Inspired by a desire to expand on its vibrant Jewish community, Oheb Shalom Congregation is taking an active role in removing obstacles that may prevent people from engaging in Jewish life and education. The synagogue has announced that Zeman Religious School will be tuition free, funded by a generous donation from the Arthur Schechner Charitable Foundation. Schechner believes the education of the Jewish family, particularly children, is the stem cell to the survival of the Jewish people, and that cost should not be a barrier to cultivating a synagogue community or receiving a Jewish education. Oheb Shalom is the only synagogue in South Orange, Maplewood (its sister town), and the surrounding area to offer complimentary enrollment to its religious school.
Accommodating Kindergarten through 7th grade, Zeman Religious School features a curriculum that examines Jewish life and culture utilizing a variety of hands-on activities inside and outside the classroom. Its goal is to help students connect with Judaism to inspire them to continue their Jewish learning up to and beyond b-mitzvah.
No one’s ever “lost in the crowd” at Oheb Shalom. Education Director Gavin Hirsch and teachers build relationships with each family and to ensure that every family is building relationships with other members of the community. Rabbi Abigail Treu and Cantor Eliana Kissner also work directly with students and families. On a typical Sunday morning, the synagogue is bustling with students hurrying to class, parents chatting over bagels and coffee, and congregants from every walk of life attending a lecture in one of the social halls.
Continually evolving to meet the growing, unique needs of its congregation, Oheb Shalom has launched a Multiracial Jewish Families Havurah (friendship circle) and reshaped the b-mitzvah experience to suit the needs of the individual child.
To learn more and register for the Zeman Religious School, visit ohebshalom.org/zeman-school.
