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New after school programs for middle school students

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TikkunXDesign is now available to 5th grade and middle school students in the community as an after school program. 

Our TikkunXDesign after school program kicks off on October 9th. Tiferet Rose, TikkunXDesign Director, and JCDSRI TikkunXDesign Fellows from Brown University will facilitate the weekly lessons in our Design Lab that explore Jewish values through Design Thinking. See flyer for details.

 

Teva PVD

Alumni often tell us that their 5th grade Teva overnight was a highlight of their JCDSRI experience. We are now bringing the magic of Teva to Providence!

Teva PVD is a 3-part series of outdoor explorations culminating in an overnight Shabbaton. Teva PVD outdoor adventures will be facilitated by Teva and JCDSRI educators. For dates and details, see flyer.

The Founding of JCDSRI

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It all started forty years ago at the Providence home of Sheila and Paul Alexander.  While their kids played upstairs, the Alexanders hashed out a bold idea with three other couples with preschoolers: Rabbi Alvan and Marcia Kaunfer, Joshua and Penney Stein, and Chuck and Ada Beth Cutler.  They wanted a Jewish day school education, but something more liberal and egalitarian than that offered by the Providence Hebrew Day School.

The four couples were recent transplants to Providence, and had experience with the Conservative movement’s Schechter schools that were sprouting up across the country.  As public school graduates, they wanted their children to have a stronger Jewish foundation than they had, or that was possible with afterschool religious education at a synagogue. So they started thinking about opening their own Schechter school. It was already March of 1978, but they aimed for the fall.

As Penney Stein recalled, “We were young and crazy enough to think we could pull it off.”  It helped that Alvan Kaunfer, the assistant rabbi at Temple Emanu-El, had been head of the Judaic studies department at Toronto’s Schechter school. Ada Beth Cutler had started her teaching career at a New York Schechter, and Penney Stein herself was an educator with a Ph.D.

These young families got crucial support from two leaders at Emanu-El, Joel Zaiman, the senior rabbi, and longtime trustee Sanford Kroll.  They had pushed for a Schechter school years before, but hadn’t been able to persuade parents to sign on.  This time, with parents taking the lead, it worked.

The founders informed president Marvin Holland and the board of the Jewish Federation (now Jewish Alliance) of their plans, but made no request for funding.  They did gain some vital philanthropic help and advice from Emanu-El trustees Max Alperin and Benton Odessa.

The parents met some resistance from those who worried that the community couldn’t support two day schools.  After all, Providence Hebrew Day School, while always Orthodox, had been the original community school when it started 30 years earlier.  Among its founders were the senior rabbis from Emanu-El (Conservative) and Temple Beth-El (Reform).  Emanu-El had even temporarily housed the school when it moved from its original downtown location to its present building at Elmgrove and Savoy.

A big step was asking Emanu-El’s board for a classroom, which the trustees granted for a token rental fee.  As for the legal details, Dan Kaplan, an Emanu-El congregant and lawyer, volunteered to handle the paperwork.  The Providence School Department required only minor renovations to the space, as well as a written curriculum, before allowing the school to open in September.

The Conservative Jewish Day School of Rhode Island started small, with just a half-day kindergarten class the first year.  By the end of the first year, the school formally affiliated with the Schechter movement and gained a start-up grant, leading to a new name, the Solomon Schechter Day School of Rhode Island.  Every year it added a grade as the original class moved ahead.

Ada Beth Cutler was the first teacher, and Rabbi Kaunfer served as an unpaid director on the side.  He would go on to serve for many years as the director, now paid, as did Penney Stein after him.  Marcia Kaunfer taught at the school for decades, and even in retirement continues to mentor teachers.  Sheila Alexander was president for several years, as well as a long-serving trustee.

Alexander remembers the founders all spent long hours meeting with prospective parents, describing the school and why they wanted it for their own kids.  Eventually the school demonstrated its staying power, while Providence Hebrew Day School was also thriving.  Now the community offered a choice, and some longtime supporters of Hebrew Day, such as Arthur Robbins, eventually came around to support the new school, too.  Over time, the Jewish Alliance also helped in various ways.

