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Community Corner

Chai Center for Jewish Life School Now Accepting Registrations

By Debbie Ann Weiner

Warren/Watchung/Basking Ridge:  Chai Center for Jewish Life is now accepting registration for its Learning Center at 266 King George Road, Warren.  Classes for children in kindergarten through 12th grades will be held on Sundays from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. beginning on September 8. Registration forms can be found on the website, www.chaicenternj.org

            According to Sharon Freidman, executive director of Chai Center, the school differs from traditional, synagogue-based religious schools in its approach to learning.  There are no books; the curriculum is based on experiential, interactive learning. 

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            “We will be very spirited, with students having fun, learning through songs, games, and hands-on activities in an informal environment,” Freidman explained. “We want our children to love their Judaism and be proud of their heritage.”

 “We make Judaism fun and relevant. We inter-mingle the spirit and fun of camp with the concrete learning of school,” she continued.  “Using a team approach, our staff collaborates and plans rich Jewish experiences that are hands-on and relevant to our students.”

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Friedman says that the school has a complete Jewish curriculum, providing opportunities for children to discover and explore Jewish identity & practice, mitzvot, holiday observance, bible studies, Hebrew language acquisition and prayer.  Every member of the staff is an experienced religious school teacher; Friedman herself recently retired after spending 25 years as the principal of a local religious school.

“We want students to feel good about themselves and about being Jewish,” she continued.  “We foster a joyful learning community, one that is relaxed, nurturing, welcoming, and inclusive.  Meaningful relationships and community building between children and families is a central goal of our program.   We actively seek to build community grounded in relationships of caring, compassion, respect.”

According to Friedman, the driving force in forming the new school was to make Jewish education affordable.  “It always bothered me that it costs so much money to be Jewish, and that families [usually] have to belong to a synagogue to send their kids to its school,” she said.

 “Every summer I would get inquiries: ‘Can my kids come to the school if we’re not members?’ I had to say no, and it always bothered me. Everyone should be able to get a Jewish education,” she continued.

 Friedman also said that anyone who pays tuition ($950 per year, per child, flat fee, with no discount for additional children) is automatically a member of the Chai Center.  There are no other membership fees required.

Although Chai Center is not a full-service synagogue, the Learning Center will help prepare children for Bar or Bat Mitzvah, if the parents desire.  Hebrew reading instruction and synagogue service prayer liturgy will be included as part of the Sunday program. 

When it comes time for your child to prepare to become a Bar or Bat Mitzvah, Chai Center will act as a resource. We will provide you with names of tutors who are fully equipped to train your child at this step.  These tutors work directly with Chai Center,” explained Friedman.  “You make the financial arrangements privately. We will also provide a list of rabbis and/or service leaders who are available.  The beauty of this is that you craft the Bar or Bat Mitzvah experience that is right for your family.  Nobody will tell you what you can or cannot do.  The staff at the CCJL Learning Center will help guide you. We believe this is a special moment in your life and there should be limited anxiety and stress.”

For additional information, please  call 908-864-7788, visit the Chai Center for Jewish Life website, www.chaicenternj.org , or email info@chaicenternj.org





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