Our approach is both child-centered and family-centered. We believe in focusing on “the whole family” which supports a young person’s overall growth and development, including the Jewish identity of each child. This is holy work in our eyes.
We care about knowing you, your child, and your family. We strive to create access and entry points for all Jewish family make-ups regardless of previous education and/or experiences.
We look forward to meeting you!
K’tantan Community
WHAT
K’tantan Community is designed to support and engage parents and their young kids, ages 0-5. Our goal is to foster a sense of community, as a group of parents of young kids as well as with the larger Shaarie Torah community. As this program develops in its second year, when and where we gather will be shifting and evolving based on the needs and capacities of participating families.
K’tantan comes from the word k’tan קטן meaning small, little, and was also the star of popular children’s stories in the 1940s, called K’tonton. Many families find their way to Jewish community when their kids are in this early stage of development, and our K’tantan Community aspires to meet the range of backgrounds of today’s modern Jewish families.
WHEN
K’tantan Community will gather for select Holiday celebrations, Shabbat mornings and Sunday mornings at Shaarie Torah, as well as home- and park-based social gatherings according to families’ availability and location.
Second Sunday, 3-4:30pm
- October 12: Sip & Schmooze
- November 9: Sip & Schmooze
- December 14: Sip & Schmooze
- January 11: Sip & Schmooze
- February 8: Sip & Schmooze
- March 8: Sip & Schmooze
- April 12: Sip & Schmooze
- May 10: Sip & Schmooze
- June 14: Sip & Schmooze
WHO
Families with kids 0-5. All are welcome, members and non-members alike.
Shabbat Community
WHAT
Shabbat Community is an experience designed for families with kids of any age. Our hope is for families to experience the joy of tefillah (prayer) in community as a family, while engaging kids in a range of modalities – song, making music, movement, and more. Each service includes a short Parsha Play acted out by kids as well as a visit to the main service to carry a mini Torah through the community.
WHO
Families with kids of any age. All are welcome, members and non-members alike. Interested in joining us? Use our interest form here to get notified of upcoming events and connect with us!
Email Cara Abrams at cara@shaarietorah.org to receive details about parking and building entrance.
WHEN
Shabbat Community Fourth Shabbat 11-11:45am
- October 25: Tot Shabbat
- November 22: Tot Shabbat
- No December 27: Winter Break
- January 24: Tot Shabbat
- February 28: Tot Shabbat
- March 28: Tot Shabbat
- April 25: Tot Shabbat
- May 23: Tot Shabbat
Holiday Community
WHAT
Holiday Community is a celebratory experience designed for families with kids of any age, with some experiences custom designed for a certain age group. Our hope is for families to experience celebrating and engaging in themes of each holiday as a family, at times with other families and at times with the greater Shaarie Torah community.
WHO
Families with kids of any age. All are welcome, members and non-members alike.
Interested in joining us? Use our interest form here to get notified of upcoming events and connect with us! Email Cara Abrams at cara@shaarietorah.org to receive details about parking and building entrance. All are welcome.
WHEN
- September 23 – Family RH Experience – 10-11:30am
- September 28 – Family Tashlich Experience – 1pm
- October 2 – Family YK Experience – 10-11:30am
- December 14 – Communal Chanukah Celebration
- March 2 – Communal Erev Purim
- March 29 – Family Pesach Experience & Chocolate Seder
Mensch Community
WHAT
Mensch Community is a consistent learning community for kids in grades K – 8 which also invites active family participation to build community amongst families and with the greater Shaarie Torah community. Our learning experiences and goals are inspired by our educational values: Fun, Character, Community, and Confidence. To learn about our customized approach to preparing for and marking becoming B’nai Mitzvah, visit our Lifecycle page!
Through the participation in all these community experiences, kids and families are offered the opportunities to celebrate Shabbat and holidays both inside and outside of Shaarie Torah, engage in acts of chesed / communal service in our local community, as well as experience fun, developmentally-appropriate Jewish learning together with age cohorts on Sunday mornings.
If you’re new to the Mensch Community or curious to learn if it’s the right fit for your family, email Education Director, Cara Abrams to set up a phone call. If you’re returning and ready to register, click here!
WHO
Our cohorts are grouped by age, depending on who is in our community each year. There are opportunities to gather as a larger community of all ages, as well as learning time in age-specific cohorts. This coming year (2024-2025) there will be an elementary school cohort and two middle school cohorts. Email Cara Abrams to learn more about your family exploring Mensch Community, or any youth and family programming.
WHEN
Sunday, September 14 – Morning Session – 10am-12pm
Sunday, September 21 – Morning Session – 10am-12pm
Tuesday, September 23 – Family Rosh HaShanah Experience – 10-11:30am
Sunday, September 28 – No Morning Session – Family Tashlich Experience – 1pm
Thursday, October 2 – Family Yom Kippur Experience – 10-11:30am
Sunday, October 5 – No Morning Session – High Holidays Break
Sunday, October 12 – No Morning Session – Mensch Community Sukkah Potluck – 5pm
Sunday, October 19 – Morning Session – 10am-12pm
Sunday, October 26 – Morning Session – 10am-12pm
November 2 – Morning Session
November 9 – Morning Session
November 16 – Morning Session
November 23 – Morning Session
November 30 – No Morning Session – Thanksgiving
December 7 – Morning Session
December 14 – Morning Session
December 21 – No Morning Session – Winter Break
December 28 – No Morning Session – Winter Break
January 4 – Morning Session
January 11 – Morning Session
January 18 – No Morning Session – MLK Day
January 25 – Morning Session
February 1 – Morning Session
February 8 – Morning Session
February 15 – No Morning Session – President’s Day
February 22 – Morning Session
March 1 – Morning Session
March 2 – Communal Purim Experience
March 8 – Morning Session
March 15 – Morning Session
March 22 – No Morning Session – PPS Spring Break
March 29 – No Morning Session – Family Pesach Experience
April 5 – No Morning Session – Pesach
April 12 – Morning Session
April 19 – Morning Session
April 26 – Morning Session
May 3 – Morning Session
May 10 – Morning Session
May 17 – Morning Session
May 24 – No Morning Session – Memorial Day
May 31 – Final Session Field Trip
"While studying kavod (honor)
I noticed that I was trying to be
more kind to my sibling."
I noticed that I was trying to be
more kind to my sibling."
Mae Cutler, 8th Grade
mensch community student