EDUCATION PROFILES

CONGREGATION NEVEH SHALOM 2900 SW Peaceful Lane, Portland

Foundation School Preschool: foundationschoolpdx.org, 503-293-7307 Neveh Shalom ALIYAH program: nevehshalom.org/learning/ 503-246-8831

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. Leah Conley 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. Hebrew, Jewish building blocks, mitzvot, lifecycle, holidays and creative arts are all part of the varied and active curriculum. Shabbat and holiday programming continues through the elementary ages leading students to the awesome 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, and youth group opportunities through USY. Although our programming is primarily online this year, we are making the most of new opportunities for small-group Hebrew learning, one-on-one tutoring options, and creative small-group in-person programming. Now, more than ever, community support and effective learning matter! Check our website for the most up-to-date information.

MAAYAN TORAH DAY SCHOOL 2 Touchstone Dr., Lake Oswego, OR 503-245-5568 maayanpdx.org

With large outdoor play areas, a soccer field, indoor gym and performing arts auditorium, Maayan is poised to welcome 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. Students studied the science of vision in conjunction with the Jewish concept of looking at people positively. “The kids were enthralled with more sciencerelated experiences,” says General Education Principal Aviel Brodkin. “Our creative students even developed remote-controlled tissue boxes and zipline bridges.”

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 and this begins with experiences that start in our preschool,” says Brodkin.

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.

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 Brodkin.

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

This year, middle school girls will share experiences with residents at Mirabella retirement community thanks to a grant Maayan received from the Legacy Heritage Better Together Program.

The school also will unveil its new nonfiction research library this year.

Judaic Studies Principal Rabbi Yerachmiel Kalter says, “Good education and positive classrooms can inspire students to reach goals that they never before thought possible!”

PORTLAND JEWISH ACADEMY 6651 SW Capitol Hwy., Portland, OR 503-244-0126 pjaproud.org

At PJA, our Jewish values are the guiding principles of our school: study, respect, identity, responsibility, community and appreciation. Our Early Childhood programs provide welcoming and inclusive settings that recognize children’s diverse abilities, interests, needs, and learning styles. 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.

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 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. 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.

The Early Childhood program is currently open and follows all guidelines provided by the Oregon Health Authority and Early Learning Division. For K-8th grade, we are currently offering robust online learning that empowers students to be flexible, innovative learners in a caring, supportive community.

THE HAROLD SCHNITZER FAMILY PROGRAM IN JUDAIC STUDIES PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY 465 UCB, 1881 SW Fifth Ave. PO Box 751 – JST Portland, OR 503-725-8449 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.