School News

Check here for articles by Shule parents,students, and staff.

This has been an exciting year for us. We began our year with lively song and dance brought to us by the Klezmer Kids. We celebrated Sukkes at Camp Naivelt and got to share Chanukah with Alistair Ant. For Purim, we had an amazing carnival with an appearance by Clay and Paper Theatre. And we will be wrapping up this Shule year with “A Taste of Modules” Open House and Family Barbecue on Sunday May 16th.

Throughout the past year, I have spoken to many parents and teachers who have given me feedback about the Shule. After numerous hours of discussion, gallons of coffee, and epes tsu essen (something to eat), the Shule Advisory Council has decided to implement a number of significant changes for next year, which we hope will continue to improve the quality of education we can offer your children.

Our Kinder Kapers program will now be available for children aged 2-5 years (however, if you have a child who is a bit younger, they are also welcome). For those of you whose children are in Grades 1-6, we will be offering eight exciting new modules. Each module will be six weeks long, and there will two one-hour modules offered each Sunday morning. Families can sign up for four to eight modules. Enrollment in a minimum of one module is required in each six-week block.

After seeing Daniel Koulack play klezmer tunes at the Toronto Ashkenaz and Winnipeg Folk festivals, I was curious to hear his ensemble The Klezmer Kids, which includes his son and daughter, as well as five other Winnipeg teenagers. The band originally formed in 2004 to play at a B’nai Mitzvah ceremony at the Sholem Aleichem Community, a sister school to TSJCS.   

My three-year-old daughter loves music and dancing, so we went to the Klezmer Kids Workshop on September 13th, and we brought my mother along too. When we got there, we saw other multi-generational families and I realized that this was

www.interfaithfamily.com/relationships/parenting/_More_Than_One_Way_To_Be_Jewish.shtml October 26, 2009
More Than One Way To Be Jewish
By Sylvia Izzo Hunter
This article originally appeared on www.InterfaithFamily.com

When I was growing up in Calgary in the 1970s and 1980s--the child of a "mixed" marriage--there were two choices for Jewish education: day school or nothing. For a variety of reasons, day school was not in the cards for me, and because we lived so far from any of the existing Jewish neighborhoods in the city, I was the only Jewish kid in my class throughout elementary school. I loved school, had some wonderful teachers and made friends I've kept to this day. But at the same time, I always felt different. My Jewish education consisted of celebrating Hanukkah and Pesach at home--I thought of these holidays as the Jewish versions of Christmas, which we also celebrated, and Thanksgiving--and reading whatever books I could find that had Jewish characters.

Sometimes I felt pleasingly cosmopolitan, poised between two worlds and belonging to both. Other times I felt awkward and uncertain, torn between two cultures and belonging to neither.

When I was twelve I made a stand, announcing that I wanted "to have a bat mitzvah"--and, with a lot of hard work and a lot of help, I did it. But as the one kid in our shul's bar/bat mitzvah class who had neither gone to day school nor ever attended services regularly, I felt like the odd one out there, too. Since then I've swung back and forth in my level of observance, but I've never again failed to identify, or to identify myself to others, as a Jew. At the same time, as the child of one interfaith marriage and now a partner in another I've never felt comfortable with the classic high holiday sermon on the theme of how to stop your kids from marrying non-Jews.

Fortunately, 21st century Toronto, where I now live with my (non-Jewish) husband and our daughter, offers many more options for Jewish kids, all the way from single-sex Orthodox day schools to Reconstructionist and secular humanist Sunday schools. One of the wonderful things about Toronto is its diversity--both the multicultural character of the city as a whole, and the vast variety within the Jewish community.

