Mandy Cheskis
I am thrilled to be formally back in the role of educational director as the Gesher Director of Lifelong Learning at Chisuk Emuna Congregation and Beth El Temple. I have spent most of the summer working with both Rabbi Muroff and Rabbi Capptauber to plan the year.
After a long year of Zooming, it is a delight to announce that we have plans for in- person learning this year! Our Gesher school for grades K-7 will begin on September 1st and classes are held at Chisuk Emuna Congregation on Wednesday afternoons and Beth El Temple on Sunday mornings.
Our talented Gesher teachers have been working on ways to make this year in person interactive, engaging, and transformative while complying with necessary covid restrictions. I have also met with our community educators and leaders to plan several community-wide holiday programs.
Six joint family Friday night Shabbat services and dinners are being planned for the year, three at each congregation. At these services Gesher children and family members will lead parts of the Friday night service. These family friendly joint services will be infused with family fun, community building opportunities and interactive learning as we celebrate Shabbat together.
Hooray for Haftarah is a new Shabbat morning class that I will offer for b’nai mitzvah students and adults to learn the basics about chanting haftratah blessings and learning haftrarah trope. This class will be held monthly on Shabbat mornings during scheduled Family Shabbat programs at both Chisuk Emuna and Beth El Temple.
I am also excited to announce that for the very first time, Gesher 7th grade students from Beth El Temple, Chisuk Emuna Congregation, Ohev Shalom and the Silver Academy will participate in a joint learning initiative called Shamor V’ Zakhor which translates into remember and observe. The goals of the program include providing 7th grade students in our community an opportunity to socialize and learn together. We hope that the experience will be transformative in fostering teen friendships across the community through the b’nai mitzvah years which will flow into the youth group and Hebrew High years and beyond.
Each of the 8 classes will be broken up into two components. The first hour being a sensitive and comprehensive unit on Holocaust and the second hour the study will be focused on the traditions and the meaning of Shabbat. The Shamor V’ Zakhor program will include classes held at both Gesher and Ohev Shalom and will be taught by experienced educators from both schools. Lilian Rappaport and Jason Cohen. The unit will culminate with a joint festive Shabbat program and a trip to the United States Holocaust Museum.
Gesher adult education classes for both of our congregations will also be offered this year to teach the basics of Hebrew reading and how to chant from the Torah. These classes will be held on Monday evenings and anyone at any level is welcome to attend.
I’m looking forward to learning with you this year!
Please contact me at any time at mandy.gesherdirector@gmail.com or.
(717) 649-4220
Mandy Cheskis
After a long year of Zooming, it is a delight to announce that we have plans for in- person learning this year! Our Gesher school for grades K-7 will begin on September 1st and classes are held at Chisuk Emuna Congregation on Wednesday afternoons and Beth El Temple on Sunday mornings.
Our talented Gesher teachers have been working on ways to make this year in person interactive, engaging, and transformative while complying with necessary covid restrictions. I have also met with our community educators and leaders to plan several community-wide holiday programs.
Six joint family Friday night Shabbat services and dinners are being planned for the year, three at each congregation. At these services Gesher children and family members will lead parts of the Friday night service. These family friendly joint services will be infused with family fun, community building opportunities and interactive learning as we celebrate Shabbat together.
Hooray for Haftarah is a new Shabbat morning class that I will offer for b’nai mitzvah students and adults to learn the basics about chanting haftratah blessings and learning haftrarah trope. This class will be held monthly on Shabbat mornings during scheduled Family Shabbat programs at both Chisuk Emuna and Beth El Temple.
I am also excited to announce that for the very first time, Gesher 7th grade students from Beth El Temple, Chisuk Emuna Congregation, Ohev Shalom and the Silver Academy will participate in a joint learning initiative called Shamor V’ Zakhor which translates into remember and observe. The goals of the program include providing 7th grade students in our community an opportunity to socialize and learn together. We hope that the experience will be transformative in fostering teen friendships across the community through the b’nai mitzvah years which will flow into the youth group and Hebrew High years and beyond.
Each of the 8 classes will be broken up into two components. The first hour being a sensitive and comprehensive unit on Holocaust and the second hour the study will be focused on the traditions and the meaning of Shabbat. The Shamor V’ Zakhor program will include classes held at both Gesher and Ohev Shalom and will be taught by experienced educators from both schools. Lilian Rappaport and Jason Cohen. The unit will culminate with a joint festive Shabbat program and a trip to the United States Holocaust Museum.
Gesher adult education classes for both of our congregations will also be offered this year to teach the basics of Hebrew reading and how to chant from the Torah. These classes will be held on Monday evenings and anyone at any level is welcome to attend.
I’m looking forward to learning with you this year!
Please contact me at any time at mandy.gesherdirector@gmail.com or.
(717) 649-4220
Mandy Cheskis