Education Matters - 12.19.22 Jewish News Supplement

Education Matters

Rabbinical student relaunches He’Brew maker Shmaltz Brewing

Andrew Lapin

(JTA)—It seemed like the last keg had been tapped for Shmaltz Brewing Company, until a rabbi-in-training stepped in for a Jewish renewal project.

The Jewish craft beer label, best known for its He’Brew: The Chosen Beer line of drinks, shut down last year after 25 years when its founder, Jeremy Cowan, said he wanted to focus on his other businesses. But now it’s been sold to a new owner: Jesse Epstein, a 26-year-old Reform rabbinical student at Hebrew Union College who first got into home brewing during the COVID-19 pandemic and began looking for ways to work his love for beer into his rabbinical pursuits.

“I started forming in the back of my mind this idea for a Jewish brewery: how to combine these two big passions,” Epstein says.

When he heard that Cowan was winding down Shmaltz, Epstein jumped at the chance to acquire the closest thing the beer world had to a storied Jewish brand—even though he has two-and-ahalf years left of school and is currently a rabbinic intern at Temple Sinai of Saratoga Springs, New York.

Founded in San Francisco in 1996 but now based in Clifton Park, New York, Shmaltz spent 25 years as the king of Jewish craft beer.

Epstein’s aims are different. As a rabbinical student wrestling with surveys showing a shrinking interest in Reform and Conservative affiliations among American Jews, he says his goal with Shmaltz is to use beer as a vehicle for rethinking the idea of a synagogue, and of Jewish communal gathering spaces.

“What about our Jewish values can be used to inform our food practices?” he

asks. “How, through beer, can we embrace the values of welcoming in the stranger, freeing the captive, opening the eyes of the blind?”

The revamped Shmaltz, working for now with an all-volunteer staff, is making Jewish practice and ritual as much a part of its brand as the shtick. Its first year under Epstein’s ownership will consist of a series of pop-up events in partnership with various Jewish groups, starting with a Hanukkah launch party with Brooklyn Jews.

At these gatherings, Epstein says, attendees will do the kinds of activities they might normally come to synagogue for: “Build community, do justice, look at a text, but over a pint of beer.” He sees Shmaltz as a peer of Jewish young-adult gathering projects such as Moishe House, OneTable and Base. But he says it will rely on a for-profit business model rather than institutional Jewish support.

Epstein hopes eventually to start brewing his own selections, which are decidedly more Talmudic in inspiration than the label’s previous offerings: He envisions a Purim-themed beer named “Shushan Beera” (a play on the first line of the Megillah, the scroll Jews read from on the holiday) and, ultimately, beers inspired by each of the weekly Torah portions. The brand’s labels will now include a Jewish blessing for beer, in Hebrew and English.

Ultimately, Epstein says, he would love to run Shmaltz full-time: “I can really foresee it becoming my rabbinate.”

Education Matters

New kindergarten program at SIA will focus on younger students

Carin Simon

Strelitz International Academy plans to launch a new transitional kindergarten program for eligible new and re-enrolling students for the upcoming school year. The SIA TK program is designed for students old enough for kindergarten, but who need an extra year to develop kindergarten readiness skills. Transitional Kindergarten bridges the gap between preschool and kindergarten, providing an extra year to acquire kindergarten academic, social, and emotional readiness for students who need it.

turn six years old as early as October 1. As a result of being so young, some students with summer birthdays find themselves struggling to keep up with their peers. In many cases, an extra year to grow and mature has long-term positive consequences.

The TK program is not for all younger children of kindergarten age. A child’s kindergarten readiness is determined through teacher evaluation and parent observation of both academic and social skills. Children who may be ready for kindergarten academically but may need time to work on impulse control, social skills, and fine motor control may benefit from the new program. Many studies have shown that students who are ahead of their peers in academic, social, and emotional skills reap long-term positive benefits on their social, emotional, and academic success.