Our daughter, who is now 7, has always understood that she and Mommy are Jewish and Daddy is not. He celebrates "our" holidays with us, and we celebrate "his" holidays with him and his family. We are fortunate, from my perspective, to live in a neighbourhood where many Jewish kids, as well as kids of many other faiths, or none at all, go to the local public schools. Toronto's public schools make a great effort to help everyone feel included; I knew my kid would not be the only one missing school for Yom Kippur, for example. But having grown up with very little Jewish education or connection to the community, I wanted her to experience both. Because we are firmly an interfaith family, though, I was not wild about sending her to a program where she was likely to be the only kid with a non-Jewish parent. My husband and I also feel that it's important for her to understand the why of things. I hope she will choose to continue to live a Jewish life as an adult--not because it's the only thing she knows, but because she has come to value Judaism and embrace it.

Enter the Morris Winchevsky School, part of Toronto's Secular Jewish Community School (TSJCS), billed as a program for "secular, non-traditional, mixed culture, or unaffiliated" families. At a friend's recommendation, we had attended the Winchevsky Centre's Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur celebrations, and although I missed the tefillah of a regular service, we all enjoyed the welcoming and inclusive atmosphere, the music, and the spirit of contemplation and togetherness. Might this also be a good place for our daughter to learn about her Jewish heritage, without being made to feel uncomfortable about her other culture?

The MWS program is small, but strikingly varied, including among students, parents, and teachers not just interfaith families but families with same-sex parents, Ashkenazi and Sefardi backgrounds, a wide range of political views and attitudes. Teaching focuses on a variety of aspects of Jewish culture and history, on social responsibility and tikkun olam. Teachers encourage the kids to ask questions and to think about what being Jewish means to them--"There's more than one way to be Jewish!"

My daughter, who is in Grade 2 this year, has just started her third year at MWS. So far, although some module topics have enthused her more than others, she has enjoyed going to "Hebrew school" and seems to be learning a lot. Just as importantly, Winchevsky is becoming part of our Jewish life and our family life--a place we know our way around, and one of our main connections to the Jewish community. We value the open and cooperative spirit of the program and its welcoming feel, as well as the huge variety of module topics--from daily life in Biblical times through Maimonides' teachings on tzedaka (illustrated by the kids via puppet play) to the Jewish influence on the comic-book industry.

The Winchevsky experience co-exists with our on again, off again participation in more traditional Jewish family and community life--lighting Shabbos candles, going to shul, making Pesach--and anchors us in the community, not as a house of prayer or beit tefillah, but as a house of study, a beit midrash and as a community center, a beit knesset. We handle more metaphysical questions on our own terms, while the MWS program offers an equally safe space, with more knowledgeable mentors, for exploring, questioning, and discovering questions of Jewish culture, history, and identity.

L'Khaim March/April 2009
This Year Marks Shule’s Resurgence
by David R. Lipovitch, Education Director

Sholem aleikhem, everyone! I hope you have all been having an enjoyable and productive summer. I just got back from working with the University of Toronto’s excavations at the archaeological site of Tell Ta’yinat in rural southern Turkey. We had some very exciting finds this year, including finding a small library of Assyrian tablets, a stunning little pyxis (essentially an ancient cold cream jar) and more than 25,000 pieces of animal bone (my specialty). Four weeks of six-and-a-half day work weeks and 12-hour work days in 45 celsius heat, and I’m raring to go for another exciting year at TSJCS.

As many of you know, last year we sucessfully piloted our new modular approach to the SK-Grade 5 program. This fall, we are offering our first full year of this innovative approach, with a total of 10 new modules, on some very exciting topics including: ‘The Key to Spain: La Llave de Espana’ led by musician Batsheva; ‘Your Trip of a Lifetime: Living the Jewish Immigrant Experience’ led by social policy advisor Carly Steinman; and ‘Bubbies & Zaidies on Camera: Collecting Oral Histories’ led by Shule graduate Louise Rosenberg-Lee. Each module is taught by an expert in the field and is designed to be approachable and engaging for all students.

Each Sunday of Shule we are offering two modules: the first from 10:00-11:15 a.m., and the second from 11:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m. There will be five sets of these 5-week long modules. Students can enrol in as few as one or as many as all 10 modules, with the price per module decreasing with the number of modules taken. You can check out the complete list of modules at www.morriswinchevskyschool.com.

