Big Questions

August has arrived, and with it the anticipation of a new school year. Across our early childhood  communities, we prepare to welcome new and returning friends and to pave the road for a  successful year together. 

At the heart of this beginning stands a shared aspiration: that every member of our school  community be, or aspire to be, a Mensch. We may each define  what it means to be a Mensch differently, yet there is a common thread as we forge a Jewish identity for all, within the complex task of  identity development. 

During these opening weeks we will  make space for genuine and authentic learning — through observation, profound listening, collaboration, invitations to explore the school setting,  and simply getting to know one another. This creates a learning context for strengthened Jewish  identity development, with a developmental recognition of the gradual shift from a teacher centered environment toward the growing influence of peers. Our goal? To build, with care and  deliberation, a community that fosters Jewish living and supports the practice of enduring  teachings such as “You are not expected to finish the job, but you are not free to quit” (Pirkei  Avot). Promoting Menschlichkeit is where together they create a Kehilla — a community — and the collective responsibility  for nurturing Menschlichkeit rests on the shoulders of that community as a whole. 

Following Abraham Joshua Heschel’s observation that “the act teaches us the meaning of the  act,” we support young children in learning by doing — exploring who they are through “hands on,” “brains-on,” and “hearts-on” moments woven into each day. Children are encouraged to  follow their interests and discover how they contribute to the life of their classroom. 

A few critical concepts help us reach the Menschlichkeit–Kehilla duo: honesty, fairness,  truthfulness, trust, hope, keeping promises, and empathy. These concepts come alive through  daily classroom life and interactions — 

• understanding our similarities and differences, 

• working to the best of one’s ability, 

• using words effectively (especially for feelings),  

• cooperating, 

• thinking with others and asking questions, and 

• taking on real responsibilities in the  classroom.

From day one, our hope is that through participating and engaging  in this environment, young children will learn that they are  part of a Kehilla — allowing community to take a meaningful place in their overall sense of self,  and form early developmental links in their Jewish identity. 

Mihaela Schwartz, Ph.D.  

ECE-RJ, First Vice President