (without words) that Judaism is a vital part of his/her life – it is a way of life.  The Jewish dimension of the environment sets a mood and a tone enabling Judaism to become part of each child’s world.  The elements of the surroundings arouse curiosity, stimulate discussion and interaction and very subtly create a bank of Jewish memories.  Some of these memories you can see when you visit and others are imparted through a teacher’s behavior, role modeling and language.  This is how the soul is nourished and grows here at Holy B.

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