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Circles for Jewish Living (CJL)
Spring Newsletter + Registration Information

Most recently the Monday first/second grade group had a make-up lesson on a Sunday morn.  Children spent time decorating mezuza cases while their parents penned personal words and parts of the Shema onto scrolls. After working and conversing, there was a brunch followed by the distribution of very official looking CJL certificates with accolades for a variety of deeds performed by individual students over the course of the year. This was followed by singing and general merriment.  Inspired by this make up day, we will consider a family/class study and brunch for some of the other groups.
 
This was the year of the Survival Center.  The Tuesday group made the most trips, each in conjunction with a spring holiday. Next year we will find creative ways to raise money in addition to our donations of books and clothes as we learned that the dollar's  buying power through the Food Bank, is greater than our individual food contributions.
 
The youngest group studied holidays and artists this year. Some highlights included a visit to Emily Rosenfeld's jewelry studio in the Arts and Industry building; studying Marc Chagall and baking stained glass cookies; producing a short Purim video.  You can view the video on the CJL website.
 
The theme for the older groups in 2013 was tradition. We learned to cull information from Jewish calendars with special note to the listing of Torah readings. Most of the groups now understand that the Chumash - 5 Books of Moses, has a story (parasha) that is read aloud weekly throughout the global Jewish community.  We viewed g-dcast videos and had lively post viewing Torah discussions. 
 
In 2013, there were 5 after school groups that met weekly.  After each class Alisa and I sent updates to keep you informed of our lessons. Here's a partial list recapping the 5th-7th grade studies:
Videos - Sukkah City, Echoes of a Shofar, Idan Raichel (Israeli musician), Food Rescue from Waste, Walking the Bible and the Zig Zag Kid.
Books - We learned about Romaniote (Greek), Sephardic and Ashkenazic Jews living in the Ottoman Empire, in A Shout in the Sunshine. We heard stories from The Book of Miracles, a Young Person's Guide to Jewish Spirituality, and Mitzvah Magic.
Discussions - Maimonides tzedaka ladder, intermarriage, racism at ARHS, holidays and bar/bat mitzvah.
 
Looking Ahead, two themes are unfolding for 2014: life cycle and the study of a comprehensive Jewish history time line.  Each group will continue to develop and discuss topics unique to them as we build on consecutive years of study in cohorts.
 
Bar/Bat Mitzvah students in 6th-8th grade will have 3 options to choose from in 2014:
1.  Attend after school + private lessons
2.  Only private lessons
3.  Private lessons + after school enrollment post celebration.
In advance of planning a bar/bat mitzvah, please let me know if you would like to attend one of our services.
 
Fall Registration - due June 25
CJL is gearing up for its 5th year with robust community and the promise of further growth. It's time for returning students to register.  Please complete and mail the student information form found on the website:
www.circlesforjewishliving.com under the Register tab and include the non-refundable $40 registration fee for each child in your family.
The registration fee and the tuition of $1010 is unchanged in 2014.
 
Student forms should be received by June 25 to reserve a space in the program.   After June 25 a late fee of $25 will be added to each returning student registration.

New student registration begins June 26. Tuition payments are due the first week of September and February.
 
It's super helpful to have timely registration (by June 25)!
 
Here is our likely schedule for next year:
Monday - 5th-6th grade
Monday - 2nd-3rd grade
Tuesday - 4th-5th grade
Wednesday - 6th-8th grade
Thursday - 6-8th grade
TBD - K- 1st grade
 
Know someone who may be interested in CJL? Please share this info or have them visit the website -
www.circlesforjewishliving.com.  Questions or ideas?  584-4161.
I look forward to hearing from you.
 
My gratitude to each of you for this CJL community educational endeavor.
Brachot (blessings) to all,
~Alison
The CJL mission is to foster community belonging and connections by developing innovative programs that support families across the spectrum of Jewish living.  .
We fulfill the mission by:
Inspiring and uniting people through shared experience
Exploring Jewish identity and culture
Sharing values and ethics of our heritage
Providing nurturing and creative education programs
Copyright © 2014 Circles for Jewish Living, All rights reserved.


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