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Shir Tikvah Begins
Family Education

LESLEY PEARL STAFF WRITER

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n Sunday, Rabbi Arnie
Sleutelberg stood at
the center of Roeper
Elementary School
and blew a shofar, calling to
attention the nearly 90 par-
ents and children attending
the first day of family educa-
tion at Congregation Shir
Tikvah.
A longtime dream of the
growing Troy congregation,
the autonomous religious
school became a reality
following the breakup of
United Hebrew Schools and
the work of various mem-
bers.
The program differs from
former teaching in that
entire families are expected
to participate, learning
opportunities are available
for parents, and Hebrew
and history are not sep-
arated by days, but instead
taught together and through-
out Sunday and Tuesday

make it more rewarding,"
Mr. Hirsch said.
In addition to six family
programming days, many
sponsored by Jewish
Experiences For Families,
parents may partake in
informal classes regarding
Torah morals and ethics, spe-
cial speakers and a Hebrew
class. All will be led while
students attend their Sunday
classes.

Before classes
split up, each
grade pinned hopes
and wishes to a
mock Western
Wall.

In grade 7, Nathaniel
Warshay was conducting the
class in the blessings over
the wine and bread — teach-
ing the traditional prayers,
then inserting the Hebrew
words for apple juice and
cookie.
Mr. Warshay will help pre-
pare students for their indi-
vidual bar and bat mitzvahs
with the help of Rabbi Akiva

classes.
Parents and students were
greeted at the doorway by
Rabbi Sleutelberg, educator
Janet Moses, and a host of
teachers wearing various
color Stars of David.
Students received a similar
star, each grade a different
color, and quickly
found their instruc-
tors.
Rabbi Sleutelberg
attached a mezuzah to
the doorway, low
enough for even the
youngest students to
reach, and led the
families in saying the
Shehechiyanu bless-
ing.
Before classes split
up, each grade pinned
hopes and wishes —
from "I hope I learn a
lot this week," to "I
pray we don't have
homework" — to a
mock Western Wall.
Students tape their wishes on the mock
Grades 2 and 3 Western Wall.
share a classroom and
two teachers. In addition,
Greenblatt. Rabbi Greenblatt
each grade has a parent and
will tutor Torah portions. Mr.
high school assistant.
Warshay will teach ethics,
Kelley Hirsch and her
process, values and compara-
father, Steve, listened as the
tive religions.
teachers explained a rotation
"I'm teaching this course
snack schedule, weekly col-
as
though the bar and
lection of tzedakah, and a
bat mitzvah is part of the
clap used to bring the class to
Jewish life process, not an
attention.
end to itself," Mr. Warshay
"I remember Hebrew
said. "I want these kids to be
school as a kid. This is much
Jewish after their bar and
better. I agree with the phi-
bat mitzvahs, not just up to
losophy and I believe the
it."
family involvement will

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