Ganeinu Toddler Shabbat
The Ganeinu Toddler group is an adult participation group geared to toddlers ages 12-24 months and their parents/caregivers.
This is a facilitated playgroup where you can play, create, and learn with your child, enjoying a Jewish environment, and sharing it with other parents.
The goal is to stimulate the children’s social, cognitive, and language development, using experiential art, songs, and free play, as well as strengthening the parent-child relationships, and creating a community.
We provide different stimulating materials such as playdough, different of forms of paint, glue, and the arts, to enhance your child’s tactile development, fine-motor coordination, simple experimentation, and exploration, in a safe and open environment.
Your child will experience “social snack time” with his/her little friends, and will learn some group participation through our little circle time, where we all sing fun songs together. We always end our group with a cute Shabbat where we sing Shabbat songs, light candles, bless the wine, and eat Challah. The children enjoy this ritual and always look forward to this special moment.
Every week a different theme or different holiday will be introduced and the children will experience it through appropriate activities/songs. We will also have visits from Temple Isaiah’s Rabbis and Cantor, as well as Gan Ilan professionals, to enhance our discussions and knowledge.
Every session, you will get a chance to create something special with your child. Examples of previous projects are: Challah cover with hand/feet stamping, a special Mezuzah for your child’s doorpost, a special individually decorated Chanukiah, an edible chocolate and marshmallow dreidle, seed planting activities, Havdallah spice boxes, fun masks for Purim, Tsdakah boxes, and many, many more.
The fun, rituals, and the stimulating environment can create a wonderful community for the children and the parents.
Ganeinu Baby Shabbat
The Ganeinu Baby Shabbat group is an adult participation group geared for parents of newborn infants to early-walkers.
This is a facilitated parenting group as well as an activity group for the babies. You can play, learn with your child, and create with or for your child, enjoying a Jewish environment, and sharing it with other parents.
The goal is to stimulate the infants’ cognitive, social, and motor development, using developmentally appropriate toys, songs, and jewish celebrations, as well as strengthening the parent-child relationships, and creating a community.
The group consists of discussion of parenting issues, Jewish themes and Jewish holidays and traditions. You will be invited to raise issues of your own, if you would like. We will also have visits from Temple Isaiah’s Rabbis and Cantor, as well as Gan Ilan professionals, to enhance our discussions and knowledge.
We sing the same simple songs every week. The small infants usually open their eyes and listen carefully to the music, and the older babies often participate by clapping their hands, dancing to the music, or singing their own songs with us.
We always end our group with a cute Shabbat where we sing Shabbat songs, light candles, bless the wine, and eat Challah (at least the adults, if the little ones are still not ready). The children enjoy this ritual and always look forward to this special moment.
You will often get a chance to create something special for your child. Examples of previous projects are: Challah cover with your child’s handprints/footprints, a special Mezuzah for your child’s doorpost, a special individually decorated Chanukiah (menorah), Havdallah spice boxes, fun masks for Purim, Tsdakah boxes, and many, many more.
The fun, rituals, and the stimulating environment can create a wonderful community for the children and the parents.
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