LEARNING FOR A LIFETIME

“IT IS BETTER TO KNOW WELL THAN TO KNOW MUCH.”

~ Mishle Yehoshua

Congregation

Neveh Shalom

2900 SW Peaceful Lane, Portland

Neveh Shalom ALIYAH program: nevehshalom.org/learning/ Foundation School Preschool: foundationschoolpdx.org, 503-293-7302

At Neveh Shalom, our goal is for children to feel at home in Judaism. From birth through high school, we offer innovative and engaging educational experiences that nurture our children’s hearts, bodies and minds. Beginning with Tot Shabbat and Foundation School, our youngest learners are immersed in a joyful Jewish environment. Cory Willson leads Foundation School’s programs for children ages 12 months through pre-K.

Kindergarten through 6th graders in our ALIYAH program enjoy a vibrant youth community, led by our Director of

Congregational Learning, Mel Berwin. On Sunday mornings, Jewish building blocks, mitzvot, lifecycle, holidays and creative arts are all part of the varied and active curriculum. Hebrew is an individualized program, with a choice of two in-person locations or zoom. Shabbat and holiday programming is offered through the elementary ages leading students to the profound milestone of becoming b’nai mitzvah. Our program is dedicated to the inclusion and participation of every child in our community, so that all students can learn with and from each other.

Students in 7th-12th grades continue learning and social connection through in-depth conversation in Tichon, Neveh Shalom’s Wednesday night program for teens. Also check out our creative new youth and teen programming with Youth Engagement Associate Sarah Rohr.

As a Reconstructionist Jewish community, Havurah Shalom seeks to balance a profound respect for Jewish values, texts, customs, history, and ideas with a recognition of personal autonomy. Our learning opportunities span all age groups, enriching people’s sense of community, knowledge, and connection.

Tot Shabbat for families with children ages 0-5 offers singing, movement, blessings, and storytelling.

(grades 7-8) emphasize kehillah and kesher (community and connection), with a focus on Jewish culture and the many diverse ways of being Jewish. Enrollment is now open, with classes starting Oct. 19.

Havurah High students (grades 9-12), along with Jewish educators, challenge, question, and appreciate their Jewish identity while grappling with local and global social issues. They also participate in tikkun olam projects. It’s a great way to form lifelong friendships! Enrollment is now open, with classes starting Oct. 19.

Havurah Shalom

825 NW 18th Ave

503-248-4662 havurahshalom.org

Deborah Eisenbach-Budner

Education Director

Carrie Kirschner

Assistant Coordinator of Education

Shabbat School for grades K-6 is a co-op that meets 17 Saturdays a year, with classes taught by parent-teachers who are guided by staff educators and supported with a library of resources. Classes are complemented by holiday celebrations, tikkun olam (repair the world) projects, and tefillah (prayer and reflection). Enrollment is currently open only in Grade 1.

Middle School classes and activities

Adult Education encompasses three broad categories: expressive (hands-on, experiential learning, like cooking or constructing ritual garments); culture (classes in history and literature); and spiritual practice (prayer, Hebrew, Torah study). Classes are free to members and open to nonmembers as space allows.

To learn about or enroll your student in Shabbat School first grade, Middle School, or Havurah High, visit havurahshalom.org/enroll.

Maayan Torah Day School

2 Touchstone, Lake Oswego, OR 503-245-5568 maayanpdx.org

With large outdoor play areas, a soccer field, indoor gym and performing arts auditorium, Maayan welcomes students preschool through 8th grade this fall. Last year’s academic growth included a “STEM Challenge” and Torah Fair that integrated science in many of the projects. “Maayan has been a lifeline for so many children during these turbulent times of COVID-19. Not only are students learning every day, they are engaging with peers in a safe and healthy way.” says Principal, Rabbi Yerachmiel Kalter. “Despite the challenges, we managed to stay open and our students have continued to learn, scoring extremely high on standardized Reading and Math assessments.”

Accredited by AdvancED, Maayan offers academic excellence in Judaic and general studies for children from 18 months through eighth grade.

