NOTEBOOK BUSINESS BUDDIES! Opening New Vistas Melton Mini-School graduates dared to learn and share with each other. I n a season of graduations, this one was a bit differ- ent. On May 28, 104 adults graduated from the two- year Florence Melton Adult Mini-School. It was quite an accomplishment for them and for our com- munity. "It's hard for adults to learn — to put their dignity aside, to say they don't know something," Rivy Poupko Kletenik, director of Jewish education services for the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle, told the crowd packed into Handleman Hall at the Jewish Community Center in West Bloomfield. "But you learn to share a ques- tion, bare yourself. To study together is to take risks. These are best friends sitting in this room." Graduates nodded their heads in agree- ment. Meeting other people hungry for Jewish knowledge and then learning from KERI each other has been a hallmark of the pro- GUTEN gram initiated by Florence Zacks Melton of COHEN Philadelphia in 1986. Story She envisioned a "school for adult learn- Development ers, one that would challenge their intellect Editor while introducing them to the complexity, the depth and the beauty of our shared Jewish heritage, opening new pathways to a spiritual jour- ney." Fueled by her vision, 62 mini-schools now operate in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and Israel. Detroit's mini-school receives support from the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit and the JCC. The curriculum for the two-year course is standardized and developed at the Hebrew University Melton Centre for Jewish Education. It is meant to appeal to all streams of Judaism and many levels of learners — those with basic Hebrew school knowledge to those who may have attended day schools. Students meet once a week for 30 weeks. In the first year, they study "Rhythms of Jewish Living" (rituals and life- cycle observances) and "Purposes of Jewish Living" (theo- logical concepts from the Bible, Talmud and other texts). In the second year, students focus on "Ethics of Jewish Living" and "Dramas of Jewish Living Throughout the Ages." There are no tests and little homework. The only require- ment is a commitment to learn. Melton draws all sorts of Jews to its classes, which are offered during the day and in the evening to accommodate busy schedules. Husband-and-wife teams, mothers and daughters, even parents and adult children are drawn to the program. Many students are Sunday school teachers or b'nai mitzvah tutors. A few are yeshiva graduates, and some are Jews by choice. They come from all streams and bring their experiences to the table. "Melton is my gift to myself," said graduate Bertha Davidson of Livonia, a longtime religious school teacher. "People kid me and say, 'How can you learn any more?' I listen and talk, talk, talk." Graduate Jeremy Kahn of Royal Oak says he brings what he learns home to his wife, Beth. "I love to come home and discuss with Beth," he said. "Almost every lesson, I come home with something valu- able." Instructor Dr. Mitch Parker with first yearstudents Sherri Stern, Sheila Shiffer, Paula Korelitz and Elliot Lewkow. Bringing Melton home for practical application is a great benefit for students and a goal of the program, said Aviva Panush, Melton director and associate director for profes- sional development for Federation's Alliance for Jewish Education. 'As adult learners, you are models for our children," she told the graduates. "You model that Jewish education is not a pediatric exercise." Students get hooked on Melton. Panush says more than 50 percent of this year's graduates have registered for grad- uate classes. And more than 75 percent of first-year students have signed up for next year, with more to come. One of the draws are the teachers, students say. This year's instructors were Rabbi Aaron Berman, Tzvi Schostak, Dr. Mitch Parker, Aviva Silverman, Rabbi Charles Popky and Michael Weiss. All faculty required are to take enrich- ment classes to hone their already-extensive knowledge. This year, Dr. Parker joined the Chicago-based North American Melton staff as director of the parenting educa- tion program, a pilot project geared to families with young children. Along with this half-time position, he also works with children with learning and developmental disabilities at the Keller Clinic in Birmingham. He's coordinated the special needs program at Hillel Day School and, for 11 years, has run a special needs program at Camp Ramah in Canada. Before Detroit, Dr. Parker taught Melton courses in Buffalo. He's also participated in two Melton teachers' con- ferences in Jerusalem. "I really love teaching Melton; each class is unique and has its own flavor," he said. "It excites me. I enjoy the give and take and the surprise questions." That give and take is the thrill of Melton. Ask any gradu- ate or any first-year student like me. There's also joy in the depth of learning that takes you beyond the basics and makes you think about your own Jewish practices, that makes you thirsty for more. And it can be yours. ❑ For more information about Melton classes, call Marion Bronstein at (248) 642-4260, ext. 372. JARC salutes these businesses for generous donations of goods and services, allowing us to devote more resources to those we serve. A & A Driving School Action Video & Imaging, Inc. Advance Packaging Technologies Allegra Network Automatic Apartment Laundries Blossoms, Inc. Jo Bruce Corporate Training Assoc. Joe Cornell Entertainment Detroit Popcorn Company Duraclean Specialists Faces in the Air, Ltd. FASTSIGNS of Farmington Hills Barry W. Feldman, M.D. GameWorks Golden Valley Dairy Grace & Wild Studios, Inc. Great Lakes Landscape Design Harper Furniture Harry's Garden Centers, Inc. Hersch's Lawn Spray House of Blinds and Drapery Huntington Technology Michael Jonas Photography Kleiman, Carney and Greenbaum, PC Lapides Publicity Group Lighting Supply Company Linwood Pipe and Supply Company Lynn and Mall Optical Management Diversified, Inc. Mattko Systems Martel & Company Cheryl Melamed Photography Metropolitan Heating and Cooling Gary D. Miller Mold Testing Solutions New Horizons Computer Learning Pest Arrest, Inc. Production Tool Supply Company Resource Data Systems Corporation Rock Financial Rock Homes, Inc. Speedlink, Inc. The Sports Gallery Star Trax Event Productions Technihouse Inspection Tracey and Associates Unique Restaurant Corporation Victor/Harder Productions Walker Printery, Inc. Zalenko & Associates, PC Zack and Miller, CPA, PC 1 ,1ilw w e MAP AO 401' • wwwjarcorg 30301 Northwestern Highway Suite 100 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 248538.6611 • Fax 248538.6615 6/27 2003 5