Nashville's Akiva First Graders
While the number of Jewish families in small Southern towns has dwindled and forced some synagogues and temples to close their doors, the opportunity for Jewish learning continues to grow throughout the South. And in some towns where a bar or bat mitzvah is a rare occasion, there are resources available to those who seek them.
The Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life (ISJL) in Jackson, Miss., through its expansive education department most likely covers the broadest area and reaches some the most remote towns and cities. ISJL’s pilot education program began with 10 communities in Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi. Now in its ninth year, it reaches 77 congregations and 63 religious schools in 13 states. The project seeks to infuse Jewish life into these communities by providing a standard curriculum to give teachers the tools and background they need to create a meaningful Jewish educational experience for their students and to provide a common body of Jewish knowledge throughout the region. The Institute’s Education Fellows are on the road an average of two weekends a month visiting the communities utilizing its curriculum and engaging in teacher training workshops, services, religious life and cultural and social programming. Once a year, the Institute hosts an education conference to train religious school educators, teachers and rabbis in the implementation of the regional curriculum. While the Institute travels to some remote communities, they also provide curriculum for larger congregations throughout the South. http://www.isjl.org/education/communities.htm
Hattiesburg, Miss., is one community utilizing ISJL’s curriculum. “This fall we will have 12 students in our religious school – two in confirmation class, one in his bar mitzvah year, three in fourth grade, two in first and four in kindergarten,” said Rabbi Uri Barnea of Temple B’nai Israel, whose congregation includes about 50 families and a handful of singles. In addition to the rabbi, who is employed by the temple, all of the teachers are parents who volunteer their time. hattiesburgsynagogue.org, 601.545.3871
Knoxville, Tennessee’s small Jewish community boasts three active Jewish education centers.
Arnstein Jewish Community Center Preschool provides a supportive Jewish environment. “We welcome children from all nationalities and religious backgrounds,” said director Melissa Schweitzer. “We accept a combined maximum of 72 children both part-time and full-time ranging from 14 months to five years old. We have an amazing staff of paid teachers and welcome volunteers for special programs.” www.jewishknoxville.org/Section.aspx?id=1497, 865.690.6343 ext. 22
Stanford Eisenberg Knoxville Jewish Day School is a progressive elementary school serving students K-5. “As the only Jewish day school in Knoxville, we are a community school made up of families from all Jewish denominations,” said director Miriam Wilhelm. “Our highly skilled staff has built a competitive curriculum with our newest project being the adoption of the Singapore Math curriculum.” Having opened their doors five years ago with only eight students, they are now entering their sixth year with 31. “Our first graduates have had a seamless successful transition into middle school, and have all been appointed to leadership positions in their respective schools”. www.KJDS.org, 865.560.9922
Heska Amuna Synagogue, a Conservative congregation in Knoxville, is proud to offer Hebrew and Judaic education classes for approximately 40 students in preschool through 10th grade. “Our dedicated and creative staff – some volunteers – takes their time to educate the next generation of Jewish learners and leaders,” said director Anna Iroff. Classes meet one or two times a week, depending on the grade level. Curriculum includes age-appropriate Hebrew language, Jewish holidays and rituals, Torah stories, art, music, library, games, drama, etc. “Our goal is to provide students with a high-quality Jewish education in a setting that encourages them to love being Jewish and to find their own unique Jewish identity. We also offer family holiday and education programs, parenting classes, monthly programs for toddlers, Tot Shabbat and Family Minyan.” www.heskaamuna.org, education@heskaamuna.org, 865.522.0701
Nashville’s opportunities for Jewish learning are scattered from Midtown all the way to Brentwood, Tenn.
Founded in 1954, Akiva School is Nashville’s only Jewish day school, serving grades K-6. Akiva provides secular and Jewish education and offers art, physical education, music and other enrichment opportunities in a personal child-centered environment. “Akiva’s commitment to academic excellence is supported by its dedicated teaching staff that nurtures students’ growing creativity, self-confidence and life-long love of learning,” said head of school Patricia Schwartz. “Akiva brings together a unique cross-section of families from Nashville’s Jewish community and is not affiliated with any one branch of Judaism. The cultural mix of our school is broad — including children from Israeli, Persian, South American and Russian backgrounds.”