“Children in our school feel that they LOVE being Jewish. This begins with experiences that start in our preschool,” says Kalter.

That vibrant Jewish atmosphere with a focus on Torah study, Israel and living as Jews continues through eighth grade. “Maayan” is Hebrew for a spring of water; at Maayan, teachers seek to instill in each student the love of Torah as a wellspring in their lives.

At PJA, our Jewish values are the guiding principles of our school: study, respect, identity, responsibility, community and appreciation. All of our students from infant through 8th grade receive a well-rounded education, which helps them develop into children with character who become tomorrow’s leaders.

Maayan’s learner-centered education prioritizes students’ active participation in acquiring knowledge. “Our preschool builds ideas and imagination, teaches kids how to be a friend, and how much joy there is in learning,” says Mrs. Aviel Brodkin – founder and current Maayan parent.

In elementary school, teachers use current best teaching practices to engage students.

This year, middle schoolers will participate in intergenerational programming with senior citizens thanks to a grant Maayan received from the Legacy Heritage Better Together Program.

Principal Rabbi Yerachmiel Kalter says, “Good education and positive classrooms can inspire students to reach goals that they never before thought possible!” child who is curious about the world and brave enough to explore it.

PJA’s project-based learning approach encourages students to explore many areas of interest and make connections between their studies and the real world. We offer a rich and diverse program in Jewish studies that enhances critical thinking skills steeped in tradition.

Portland Jewish Academy

Merrill Hendin, Principal

Erika Saiers, Director of Early Childhood (Infant-PreK)

Sarah Glass, Admission Director (K-8th grades)

Steve Albert, Executive Director 6651 SW Capitol Hwy., Portland, OR 503-244-0126 pjaproud.org office@pjaproud.org

Our Early Childhood programs provide welcoming and inclusive settings that recognize children’s diverse abilities, interests, needs, and learning styles. We believe that children learn best through meaningful play, exploration, and an inquiry-based approach to learning.

Our Lower School and Middle School academic programs foster a love of learning by focusing on both critical thinking and creativity. Each subject, lesson, experiment and field trip is treated as one part of an equation that creates a

Students learn Hebrew as a modern language of communication as well as a way to connect with ancient texts. We offer extensive enrichment programs including music, visual and media arts, drama, service learning and volunteer opportunities, P.E., wellness and health classes. Our Makerspace supports classroom learning and provides a place for students to explore, create, design and innovate. Collaborative and integrated learning gives students the foundation to think for themselves and work for the world.

Portland State University

Harold Schnitzer Family Program in Judaic Studies

Mailcode JST

PO Box 751

Portland, OR 97207-0751

503-725-8449 pdx.edu/judaic-studies judaicst@pdx.edu pdx.edu/judaic-studies

A bachelor’s degree in Judaic Studies from Portland State University prepares students to succeed in our interconnected world of diverse cultures and religions. In the Harold Schnitzer Family Program in Judaic Studies, professors take the 3,000-yearlong history and culture of the Jews as a point of our departure for grappling with urgent human questions about justice and knowledge, tradition and change, and crisis and resilience.

“Thanks to the program’s intimate learning environment, students benefit from the type of personal attention normally associated with small liberal arts colleges while still enjoying the advantages of a major urban university,” says Natan Meir, Lorry I. Lokey Professor of Judaic Studies and Academic Director of PSU’s Harold Schnitzer Family Program in Judaic Studies.

Truly interdisciplinary, the Judaic Studies major explores topics in history, English literature, Hebrew language, religion, and film studies. The program welcomes students of all backgrounds who seek an intensive liberal arts experience and the faculty offer close mentoring to support students’ success. Community partnerships provide opportunities for scholarships, local internships and study abroad.

“We offer an array of scholarships intended to ease financial pressure on students so they can focus on their studies,” says Meir. Scholarships cover from $500 to $7,000 of annual tuition and include the Harold Schnitzer Family Scholarships, which offer Judaic Studies majors up to $7,000 annually for up to four years.

For more information please contact Professor Natan Meir at meir@pdx.edu