L'Khaim March/April 2009
Inclusive Tu B’Shvat Seyder Interacted With All Our Senses
by Elyssa Marks

The Winchevsky Centre is my family’s destination on Sunday mornings. We have been attending since my son Graham was five years old and now at age 11, he is in the two-year B’nai Mitzvah Program.

The Centre and the Shule have given our family a connection to our Jewish heritage, an understanding of the holidays, and opportunities to interact with ‘soulmates’.

On February 9th, we had the pleasure of participating in the Tu B’Shvat Seyder. Tu B’Shvat celebrates the importance of trees, the changing seasons, and our connection to both. The hall was set up with many tables, each laden with plates of fresh and dried fruits to taste, and white and red grape juice to toast to and celebrate nature. We all sat down to begin a journey of appreciation for our environment with music, readings and food.

Every section of the seyder (the reading of which was shared by everyone) was introduced with a passage explaining the significance of the holiday, followed by a song, tasting of fruits and ending with a l’khaim (toast) to protecting an aspect of the environment.

Musical guest Chris McKhool inspired us all to sing, move to the music and have fun! His presence

engaged all of the children,adults and, in particular, my mother. She loves to sing and remarked “What a great program!”, and how glad she was to be there. We both enjoyed watching the children’s reactions of laughter and actions to each of Chris’s original songs.

My husband and son related more to the readings, the focus on the renewal of life after winter, and the rebirth of spring. I was amazed at how each cup of juice and sampling of fruit symbolized the transformation nature and human beings go through, as winter becomes spring.

The Seyder included many moments of reflection, especially how just one change in our own lifestyle can have a positive impact on the environment. “Judaism and Environmental Justice” module leaders Charles Levkoe and Airin Stephens asked us all to write down a positive environmental act for change on paper leaves and fruits and together, we created a “Community Environmental Action Tree” – a visual reminder of our collective power to make change!

This community event was truly inclusive, a presentation that interacted with all of our senses, and offered involvement for all family members. Bravo!

The Canadian Jewish News, February 26, 2009: p.18
Teacher uses theatre to give kids life skills
By FRANCES KRAFT
Staff Reporter

Gary Jury was a natural choice when Toronto's Secular Jewish Community School (formerly the Morris Winchevsky School) was modifying its curriculum and looking for someone to introduce drama into the classroom four years ago.

The 48-year-old father of four children, ranging in age from five to 19, has a background in theatre and is an experienced drama and improv teacher. A marketing consultant and writer, Jury was born and raised in Winnipeg, where he attended Jewish day school until Grade 6.

His wife, who is not Jewish, found the Winchevsky Centre - the secular Jewish community with which the school is affiliated – when they were “looking for a place for our  children.”

Jury was struck by the inclusivity of the community, which welcomes same-sex, interracial, interfaith and cross-cultural families, and by the spirituality he found there.

"I was looking for that spiritual sense I grew up with," he said, recalling the Orthodox synagogue -- built by his grand¬father, which he attended as a child.

The school - affectionately referred 'to in Yiddish as the Shule, pronounced shuh-leh —offers a secular humanist outlook and teaches Jewish history, traditions and culture while integrating ``a flavour of Yiddish; Hebrew and Jewishness according to its website.`` The Sunday curriculum is divided into five-week modules on various subjects, and students can choose ones that interest them.

Most recently, Jury led a module on shtetl life. The theme provided his students, who ranged in age from five to 10, with the opportunity to ask their parents and grandparents about their own family backgrounds, he said. As   well, it lent itself to a drama component, and students were assigned roles from Fiddler on the Roof to play during class.

By using theatre in the classroom, Jury also teaches life skills, he said. "It's important on stage and in life that you're listening arid reacting. It's team building."

As well, he said - referring to teaching at the school in general -- it's important to give students the context of Judaism and lessons about Jewish values such as tzedakah and social justice.

He encourages kids to ask questions, and he believes in imparting life skills as well as letting the students have fun.

"And if they learn something," he added, "it's not so bad."

Gary Jury teaches his students to “extend their energy beyond their bodies” as part of an exercise at Toronto’s Secular Jewish Community School.

