SEPTEMBER 30 • 2021 | 29

T

he COVID-19 pandemic
may have reshaped the
way the world works,
but there’s one element of Jewish
life in Metro Detroit that will
continue no matter what, even if
it takes place in a different form:
Hebrew school.
In the fall of 2020, at the
height of the health crisis, syn-
agogues across the area pivoted
to remote learning options for
Jewish youth. Most used Zoom
or other virtual meeting soft-
ware, holding classes online and
continuing Hebrew education
without any gaps.
Now, as statewide COVID-19
restrictions look different on a
nearly day-by-day basis and cases
climb because of the new Delta
variant, Hebrew schools continue
to pivot with the changes.
Here’s what three local
Hebrew schools have planned
for the 2021-2022 school year.

SHAAREY ZEDEK
In March 2020, Shaarey Zedek
went 100% online as the pan-
demic hit Michigan. After more
than a year of virtual learning,
the congregation began to slowly
incorporate in-person classes

and programming.
Now, with the start of the
new school year, they plan to
fully open for onsite Hebrew
school on Sunday mornings,
while continuing to offer
remote options, if preferred. for
those who prefer them.
“We have a fresh new sched-
ule,
” explains Ari Benjamin
Reis, director of youth and fam-
ily learning at Shaarey Zedek.
“We’re taking new precautions to
prevent the spread of COVID-
19.
”
With a strict indoor mask
policy, Shaarey Zedek aims to
keep both students and faculty
safe amidst a rise in COVID-19
cases. The congregation will
also be implementing a social
distancing protocol to keep stu-
dents, teen assistants and teach-
ers distanced inside classrooms.
In addition, Shaarey Zedek
will operate around special
quarantine procedures to both
be aware of potential COVID-
19 symptoms and what to do if
someone exhibits them.
“Our staff is trained to look
for symptoms,
” Reis says. “If the
kids begin to exhibit symptoms,
we’ll bring them to a dedicated

quarantine room and notify the
parents.
”
Any child who is quaran-
tined (or their classmates) will
be offered Zoom sessions so
that no one encounters gaps in
Hebrew education. If someone
in a household tests positive for
COVID-19, the entire family will
also be asked to quarantine for
14 days and take part in online
learning.
In addition, Shaarey Zedek is
adding sanitizing stations, more
outdoor activities, and mask and
snack breaks outdoors, as weath-
er permits. Yet even inside, stu-
dents and parents can feel safe.
“We have an excellent ventila-
tion system and large classroom
spaces,
” Reis explains. “
All of our
teachers and support staff are
vaccinated.
”

ADAT SHALOM
To create a more robust learning
plan for youth enrolled in its

Hebrew school, Adat Shalom
will be adding a handful of elec-
tives to make Jewish learning fun
and accessible.
“Kids can log in on a Monday
afternoon and do some-
thing they normally wouldn’t
have done, like photography,
Minecraft or extra Hebrew read-
ing practice,
” says Dr. Melissa
Ser, Adat Shalom director of
education.
The synagogue plans to con-
tinue operating mostly online
but is making accommodations
for students who learn better in
in-person settings. They’re also
pivoting to one-on-one Hebrew
language learning, rather than
small groups as traditionally
done, for second- to sev-
enth-graders.
Online learning will take place
on Zoom or FaceTime, which-
ever option is easiest for the
student.
“We actually discovered prior

HEALTH

As COVID-19 continues to
change, so do Hebrew schools.
Safe Studies

ASHLEY ZLATOPOLSKY
CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Weather permitting, students
at Temple Israel will learn
outside under a large tent.
One-on-one Hebrew is offered
online or in-person.

Sixth-graders Katie Belski, Lev and
Simon Belski, Aliyah Cohen, Danielle
Reiter and Alex Gross are among
those learning in person at Adat
Shalom. Most students continue
learning online, with new electives
and one-on-one Hebrew offered.


continued on page 30