SHIR HADASH RECONSTRUCTIONIST COMMUNITY
INTERGENERATIONAL STUDY PROGRAM FOR
ADULTS, PARENTS, CHILDREN & TEENS
Shir Hadash Reconstructionst Community is known in the St Louis Jewish community for its
intellectual and spiritual richness and moral grounding through education and
learning. Our members and friends
engage in a process of Jewish study to “reconstruct” Judaism and the role of
Jews and the Jewish community in 21st century America, and
to transform ourselves so that Torah and tikkun olam become a natural part of
our daily lives.
Our study program is one of supported, personalized learning in which parents and children learn together – at their own pace and without need of teaching experience or Judaic expertise – about Torah, Jewish history, Jewish ethics, customs, and celebrations, while adults study and learn together about Jewish approaches to issues facing American Jews and Judaism.
More about Birth-8 years More about 9-12 years More about 13-18 years More about 18 years +
Contact Dave or Lois Zuckerman (314-576-3011 or dave@rx-business.com or lois@rx-business.com) for a brochure or more information.
18 years +
Reconstructing Judaism & Jewish community for the 21st century
Watch for Future Scholar Weekends – Periodic weekend study with visiting scholars. Shir Hadash regularly invites notable members of the Reconstructionist community to come to Saint Louis to share their expertise and knowledge.
Adults are encouraged to work with study partners (spouses, colleagues, friends) to examine texts that interest them and bring their learnings back to the community. Our Shir Hadash rabbi provides guidance and book recommendations.
13-18 years
Integrating Judaism, life & tikkun olam
Our study program for teens is personalized and self-directed. We believe that the best Jewish education is one in which parents and kids learn together. So we have created a program for teens and their parents that uses books that can be used and discussed by both, and can be used equally well by parents with very little Jewish education or those with substantial knowledge. Parents & teens discuss Jewish history, ethics, Torah, Talmud, by reading 20-25 pages per week and then studying together for 90 minutes per week (we favor discussion over Sunday breakfast!). The curriculum is entirely self-paced. Parents & teens may choose their own set of books (with help from the Shir Hadash rabbi) or use one of our book lists, like this one:
Age 13: Guide to Jewish Literacy (Telushkin)
Age 14: A Code of Jewish Ethics Vol 1 (Telushkin)
Age 15: Swimming in the Sea of Talmud (Katz & Schwartz)
Age 16: A Code of Jewish Ethics Vol 2 (Telushkin)
Age 17-8: My People’s Prayer Book, Vols 1-3 (Hoffman)
Other possible books include: These Words Upon Our Heart (Steinbock), Sacred Fragments (Gillman)
Parents meet periodically with the Shir Hadash rabbi and parenting coach to ask questions and discuss parenting and Jewish content issues, how to help their teens integrate Judaism into their lives, exchange successes and ideas, and get support for self-study reading.
Teens meet periodically with the Shir Hadash rabbi to discuss Jewish identity, God, ethics, tikkun olam and integrating their Judaism with their daily life.
Experiments in integrating tikkun olam into teens’ daily lives are encouraged.
If you've never done a self-directed study program or have questions about how it works, give Dave or Lois Zuckerman (314-576-3011 or dave@rx-business.com or lois@rx-business.com) a shout and we'll explain how it works and how you can get started.
9-12 years
Torah, prayer & ritual
Our
study program for children aged 9-12 years is personalized and self-directed, leading to a Bar/Bat Mitzvah ceremony at Shir Hadash as your child moves into Jewish adulthood. We believe
that the best Jewish education is one in which parents and kids learn
together. So we have created a program for children and their parents
that uses books that can be used and discussed by both, and can be used
equally well by parents with very little Jewish education or those with
substantial knowledge. Parents & children discuss Jewish history,
ethics,
Torah, Talmud, by reading 20-25 pages per week and then studying
together for
90 minutes per week (we favor discussion over Sunday breakfast!). The curriculum is entirely
self-paced.
Age 9/10: Parents & children learn about the Torah together by reading an English translation weekly (or for 10-15 minutes nightly at bedtime)
using The Torah: A Modern Commentary (or other annotated Torah of parents’ choosing).
Age 10/11: Parents & children learn about Jewish Holidays and the Jewish Calendar using Celebrate! And excerpts from The First Jewish Catalogue.
Age 11/12: Parents
& children read The Synagogue Survival Kit (20-25 pages per week) and attend
services at other Jewish denominations (reform,
conservative, orthodox) to learn about varying customs and practices. (This often happens in conjunction with a child’s attendance at friends’ bar/
bat mitzvah services).
Children attend Shir Hadash services. They receive tutoring in Hebrew, Torah,
siddur and Bar/Bat Mitzvah preparation from a Shir Hadash tutor:
Ages 9-11: Hebrew instruction & siddur.
Age 12: Siddur, Torah portion, trope.
Children meet with the Shir Hadash rabbi periodically the year before Bar/Bat Mitzvah to discuss Jewish, Torah & Bar/Bat Mitzvah topics.
Children are also very strongly encouraged to attend Jewish summer camp, where they will be immersed in Judaism and Jewish study.
Parents meet periodically with the Shir Hadash rabbi and parenting coach to ask questions and discuss parenting and Jewish content issues, exchange successes and ideas, and get support for upcoming Torah parshiot, calendar and holiday discussions with their children.
If you've never done a self-directed study program or have questions about how it works, give Dave or Lois Zuckerman (314-576-3011 or dave@rx-business.com or lois@rx-business.com) a shout and we'll explain how it works and how you can get started.
Birth – 8 years
Jewish home, holidays & family
Our study program for children aged birth - 8 years is personalized and self-directed. We believe that the best Jewish education is one in which parents and kids learn together. So we have created a program for children and their parents that uses books that can be shared, and can be used equally well by parents with very little Jewish education or those with substantial knowledge. Starting at age 6 months, families will receive a book monthly from the PJ Library (www.pjlibrary.org). Through age 7, books are subsidized by Jewish Federation of St Louis.
Parents read each book to their children to provide Jewish content in the home.
Parents work with children to learn basic Jewish prayers (Sh’ma, Motzi, etc)
Children come with their parents to Shabbat services and participate in songs and prayers. Children help lead prayers at services as they learn them.
Parents meet periodically with the Shir Hadash rabbi and parenting coach to ask questions and discuss parenting and Jewish content issues (God, Jewish identity, secularism), exchange successes and ideas, and get support for the PJ Library books that they will receive and the prayers they may wish to teach their children.
If you've never done a self-directed study program or have questions about how it works, give Dave or Lois Zuckerman (314-576-3011 or dave@rx-business.com or lois@rx-business.com) a shout and we'll explain how it works and how you can get started.