In TK, students will have the opportunity to hone this confidence into leadership skills and advanced academics in their later elementary school years and beyond. Transitional Kindergarten gives these students the advantage that many of their older kindergarten peers have, merely as a result of their age. SIA’s transitional kindergarten program is designed to provide parents with a developmentally appropriate, research-based program which grants children that gift.

Over the years, SIA has had parents decide to hold their children back in the EY4 class or Kindergarten in order to give their child the gift of a year. The transitional kindergarten class will give these students the advantages of both the extra play of EY4 and the academic skills of kindergarten. Transitional Kindergarten students will have a similar curriculum to kindergarten, but they will have more time to work on their skills within the IB World School Program. The full day class, 8 am until 3:30 pm, will have an option to include fullcare. Students will work on reading, writing, and math with more time to play. These students will also participate in the same specialty and enrichment classes as the SIA Kindergarten program, including PE, art, music, Hebrew, and violin, with the addition of swimming.

In Virginia, a student must turn five years old by September 30 of their kindergarten year in order to start kindergarten. That means that some students start kindergarten before their fifth birthday, while others on the older end of the group,

While parents are sometimes hesitant to hold their child back due to social stigmas from their own school experience, there are many long-term benefits of delaying a younger child’s start of kindergartern. Instead of struggling to keep up as the youngest students in the class, when completing the transitional kindergarten program, these children might be the leaders in kindergarten the following year.

For more information on Transitional Kindergarten at the Strelitz International Academy, contact Carin Simon, Admissions Director, at 757-424-4327.

Strelitz International Academy is now enrolling for the 2023-2024 school year for all grades.

Strelitz International Academy is a recipient of funds from United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Annual Campaign.

Instead of struggling to keep up as the youngest students in the class, when completing the transitional kindergarten program, these children might be the leaders in kindergarten the following year.

Education Matters Be A Reader is roaring back into schools

Robin Ford

The BeAR program started 2022 with plenty of questions, as volunteers were still not permitted in the schools.

Calls to BeAR schools with offers to help resulted in many schools requesting supplies, reading and writing games, and books. They also asked for the BeAR volunteers to create video recordings of mentors reading the books that the program provided. Accepting the challenge, BeAR happily provided school supplies, prizes for school treasure chests, and so many educational games, including Scrabble Jr., Monopoly Jr., and Bananagrams. The reading videos that were created for some of the books began the “great and spectacular BeAR Read-Along.”

Summer school, while still in quarantine, involved new opportunities, as well as new challenges. BeAR adopted Bettie F. Williams Elementary School. This jumpstarted another BeAR’s journey of snacks, books, games, book videos, token gifts (tokens are awarded for good citizenship, friendship, grades, and helpfulness), and even an opportunity to help with their awesome end-of-summer party.

Finally, the 2022–23 school year arrived and BeAR was back in full force. A kickoff and mentor training session took place in October, with more than 50 mentors—new and old.

BeAR returned to Norfolk and Virginia Beach schools in early November. Second grade students who were just starting kindergarten when quarantine began, are struggling in their first full year of school. BeAR’s oneon-one reading program has already made a huge difference for these young people.

One day a week for one hour is life changing for BeAR students, as well as for BeAR mentors. To learn more about being a BeAR mentor in one (or more) of BeAR’s Norfolk or Virginia Beach Elementary schools, contact Robin Ford, BeAR coordinator, at 757-321-2304 or email rford@ujft.org.

Books for second grade to be distributed to participating BeAR schools.

Bernie Mayer and Mai-Ellen Hecht with two of the BeAR books for the 22/23 school year.

Some of the Larrymore Elementary BeAR team with David Faircloth, principal (center).

Education Matters

Hillel: Growing a Jewish connection

Debbie Burke

As the executive director at William & Mary Hillel in Williamsburg, Rabbi Gershon Litt’s responsibilities include development, bookkeeping, education, interaction with the university, counseling, and student and faculty meetings. Add all of that to his having headed up nearly 40 Birthright Israel trips, and it’s a wonder he has any time left over in his day.

