Despite the plethora of day schools and yeshivos in the Baltimore-Greater Washington area, not every Jewish elementary, middle, and high school student is fortunate enough to attend a school where he or she can connect with other Jewish students and learn about our heritage. But, thanks to a handful of organizations that are successfully reaching out to these students, many Jewish children are now able to appreciate the beauty of Yiddishkeit in a fun way while forming lasting, meaningful friendships.
Hep JEP
JEP Girls of Maryland, a branch of the national Jewish Education Program, is one of these outreach organizations. Started in 2010 with just four participants, over 450 school-aged Jewish girls, as well as volunteers, have participated in JEP to date. They come from over 40 schools, mostly Baltimore County but also from all across Maryland and even Pennsylvania,
As Rabbi Yitzchak Sanders, founder of JEP, explains, “Most kids we interact with know that they’re Jewish but don’t know why it’s so important or why it’s relevant to their lives.”
JEP program director, Ahuva Spetner, says, “Our participants come from a variety of backgrounds and affiliations, but in JEP we feel closely connected as one Jewish family. I strongly believe that the best way to reach a person is through love and respect. That’s what JEP is all about. At JEP events, there is a tangible passion for Judaism and a pride that permeates the room, but the feeling of love and respect between our participants, Big Sisters, and Batya (JEPS’ teen program) reps are what really create the atmosphere.”
Nikol, who is entering her junior year at Pikesville High School and has been involved in JEP since fourth grade, shares what JEP means to her: “I love JEP like crazy. I was going to say it’s ‘like’ my second family but it’s not like it; it is my second family. JEP didn’t change me. Instead, JEP helped me find the true me that was hiding behind a shy little girl. Throughout my years of JEP, I’ve gained so many friends and sisters. JEP, Camp Nageela, and now Batya have brought me closer to Hashem than I have ever been before. From all the Shabbatons – even to learning all the brachos – for all of that, I thank JEP for helping me find the place I truly belong.”
The organization has a Big Sister-Little Sister program, in which girls in grades one to seven are paired with fun, passionate, loving high school students. It also has a monthly JAC (Jewish Activities Center) program, where the girls have yet another chance to bond and form lasting friendships while going on exciting trips, playing games, doing projects, and learning. JEP Seniors, the middle school division, has a weekly learning program called JIL (Jewish Individualized Learning) at which a lesson is presented by a group leader. The girls then read and discuss an article/story connected to the learning topic with their Big Sister. Afterwards, the group gets back together for an exciting project or game.
In 2015, JEP’s teen program, Batya (an affiliate of Batya Girls in New Jersey) was started so that JEP’s “graduates” could continue being involved in Jewish learning. Batya’s weekly learning program includes dinner, learning of their choice with a personal mentor, and a fun activity/game/project. The teen program also features many Shabbatons, including the annual ShabBatya Retreat in a hotel in Parsippany, NJ.
Over the past year, JEP of Maryland events have also included a family Sukkos party, a mother-daughter Chanukah dinner, a family pre-Purim carnival, and trips like snow tubing, Hershey Park, and more. Among the many activities were paint night, a pool party, clown school, drama club, and more.
“We have loved every minute of it.” a grateful mother wrote Ahuva. “JEP has meant a lot to our family. You have the most wonderful leadership, and your girls are fabulous role models.”
For more information about JEP, visit: www.jepgirls.org or email: info@jepgirls.org.
Together in Torah on Yeshiva Lane
Another program for public school girls in grades one to twelve is the Achim Sundays T.I.T. (Together in Torah) program, inspired by Mrs. Sara (A.J.) Levin 23 years ago and run by Mrs. Russi Steinhardt. Initially, the program participants were Russian-born; now, they are first generation Americans. Each girl is set up with a Yeshiva Lane tutor with whom she learns alef beis, parsha, or other age- and Hebrew level-appropriate subjects. After learning, the girls enjoy group activities in a warm atmosphere in which the girls develop a love of Torah and Yiddishkeit.
“One student participated in this program for six years and never kept a Shabbos outside of a few Shabbatonim,” notes Achim director/founder Rabbi Paysach Diskind, who has been the face of Russian kiruv in Baltimore for 29 years. “However, after leaving the program and attending a New York college, this young lady encountered a challenge in her life. She used the emuna instilled in her from all those years in TIT to pull through. Once she realized how Hashem was with her in that challenge, she decided to commit herself entirely to the ways of Torah. She is currently married to a fine ben Torah and is building a beautiful family upon the foundations of Torah.”
Mrs. Steinhardt adds, “These girls’ neshamas (souls) just can’t get enough. It is a beautiful sight to see them sitting with the Yeshiva Lane girls and bonding so beautifully; it’s a friendship bond for life. The Torah and aleph-beis connect them. It’s very natural; it just flows from within the neshama. There’s no methodology, and you don’t need any professional skills. Just love them and they naturally come close to Torah.
“Every Jew has the capability to plant seeds of Torah wherever they may find themselves,” concludes Mrs. Steinhardt. “It’s not up to us to make results happen. They’re Hashem’s neshomos. Ultimately, they will sprout somewhere, even in future doros. We’re moving our hands, doing Hashem’s work, and watering the seeds with tears of tefila (prayer).”
The Sapoznick children participated in this program from first grade through middle school. What is even more interesting is that their mother, Yelena, studied with Mrs. Steinhardt’s mother, Mrs. Esther Tendler, a”h, over 20 years ago, before she got married.