Even in Toronto’s large and diverse Jewish community, it can be hard for unaffiliated or secular parents, or those with non-Jewish partners, to find a community that “fits”, and a Jewish education program that feels welcoming to their children.

For our family, the Winchevsky Centre and the TSJCS have become a big part of the answer: a friendly, welcoming place to celebrate the holidays; a healthy dose of yiddishkayt for di kinder un di eltern (children and parents); and community gatherings with music, food, and fun. The level of diversity reflects what we like best about Toronto. And what’s a Jewish organization without differences of opinion, on everything from politics to homentash fillings?

“So, Shaina,” I said to my daughter the other day, “what are some of the things you like about the Shule?” “I like when Sigalit [the TSJCS Yiddish and Hebrew teacher] teaches us new words,” she said, and proceeded to share with me the Hebrew for ‘Hello, Mama, how are you?’,

‘good’ and ‘not so good’. “And I like when Gary [the module leader of “Making a Scene!” and fellow Shule parent] comes, because we always get to do really fun things!”

Recently, Shaina has begun addressing us as ‘ima’ and ‘aba’ (Hebrew for mother and father). And, in early December, she appropriated the before-bed story time to tell her dad the story of Chanukah, complete with actions and sounds effects.

These may be little things, but they demonstrate how the Shule experience is helping Shaina identify with her Jewish heritage – without dismissing or vilifying the non-Jewish traditions that also go into defining our family’s culture. Everyone is welcome, regardless of their level of Jewish knowledge, and there are lots of opportunities to learn more.

While Shaina looks forward to her engaging, hands-on Sunday morning classes every week, my husband and I have come to look forward to the relaxed, welcoming atmosphere of Winchevsky events, and the opportunities to schmooze with our fellow Shule parents.

Noah was just under two years old when we started attending Kinder Kapers last January. At first, he seemed a bit shy and didn’t want to participate much. But by the end of this summer, he was really looking forward to restarting his Sunday play dates, “to eat bagels and cream cheese!”

Now, he loves to come play, sing and eat, sometimes with his parents, sometimes with his grandmother – and sometimes with all of us! He’ll happily belt out ‘Head and Shoulders, Knees and Toes’ in Yiddish, as well as the Hebrew song ‘Shalom Chaverim’ in the bathtub or just walking down the street.

We really appreciate the sense of community that has grown here in such a short time. For Carolina, it was particularly important for our blended family

to be part of a secular Jewish community, and although we had been attending Winchevsky Rosh Hashonah and Yom Kippur events for years, Kinder Kapers really made us feel at home.

It’s been wonderful seeing how the group has grown and has developed such a strong sense of vitality. On Sundays, all of us look forward to going and being with our friends.

L'Khaim January/February 2009
Sukkes at Naivelt Opportunity to Meet Like-Minded Folks
by Julia Barnett, TSJCS parent, UJPO member

On Sunday October 12th, 2008 my son and I celebrated the harvest on Thanksgiving weekend at the Winchevesky Centre’s Community Sukkes Celebration. I drove both my son and his friend (who has never been exposed to Jewish holidays) out to Camp Naivelt. The weather was warm and sunny, and right away, we began decorating the sukkah by hanging fall gourds, threaded strands of popcorn and cranberries, many colourful paper decorations, and other harvest-themed decorations – all in an effort to decorate and celebrate Sukkes at Camp Naivelt for the first time in several years. Shule students, family members and other invited guests enjoyed learning about Sukkes through interactive games, holiday activity books and ushpizin handouts about important and interesting well known Jewish people. And we got to sample some nice fall festival foods, including pomegranate and pumpkin seeds, dates, apples and apple cider.

We also had a group sing-a-long  of English, Yiddish and Hebrew songs including: “This is What we Need to Build a Sukkah”, “Ha’sukkah Ha Yafa”, “Lomir di Sukkele Bagrisn” and “Take me Out to the Sukkah” (sung to the tune of “Take Me Out to the Ball Game”).