“My passion is to work with students in education,” Rabbi Litt affirms. “Jewish education is how all of this started and that is what I enjoy the most—teaching.”

The biggest change from the founding of William & Mary Hillel during the 1960s to now, according to Litt, is a story of growth. “When I started, there was very little at William & Mary. I would gather the Jewish students that we knew about in academic buildings, invite some for Shabbos dinners, and try to get students to come with me on Israel trips, but there were so few Jewish students on campus that building a community was not really possible. It is an entirely different story today. William & Mary has been an incredible partner in helping me locate appropriate land, in the construction of our building, and by offering constant support in everything we want to do at

Hillel and beyond.”

Campus enrollment today stands at around 600 Jewish students. “Our growth began before COVID, then COVID brought about a diversification of programming and engagement. Now we are once again seeing growth as we have moved back to in-person programming,” says Litt.

Last spring, William & Mary had a Purim carnival with hundreds of students, and they took over the Sunken Gardens on campus with hundreds of students for Hanukkah in conjunction with the local Chabad. Just last month, they held a “Friendsgiving” program for students to gather and find meaning in community together before they left for Thanksgiving break.

“We have partnered with the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and the Jewish Community Relations Council to recently offer Joe Perlov [an Israeli map expert] and other programmatic resources, which are helping to build our strong Israel education program,” Litt adds.

Perhaps his favorite thing to do at William & Mary is lead the Birthright Israel trips, of which he says, “I have led almost 40 trips. When students get engaged in their Judaism, I remember why I do this job. The stronger a student’s Jewish identity, the more likely it is that he or she will remain part of the Jewish community when they graduate and live a fuller, Jewish life.”

Litt says his hope for all Birthright Israel participants is that they come back home with a stronger sense of the people of Israel, the land of Israel, and the Torah of Israel. “Then, I hope that they can internalize that and begin to ask questions that will inspire them to want to be an active participant in the building and maintenance of all three.”

Hillel is 100% student led; the student board plans and executes all events and programs. Rabbi Litt is available as a resource and a provider of resources. “I set up the framework and it is up to them to create the programmatic infrastructure,” he says. “Some of the decisions are made

for them, i.e. kosher food, not conflicting with Jewish practices, etc., but for the most part, if they want a cultural event, Israel event, religious experience, or something else, I help them make those ideas a reality.” Leadership, he says, is key to creating a community, and the student-driven programs help build their skills, self-confidence, and ability to plan.

The organization is open to all Jewish students, regardless of personal observance. All the food at their events is kosher (catered by Meredith Mills under the VAAD Hakashrus of Tidewater). Students can choose if they want to come to services and dinner or just dinner. “We had a Rosh Hashanah meal with close to 100 students who signed up,” he says. “Some of them attended services and some did not. Students ultimately choose for themselves what they find inspiring and what they want their Jewish experiences to be.”

Social events range from game nights to Israel parties and much more. “We recently started Big Brother/Big Sister events where juniors and seniors ‘adopt’ younger students and have events with them,” he says. “Thanks to the Tidewater Jewish Foundation, as well as Nadiv, our students have also benefited from networking with local Jewish-owned businesses.”

Coming together toward a greater good is something Rabbi Litt lives every day, believing that success doesn’t happen in isolation. He says, “Rabbi Heber of Chabad of Williamsburg and I have partnered with many projects over the past two years. We work very well together and I believe that Williamsburg, Va. could be a model that other campuses could use to see how to leverage strengths of complimentary Jewish organizations to

further the goal of Jewish education and Jewish identity. The Jewish people have something very special. Rabbi Heber and I each have something special to bring to the table, so we should work together to achieve our goals as much as possible.”

