Opposite page:
Top: Patti Feenstra helps sons Daniel
and David find Rosh Hashanah items
in a picture search puzzle.
Bottom: Rosa Schindler helps her chil-
dren, Laura and Garek Ng, give a pre-
sentation to the rest of the class while
dad, Rick Ng, looks on.
This page:
Garek Ng and Emily Felsenfeld raise
their hands to answer a question.
David Feenstra, Emily Felsenfeld and
Garek Ng say the blessing over the chal-
lah with Rabbi Amy Brodsky.
/-'
dren Garek and Laura is not Jewish,
but is committed to raising his children
as Jews. For him, the Shabbat school
has the added plus of being a comfort-
able place for interfaith families.
"This is an education for myself
and the kids and it gives us the oppor-
tunity to interact with other families,"
he said.
The atmosphere on a recent morn-
ing was a tad chaotic — small chil-
dren ran around and enjoyed hugs and
attention from adults — but families
seemed at ease. Occasionally siblings
bickered, and at one point Mark
Felsenfeld had to take squirming
Aaron out of the room for a while.
Yet, the overwhelining feeling in the
room was ,one of patience and of
camaraderie.
That feeling was part of the reason
the Felsenfelds joined Kol Ami in the
first place. "The first time we went to
services at Kol Ami, Rachel got away
and climbed up to the bimah during
the service," said Laurel. "We thought,
`Oh no, that's it, we can't come back.'
But they were so cool about it, and
that's one of the reasons we decided to
stay here."
Three-year-old Rachel is technically
too young for the program, which tar-
gets families with children in grades
K-3, but Kol Ami lets the Felsenfelds
bring her and 1-year-old Aaron along,
and according to Mark and Laurel, the
little, ones are picking up a lot just by
being there.
Like the Felsenfelds, Patti Feenstra
likes the casual atmosphere of the
school and that it's small enough so
her two sons can get to know the
rabbis. "I like the fact that it gives
the kids more exposure to the rabbis
and religious school director so they
feel comfortable with them," she
said.
In addition to Brodsky, Rabbi
Norman Roman occasionally partici-
pates in programming. Before moving
to Adat Shalom Synagogue, Education
Director Elissa Berg — who developed
the curriculum with Roman — taught
in the program as well. Kol Ami is
currently searching for a new educa-
tion director and an additional
Shabbat school teacher; in the mean-
time, Brodsky is the sole teacher for
the program.
Although parents like the intimacy
of the program, they are hoping to 'see
it grow a little in the coming year.
Newcomers will be absorbed into the
existing class, with enrichment materi-
als provided to help them catch up.
"This program has been wonderful,
but it would be more fun with more
families," said Rick Ng. -"I- wish it
would be larger so our children could
have more children to be involved
with."
Brodsky agreed: "Four families was
great to start with, but we hope to
grow some, so younger students and
adult students have other people to
learn from."
In fact, Brodsky and the partici-
pants are not sure why Shabbat school
has not garnered more interest from
other families. Brodsky speculates that
people may be hesitant to try some-
thing new. Laurel Felsenfeld wonders
if it may be that parents like the "day
care" aspect of Sunday school.
"For some people, Sunday school is
a chance to drop your kids off and go
to the gym," she said, inspecting the
magic marker scrawlings Rachel had
gotten all over her arms and legs that
morning. "You have to really like
being with your kids to do this pro-
gram." ❑
Families interested in the program
are welcome to visit on Saturday,
September 12 from 9-11 a.m. at
Temple Kol Ami, 5085 Walnut
Lake Road, in West Bloomfield.
For more information, call (248)
661-6099.
9/11
1998
Detroit Jewish News
17