The most fun part of the day for my son and many others was the Scavenger Hunt, which led all the participants from the Lasowsky Centre to the Hill 2 Circle, where two teams solved clues and collected items that integrated Naivelt cultural and historical items with Sukkes symbols and holiday learning (I happened to be on the ‘winning’ team, and we all received Naivelt T-shirts as prizes!)

This event was an excellent opportunity to meet other like-minded folks. The mixing of ages was a fantastic way to bring people together, while at the same time, we were able to explore Camp Naivelt in a very relaxed atmosphere. Further, it was a great way to introduce new Shule families to the wide range of activities that the Winchevsky Centre has to offer, while at the same time allowing people to experience first-hand the location, culture, and atmosphere that is very unique to Naivelt.

We look forward to attending Sukkes at Camp Naivelt in the future. Please have us up again.

Only 80 Years Old and Taking Her First Steps -- The Morris Winchevsky School Adapts to Changing Times
(August 2008)
By David R. Lipovitch, PhD (Education Director)

The year 2008 marks the Morris Winchevsky School's eightieth birthday. Our secular humanistic Jewish Sunday school has adjusted to meet the needs of the Jewish community for eight decades ­– from its earliest incarnation serving a Yiddish speaking, working class, immigrant community to a school which welcomes inter-married, single parent and same-sex families, Ashkenazi and Sephardi Jews, and numerous other flavours of Jewishness.

Times change. So do communities; and so must schools. In an attempt to address the needs of Toronto’s 21st century Jewish community, beginning in September 2008, the Morris Winchevsky School will become part of a larger secular Jewish educational program called Toronto's Secular Jewish Community School (TSJCS). This umbrella organization operating from The Winchevsky Centre (Bathurst and Lawrence, near the 401 and Allen Road) hosts four programs that in combination, provide a comprehensive secular humanistic Jewish education covering preschool through teenage years.

Kinder Kapers, the school’s preschool program, was launched in 2007. It offers toddlers (ages 18 months to 4 years) and their families an opportunity to socialize and learn a little bit of Yiddish and Hebrew in the process. Sessions include music and movement, arts and crafts, puppets and stories, circle time, and play time – all with a Jewish flavour.

The Morris Winchevsky School, the core program of TSJCS, is adopting a new approach to Senior Kindergarten through Fifth Grade, offering four independent 5-week long modules, each with a different theme. This allows families to tailor the program to suit their busy lifestyles. This year’s modules include: Israel In Detail (offered in cooperation with Hashomer Hatzair); Making A Scene (a fun-filled drama and improvisation workshop inspired by the rich works of Sholem Aleichem); The Jewish Tradition of Social Action (stressing the importance of Tikkun Olam); and Judaism and Environmental Justice (addressing environmentalism from a Jewish perspective).

The school’s Secular B'nai Mitzvah Program is ideal for families looking for a more personal connection to this important Jewish rite of passage. It requires no congregational affiliation or knowledge of Hebrew. Students research a Jewish-themed topic of their choosing and present their papers as part of a customized group ceremony woven together with Hebrew, Yiddish and English musical selections, dramatic vignettes, artwork and a candle lighting dedication. Beginning in 2008, this program will now be two years long (Grades 6 and 7) to better prepare stuidents and families for this important rit-of-passage.

The school also offers the Youth Theatre Ensemble, our creative answer to a youth group, where teens aged 13-17 can learn theatre in a fun and social environment. Held once a week, sessions are designed to encourage self-confidence, creativity, trust, and group dynamics through the exploration of improvisation, character development, storytelling, method acting and physical theatre. Each gathering includes socializing over food, to encourage friendships to grow.

On Sunday September 28th, TSJCS will hold its opening day at the Winchevsky Centre, 585 Cranbrooke Avenue, from 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM. This event will include interactive family education activities for all ages with a Rosh Hashonah theme. Parents interested in their children experiencing TSJCS before enrolling should call the school office to RSVP. For more information, to receive a registration package, or to RSVP for TSJCS’s opening day, call (416) 789-5502 or email us at info@tsjcs.com.