Every community exposes participants to a spectrum of ideas. “Our goal is for them to ask more questions and take responsibility for their Jewish identity,” Litt says. “Whatever they attach themselves to, whether it is challah baking, Holocaust studies, Israel, or Shabbos—my goal is to make those things relevant to them today so they can make intelligent decisions about their Jewish identities tomorrow.”

For more information, visit wm.edu and under “Departments and Offices,” search for “Hillel.”

William & Mary Hillel is a recipient of funds from United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Annual Campaign.

Rabbi Gershon Litt.

Students in front of the Shenkman Jewish Center in Williamsburg.

Students at William & Mary’s Shenkman Jewish Center.

Rabbi Gershon Litt (center) leading a Birthright trip in Israel.

Norfolk Academy offers new opportunities for exploration beyond the classroom

Esther Diskin

In spring 2022, Norfolk Academy launched Maymester, a program that offered students in 10th and 11th grades the opportunity to close the school year with three weeks of experiential learning at sites around Virginia, the United States, and even the world.

Among the more than a dozen opportunities: Exploration of Germany and France, including stays with host families; hiking the Appalachian Trail; studying immigration near the TexasMexico border; examining art history in New York City; the ecology and indigenous population of Lake Superior; and architecture in Chicago.

Judging by student reactions and excitement building for Maymester 2023, this program is already proving as invaluable as it is popular. For students in grades seven through nine, Norfolk Academy also offers a shorter ended-ofyear session, the Mini-mester, that also features an array of courses that involve exploration outside the classroom.

For the first Maymester, John Craig,

Upper School chemistry teacher, led “Go Big or Go Home,” a take on Chicago’s pioneering construction of skyscrapers. In the first week of the course, students got lessons in architectural sketching from Betsy DiJulio, Upper School art teacher and NA parent and architect Rob Reis, who gave them a tour of Hanbury, the firm that designed NA’s award-winning Massey Leadership Center. Students then traveled to Chicago for six days, exploring and sketching major sculptures and historic buildings, from Frank Lloyd Wright’s Robie House to Wrigley Field. After returning, they completed collaborative projects.

“I learned a lot about what a career in architecture would entail, along with all the unseen work that goes into building communities and cities,” student Michael Carofino says. “The second thing I gained from this trip was connections and relationships.”

Students in Upper School German teacher Kelly Dewey’s course were trekking in the wilderness; over an 11-day period, they hiked 105.6 miles on the Appalachian Trail, some days in the pouring rain. They learned about backpacking and conservation, and they tested their stamina.

“It was a powerful experience,” Van Deans says. “By spending literally every waking moment with the other 12 students and faculty on this trip, continued on page 24

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we all became very close. We struggled together, sweated, helped each other, and got to really know one another through hours of talking as we walked.”

Not every course or activity involved travel. Students in “Negotiation Boot Camp” studied diplomacy, learning from the coordinator of the Negotiation Task Force at Harvard University. Those in “Podcasting: Narrating Hampton Roads” created individual podcasts. About a dozen students had internships.

“I definitely feel better prepared for my future in terms of finance, budgeting, and applying for and holding a job,” Ruby Garrison says. “I also learned interpersonal skills like communication, problem-solving, and teamwork.”

Sarah Goodson, Upper School assistant director, the program’s faculty leader, says that students’ growth was evident, particularly in terms of their confidence

in taking on challenges that, at times, seemed difficult to surmount. She predicts that the pedagogical lessons would filter into classroom and extracurricular experiences, particularly as the Upper School launches Maymester 2023.

Among the new opportunities this year: Digging into archaeology in Greece; Language immersion in Peru; and exploring the world’s climate.

“The traditional academic classroom will always be important, and there is tremendous value in traditional pedagogical approaches,” Goodson says. “But

when we leave campus, we gain richness in experiences and understanding that can’t happen when we remain in our classrooms.”

Esther Diskin is Norfolk Academy’s communications director.