“My children transitioned into Beth Tfiloh Community School from public school with much ease, and I believe it’s because of the solid foundation they received from their classes with Mrs. Steinhardt,” notes Yelena, whose sister also attended the program.
Yelena’s daughter, Ariella, adds, “Classes with Mrs. Steinhardt not only taught us about Jewish history, traditions, and Hebrew language, but the Steinhardts allowed us into their beautiful Jewish family. They serve as role models to us exemplifying what a traditional Jewish family should be like.”
For more information about this program, contact Rabbi Paysach Diskind, 443-286-9338, or email: paysach@achim.org.
Chilling Out with ChillZone
ChillZone, designed by Oorah, is yet another successful program whose mission is to foster a love of learning in a safe, fun environment. There are more than 30 ChillZone locations across the U.S., Canada, and Israel. Programs are held mostly on motzei Shabbos during the winter, although some take place during the week. Like Oorah’s camp-based ChillZone, boys and girls – in separate groups and locations – learn and discuss some aspect of Jewish heritage and culture.
Yeshivas Ner Yisrael student Chaim Sher is the Greater Washington “Head Chiller” for the boys’ division of Oorah’s Chill Zone, which meets at the Jewish Rockville Outreach Center (JRock), in Rockville, Maryland. The boys, who attend public school and more modern Jewish schools, learn Chumash, Gemorah, Mishnayos, and hashkafa, for about half an hour with their “Chiller” mentors. Raffle tickets can be earned during a lively learning session, which is followed by an activity or game, an exciting raffle and pizza and soda. The program started three years ago with eight participants; now there are 14.
“The nice thing is that two of my staff members continued to learn with the kids after Chill Zone was finished,” notes Chaim. “One of them is making a siyum soon.”
ChillZone’s girls’ program is held Thursday evenings at Suburban Orthodox Congregation Toras Chaim in Baltimore. Although programs elsewhere are for public school and day school students, Baltimore participants include girls from a wide array of schools (including home schooled students). An average of 10 girls, from third to tenth grade, attend the program weekly. Learning topics include Yomim Tovim, happiness, positivity, and being kind to others.
Head Chiller Shira Tenenbaum mentions, “It is a way to connect with our Zone campers throughout the year in the specific cities where they live. For the girls who didn’t go to camp, this is their introduction to what our camp is all about. We have so much fun every week with the kids; we’ve formed a great relationship with them. They have great personalities.”
Head Chiller Sorah Taragin adds, “I love the energy of ChillZone. I enjoy creating a welcoming environment. I love the games, the learning, the food, the raffle prizes. But what I really love is experiencing Yiddishkeit come alive each week as ChillZone reaches the girls’ souls and mine.”
For more information about this program email: chillzone@thezone.org.
Lobbying, Too, at JSU
Mordi Spero is the Baltimore coordinator of NCSY’s Jewish Student Union (JSU), a weekly 15- to 60-minute learning program for unaffiliated youth who attend public and private schools in Baltimore, such as Franklin, Owings Mills, Towson, and Pikesville high schools, as well as Park School, McDonogh, Boys’ Latin, and Garrison Forest. Every Tuesday night, JSU has a “Latte and Learning” get-together at a Starbucks in Baltimore; every Wednesday night, there is one in Howard County. It provides the teens with an opportunity to be in a social Jewish environment and learn for five to ten minutes. Last year, Mordi worked with about 420 teens, with around 170 of them who came to a program 10 or more times.
On Monday nights, the Senator Ben Cardin Jewish Scholars Program meets, connecting students through one-on-one mentoring with local community members and leaders, lawmakers – including Senator Cardin – and lobbyists who introduce them to the process of advocating for issues affecting American Jewry. At the conclusion of the program, the students visit Washington and receive hands-on experience lobbying lawmakers on issues surrounding national Jewish interests.
“I just came back from Israel with 45 teens from our entire region – the Baltimore, Philadelphia, Cherry Hill, and the Greater Washington areas. They came on the TJJ (The Jerusalem Journey), a four-week trip for teens who go to non-Jewish schools,” mentions Mordi.
The deep impression that the trip made on them is evident from the post-trip synopses shared with Mordi. Here are some snippets:
“I come from a Conservative Jewish home, and to be honest, I am not super-religious. Before going on TJJ I had not celebrated Shabbat in years, but there was something about being in the homeland and being with my family that made Shabbat one of the best things ever. I looked forward to Shabbat the entire week, and when it came it was like it had never left. We sang so many songs. When sung by 52 people, the power is indescribable.” Andie Kalkstein, Franklin High School, Reisterstown
“Throughout the trip, we went to the Kotel multiple times. Each time we went, I felt a stronger connection to Judaism. I’ve seen many pictures, read many texts, and heard many stories about the Wall, but I had yet to experience it for myself. Seeing many other Jews praying, putting letters in the cracks, having a Shabbat dinner in the Kotel, and being offered to putting on tefilin brought an entirely new perspective into view. I wasn’t religious before going on the trip, but after experiencing the Western Wall multiple times, I realized how much I undervalued things like Shabbat dinner, attending services, and putting on tefilin.” Noah Glaser, Franklin High School, Reisterstown
For more information about this program, email: sperom@ncsy.org, or call: 443-248-0634.