The first class of 10 kids came mostly from Emanu-El families, but the founders remember at least one from Beth-El.  They never considered making it the non-denominational community school, simply because they had no model or concept to draw on.  But by 2006 the concept was far along, and the school re-shaped itself as the Jewish Community Day School of Rhode Island.

Now beginning its 40th school year, the school is planning a gala celebration on the evening of April 7, 2019, as well as some smaller gatherings.

This article was written by John Landry and appeared in the September 21st edition of the Voice and Herald.
John lives in Providence and is the father of two alumni of JCDS.

Welcome back letter from Andrea

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Dear Families,

“Hiney ma tov umah na’im . . . . how good and delightful it is for people to dwell in unity.”

These words, joyfully sung by your children while they swayed in unison during our first all-school assembly, marked the beginning of our new school year at JCDSRI. The words aptly expressed how grateful we were to be together, old and new friends alike, celebrating the opportunity to be a part of this unique community.
Believe it or not, this year marks the 40th anniversary of this special school. For the Jewish people the number 40 represents transition and change – an opportunity for reflection and renewal. In the story of Noah, the rain poured for 40 days, submerging the earth before the promise of rebirth; the Israelites arrived at Mt. Sinai as a nation of Egyptian slaves but were transformed after Moses descended from Mt. Sinai after 40 days; and there are 40 days between the first day of the Jewish month of Elul, when we begin to blow the shofar to prepare for Rosh Hashanah, until Yom Kippur, the end of the annual teshuva (repentance) period.
Certainly this school has encountered significant transition and renewal during its 40 years. Hundreds of children have walked through the very same hallways in this building over the last four decades, including this year when we welcomed eight students whose parents are alumni. I am humbled to be part of an institution that has nurtured so many and has contributed so much over the last 40 years. The Rhode Island Jewish community has sustained this school for four decades, a commitment worthy of great celebration. Our school‘s roots have continued to strengthen, allowing for new and vibrant growth every year. I am thankful to our exceptional faculty, staff, students – and especially all of you – whom engage in sacred work and enable us to move from strength to strength. Thank you for trusting us.
May this new year be filled with hope for our future, an appreciation for our past, and heartfelt attention to our present.
Wishing you a Shanah Tovah Umetukah – a happy and sweet New Year.
Andrea Katzman
Head of School

Time to think, reflect and write

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One unique element of a JCDSRI education is the integration of Jewish values into our curriculum. Starting a new school year and studying Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur give us many opportunities to explore and reinforce these values. How do we do this? We practice the important skills of thinking and reflecting.

In Learning and Leading With Habits of Mind, educators Arthur Costa and Bena Kallick define the act of reflecting as “to mentally wander through where we have been and to try to make some sense out of it.” The ability to reflect is an important habit of mind that will help our students develop as thoughtful learners. Perhaps more importantly, these skills will help our students grow into thoughtful human beings, able to contemplate choices, actions and interactions with friends, family and strangers.

Every class has been engaging in developmentally appropriate discussions that encourage our students to think about their behavior as we aim to start the year resolving to better ourselves. For our older students, organizing our thoughts and putting them down on paper expands the exercise into writing practice — strengthening our expressive writing skills at the same time. For example, our fifth graders explored some of the prayers of the Yamim Nora’im — the High Holidays. Inspired by the structure of these prayers, they wrote about times when they hurt or disappointed others and how they attempted to make amends. In reflecting about these experiences, students noted that efforts to heal the pain sometimes seemed invisible in light of the hurt they had caused. As a result, sometimes it felt like the harm would be remembered rather than the healing. They wrote about their mistake but also the amends they attempted for which they would like to be remembered. Michelle Raskin, 5th grade Judaic studies teacher, was impressed by her students’ ability to examine their behavior and write about it with honesty and maturity. Clearly their years practicing reflection at JCDSRI have helped them develop this critical Habit of Mind.

