Chabad's newest project inspires children to learn Hebrew
By Shani McManus
Journal Staff Writer
Anyone
who thinks Hebrew school has to be arguably boring, hasn't checked out
the Jewish School of the Arts, says Chani Ezagui, director of the
inventive school located at Chabad House Lubavitch of Palm Beach.
"If
we want to get through to children these days, we need to tune into
their lifestyles and ways of learning through things that keep them
entertained and highly motivated," she says.
The school offers a
variety of extracurricular activities, including computer instruction
with advanced Jewish computer programs; Jewish ceramics and sculpture;
piano and violin lessons; photography instruction, complete with dark
room; and culinary arts where children learn the art of Jewish cooking,
Ezagui says. The staff members are all professionals in their fields of
expertise, and understand developmental issues applicable to the age
level of each individual child, she says.
The newest project at
the school is its "Aleph Champion Karate Motivational Reading Program,"
which is modeled on the karate motivational system of colors and levels,
she says.
"After the children excel with a certain amount of
Hebrew letters, they become a 'white' aleph champ, and receive a white
band, prizes and certificates. Then they begin the 'red' aleph level and
have a different set of letters to study. They keep advancing from
color to color, and level to level until they are able to read Hebrew
fluently," she says.
"The children are so excited about this program, that they spend their own time practicing."
One parent, Carole Rosbruch, says she likes going to the school so much, she hangs around to enjoy the fun.
"School
of the Arts is an amazing program," she says. "My children beg me to go
every week. From the moment we arrive, it is a high-energy session jam
packed with excitement and activities.
"What an incredible way for kids to learn and grow with Judaism."
Another
parent, Debra Gonzales, says the best thing about the karate reading
program is that it doesn't matter what kind of religious background a
child has since the many activities bring out the talents of each child.
"It's
a fun after-school program for all Jewish kids, whether they go to a
Hebrew school already, attend public school, or are affiliated with a
synagogue, or not," Gonzales says.
"The Jewish School of the
Arts is an innovative program created just for today's children," Rabbi
Shlomo Ezagui, the shul's spiritual leader, says. "This school was
created to capture the minds of young Jewish children, whether they need
a Hebrew school or they just want to do after-school activities.
"The
children move from one activity to the next. And the kids learn about
their [Jewish] heritage through all these activities."
The fee
for attending the Jewish School of the Arts is $60 a month, with the
first month free of charge. The school also offers limited scholarships,
and transportation is available from area schools.
Children who
attend Jewish elementary schools enjoy coming to the Jewish School of
the Arts to participate in after-school activities with other Jewish
kids, Chani Ezagui says.
"It is not your typical Hebrew school
program where children resent going each week," she says. "It's a
program that is geared to children in this fast-paced, high-tech
society. And it's all flavored with a Jewish twist." For more
information, call 561-624-7004.