Shalom Friends is a one hour, weekly music and movement class geared toward children from birth to 5 years of age, and their families. We hold three sessions throughout the year: Fall, Winter and Spring. Each session is made up of 8 classes and are held at Temple Am David in Warwick, RI.
Currently we hold two classes per week, a Friday class and a Sunday class. Our teachers have experience in early childhood development, music and Judaism.Classes include:
We play with instruments, dance with scarves and we even play with alef/bet beach balls while learning basic jewish concepts.
- singing and interactive movement to original and traditional Jewish music
- arts and crafts projects
- story telling
- snack time
- discussion time with parents on key issues
- and a group observance of Shabbat
Each class has a theme covering many Jewish topics such as:
- Shabbat
- Mitzvot
- Tzedakah
- Israel
- and the holidays
Participants receive an original music CD and the accompanying music book. We create a new CD and book for each session. Children and their families enjoy listening to their Shalom friends CDs in the car and at home. By doing so, they feel comfortable participating in class and are able to add Jewish songs to their list of favorites. Many parents tell us that the Shalom Friends CD is all that their kids will let them listen to in the car. In this way, even very young children are able to learn about and enjoy Judaism.
As one can see from its mission statement below, Shalom Friends seeks to reinforce and enhance the Jewish experience for Jewish children and their parents, and to develop a stronger Jewish identity and knowledge base for those who participate.
The mission of Shalom Friends is to develop a child's love for Jewish life through music, art and movement in a family-centered program.
The program is held at Temple Am David and provides a comfortable introduction to the synagogue atmosphere and to relieve any anxieties that may exist. We believe that once a Jewish family has a stronger base of Jewish knowledge and understanding and feels more comfortable in a Jewish group and surrounding, that family will seek out Jewish involvement and seek to contribute to the growth of the Jewish community.Shalom Friends focuses on the following three areas:
- Community: Jewish community networking, outreach, social opportunity, bonding time for child and caregiver
- Skills Development: Rhythm, language, fine and gross motor skills, social skills
- Judaism: Jewish awareness/identity and basic education for both child and parent including Torah, tzedakah and tikkun olam.
Children with special needs have participated in our program. As a result, Shalom Friends has been approved by the Early Intervention Program at Hasbro Children's Hospital in Providence.
One of the most wonderful aspects of the program is that it gives the families the opportunity to meet other families. Guided by our Jewish values, this program has and will continue to grow our community by being open and accessible and reaching out to those who are disconnected, who desire a stronger Jewish connection or who have recently joined our community.
Shalom Friends is a wonderful opportunity to reach a population not currently affiliated with a synagogue or involved in the Jewish community.
It is our hope that we will be able to market this program to other synagogues in the future. By doing so, we will provide other communities with an complete "ready made" successful outreach program as well as raise much needed funds for our synagogue. Our complete package will include everything a synagogue would need to promote and run a successful Shalom Friends program. Shalom Friends has proven to be a revolutionary concept in Rhode Island. We feel that it could have an amazing impact in Jewish communities all across the country.
What's included:
- Program guide including two year curriculum
- Advertising templates
- Craft suggestion section with templates for projects
- Helpful handouts and tips
- 25 piece assorted instrument pack
- Rhythm sticks
- Egg shakers
- Alef/bet beach balls
- Online support and class movement activity explanations.
- Ongoing assistance from experienced teachers.
- Each family set includes:
- Fall, Winter and Spring Cds with accompanying songbooks
- Sample grant proposal available upon request