Breakfast with our graduates

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“At JCDSRI, I learned how to make friends,” one student says in-between sips of hot chocolate and bites of a donut (I notice my half-hearted entreaties to eat some fruit are subtly ignored by her and her friends.) “I now know what it means to be in a community.” Heads nod in agreement as her friend explains, “You feel safe at JCDSRI because everyone is aware of you and is making sure to protect you. It’s really special.” Even more donuts are consumed while others continue to talk.

I am sitting at breakfast with our graduating 5th graders as they share their reflections with me during their last days at JCDSRI. I am grateful to discover that their assessments of school align with our mission and our purpose. Listening to our graduates, it strikes me that they are prepared to enter the larger world of middle school beyond our cozy building with confidence and a clear sense of their own strengths. They are reflective,  skilled at critical thinking and they approach challenging learning opportunities with tenacity, curiosity and confidence. “I learned to ask questions in this school, even if I was uncomfortable,” explains one student. “I learned that I need to ask questions in order to truly understand.” Says another, “I feel prepared for future interactions in life. And learning Torah helped because it is very meaningful and teaches us how to be good people.” “I learned that even if I don’t know something, I can always work hard and improve,” adds his friend.

Our 5th graders talk about how the school reflects the values and ethics of our engaged and diverse Jewish community. “We’ve been taught to take responsibility and show respect and kindness to all the students in the school. At the same time, we are given lots of opportunities for decision making and room to express ourselves.” Students say they feel nurtured and encouraged by teachers who “are nice and supportive and flexible. They pay attention to every student and really know all of us. And they’ve also taught us to push ourselves.”

As I listen closely to their feedback, I suddenly notice that I have a lump in my throat. I’ve known these thoughtful and wise graduates since they were (very) small. They have been an enormous presence in our school and it is hard to imagine not seeing them every day. I will miss them so much: the assemblies that they led with quiet strength and purpose; the ways in which they gently reassured younger students during times of uncertainty or sadness; their thoughtful and complex intellectual conversations; their heartfelt “compliment circles;” their capacity to stay in relationships even when it would have been easier to leave, reflecting their genuine understanding of what it means to be part of a covenantal community – and so much more. I am soothed, however, with the knowledge that their gifts will contribute to healing the wider world and that their extraordinary families will continue to visit and will always be a part of our special community.

Finally, I will carry with me one 5th grader’s midrash that she shared when explaining why JCDSRI is such a special place: “This school is like a plant. The roots always stay in the ground; they keep growing stronger and go deeper. The branches of the plant might break and the leaves will fall and new blossoms will open – but the roots remain. They are our values and they always stay the same. And the plant will continue to grow.”

May our JCDSRI graduates – and all of us in our community – be blessed with healthy and deep roots and new growth.

Wishing everyone a restful and wonderful summer!
Andrea Katzman

Celebrating Israel!

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Our school-wide celebration of Israel’s Independence Day was very active and kef (fun)! In honor of Israel’s 70th birthday, students played Israeli games and participated in Israeli folk dancing during recess. Students “visited” a variety of places in Israel as they traveled around school participating in different stations. We had an all-school trivia competition, Jewperdy, in Jerusalem. They also visited Jaffa, where children were challenged to an orange-picking/sorting relay, and Tel Aviv, where our artists created graffiti on the city’s “walls.” Finally, students created their own mosaics similar to those found in the Israeli city of Tzipori.

Each class collaboratively wrote a thoughtful poem reflecting their Hopes and Dreams for Israel. The poems were shared at an all-school Yon Ha’atzmaut assembly. Here is third grade’s class poem:

FOR YOU ISRAEL  כיתה ג HOPES . . .

YOU ALWAYS REMAIN A PEACEFUL COUNTRY.

FOR YOU ISRAEL  כיתה ג HOPES . . .

YOU WILL BE AN EXAMPLE FOR THE WORLD.

FOR YOU ISRAEL  כיתה ג HOPES . . .

YOU WILL HAVE NO MORE WARS WITH OTHER COUNTRIES.

FOR YOU ISRAEL כיתה ג  HOPES . . .

YOU WILL ALWAYS HAVE A STRONG HEALTHY ARMY. 

