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. 
 

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