Akiva Nashville Kindergarteners
Akiva is located on the Gordon Jewish Community Center Campus. Staff is comprised of paid professionals one-half of whom have advanced degrees at the Master or Ph.D. level. Akiva has been granted accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. www.akivanashville.net
Nashville parents also have a few options when it comes to preschool. The Gordon Jewish Community Center Early Childhood Learning Center embraces families of all backgrounds and cultivates a connection to Jewish values and traditions. “With practices rooted in research, teachers work collaboratively to nurture the gifts of each child, encourage a questioning mind, spark creativity and foster independence,” said education director Melissa Worthington. “Our currently 110 students are taught by paid teachers. All of our lead teachers hold an associate degree or higher.” www.nashvillejcc.org/index.php?src=gendocs&ref=EarlyChildhood&category=Departments
What does a young Jewish child need? Positive answers, says Gan Yeladim educators, which is the goal of this top-rated preschool located in the centralized West End community. They offer everything from art and music to story telling, ABCs and Aleph Bet, the wonders of science and fun with numbers. The program provides quality age-appropriate experiences. 3600 West End Ave., 37205, 615.298.4661
One of two Reform congregations in Nashville, The Temple, Congregation Ohabai Sholom has been part of the Nashville community for 160 years. Its religious school serves 220 students from nursery through 12th grade. The faculty, mostly paid, is well educated and dedicated to educating the next generation. “Our curriculum is a combination of religious studies and community involvement,” said director of education Lynda Gutcheon. “Students study Jewish holidays, life cycles, Bible, prophets, theology, holocaust, ethics, Israel and Hebrew and are involved in family and community programs. One hundred percent of our students become bar or bat mitzvah, and 98% remain in religious school through 10th grade confirmation. In addition, 70% continue through 12th. We are proud of our students, their families and their commitment to Jewish learning.” www.templenashville.org
The religious school at Congregation Micah, Reform Synagogue in Brentwood engages over 200 students in both formal and informal Jewish learning each year. Through regular midweek and Sunday morning sessions, as well as seasonal congregation and community-wide observances, students of all ages celebrate Jewish life together in memorable, meaningful ways. “Rabbis Laurie and Flip Rice bring youthful energy, rigorous scholarship and creative approaches to every aspect of the school,” said education director Julie Greenberg, who has developed an innovative curriculum based on an integrated model of Jewish education that facilitates family involvement and lifelong learning. Drawing from her wealth of Jewish and secular education experience, Julie guides the volunteer faculty toward best practices in pedagogy, inclusion and interfaith initiatives. Music director and cantorial soloist, Lisa Silver, contributes the joy and inspiration of Jewish music to every service, classroom and holiday celebration. www.congregationmicah.org, 615.377.9799
The Wendy and Avron Fogelman Religious School at Memphis’ only Reform congregation, Temple Israel, serves approximately 500 temple members in kindergarten through 12th grade. “Our educational program focuses on Torah study as well as Jewish history, values, lifecycle events, holidays, prayers, Israel, the Holocaust and Hebrew language,” said education director Barb Gelb. Students attend on Sundays and participate in a wide variety of experiential activities including cooking, music, art, dance, drama, social action, field trips and more. “Our teachers, some paid some volunteers, provide enthusiastic, engaging instruction. And there are more than 40 teens involved as assistants, mentors and tutors for our younger students.” www.timemphis.org
Beth Sholom Religious School – open to members and non-members of Beth Sholom’s conservative synagogue – offers a supplemental Jewish education for students not enrolled in a Jewish day school. “Students prepare for their bar or bat mitzvah and become knowledgeable and contributing members of their Jewish and global communities,” said youth director Sharon Prager. On Sunday mornings, grades K-2 learn their alephbet, parsha stories, Jewish holidays and symbols in an interactive and creative way. Third-7th graders study more in-depth lessons from the Torah, and about Jewish life cycle, holidays, Israel and tikkun olam/mitzvot. Hebrew lessons are on Wednesdays from 4-5:30 p.m. Two Sundays a month Tikkun Olam High 8-12 graders go out into the Memphis area putting community service lessons into action. www.bsholom.org, sharon@bsholom.org, 901.683.3591