 

STEAM Splash 2018

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Two days of workshops focusing on STEAM delighted and engaged our students during April’s STEAM Splash days. Our partners at BROWN/RISD KinderSTEAM as well as parents and community friends led a variety of hands-on projects. Students explored many subjects including, mammals, bio-mimicry, aquaponics, vegetable printing, slime, science magic, extracting DNA from fruit and much more. STEAM Splash is part of our school’s broader TikkunXDesign program focusing on STEAM skills and mindsets such as innovation, collaboration, empathy, perseverance and problem solving in order to help improve our community and the world at large.

    

The stories that bind us together

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After a delightful morning watching JCDSRI kindergarteners theatrically reinterpret the Passover story and observing third graders refer to ancient Jewish texts as they create original (and delicious!) recipes for charoset, I return to my office. In the quiet, I reflect on the central role storytelling plays in our students experiences – and in defining and sustaining Jewish life. Stories are foundational to our learning at JCDSRI – and no more so than during our preparation for Passover. Beginning in Kindergarten, each of our students contributes to her/his personal Haggadah – the book that serves as a guide for our seder meals. The pages created by the children reflect the Haggadah’s demand that “in each generation, each person is obligated to see himself or herself [lirot et atzmo] as though he or she personally came forth from Egypt.”

In retelling the story – in their own ways – our students imagine what once was and what might become. They are provided with a structure in which to place their hopes, fears, and dreams. Hannah Arendt reminds us that the power of storytelling lies in its capacity to “reveal meaning without committing the error of defining it.” In each retelling, we discover new understandings – as when one of our youngest students explains that Pharaoh was incapable of showing compassion to the Jewish people because he never personally experienced love. Or when a fifth grader thoughtfully considers the differences (and similarities) between physical and spiritual slavery – and the impact of injustice on people today.

Indeed, our rabbis have always insisted that halachah (Jewish law – with its defined path and structure) is incomplete without aggadah (literally “telling” or “story” – a form that is expansive, aspirational and imaginative ). As Rav A.J. Heschel wrote in Between God and Man, “aggadah deals with the whole of life . . . [it] introduces us to the realm that lies beyond the range of expression . . . and tells us how to participate in the eternal drama.” I am reminded that stories shape us as individuals and as a Jewish people.

We tell stories as an act of transformation. We tell our history in order to see ourselves in that time and place  . . . and then to move beyond its limits. We use stories to make a difference in the world: to broaden our perspective, to embolden us to take actions previously unconsidered, and to expand our capacity to see, act and feel differently. The stories we tell help us to feel connected to those who lived many generations before us and also with those who will live many generation after us.

Stories have the capacity to bind us together. During this season of rebirth and renewal, I hope we all create the space and time to tell – and listen to – each other’s stories.

Andrea

Genius Hour

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Fourth grade is once again undertaking a Genius Hour. Genius Hour is a concept inspired by Google’s business practice of allowing their employees to use 20% of their work day to research ideas and develop products. Two products developed from this practice have been Google News and GMail.

Our students engage in a year-long passion project based on the same idea. Students pick a topic that they are passionate about and spend time in school and at home researching and building a product. Students are given guided free choice in picking their projects. Last year, culminating projects included novels, a fundraiser to the RISPCA, a video game creation, and a motorized bicycle. This year, students are interested in learning more about how watches work, creating YouTube “how to” channels in MineCraft and crafts, creating healthy snack foods, designing hats and more.

Partners in Peace

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Our fifth grade class is once again participating in Partners in Peace, an innovative learning program co-created 3 years ago by JCDSRI and the Islamic School of Rhode Island. Throughout the spring our students and the ISRI fifth graders will join together for weekly learning grounded in the shared value of Tzedakah / Sadaqah and Zakah — charity and service.

This year, our program has expanded (and deepened) with a new partnership with BRIJ — Building Relationships: Islam and Judaism — a new initiative at Brown University committed to Muslim-Jewish collaboration on campus and across Providence. BRIJ facilitators have created an interactive curriculum that lays the foundation for direct action as we work together — college students, fifth graders and their families — to support local organizations in Providence. For more information, please visit the BRIJ website.