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2020

PAGE 2B HERITAGE FLORIDA JEWISH NEWS, AUGUST 7, 2020

Meitin Alliance for Growth and Learning (MAGAL) is a collaborative Religious School for Conservative and Reform Jewish families from Temple Israel (tiflorida.org), Temple Shir

Shalom (templeshirshalom.org), and Congregation Beth Am (congbetham.org).

We are committed to keeping students safe and engaged while continuing to learn. Sunday K-7 classes will begin virtually while Wednesdays will include socially

distanced, face-to-face learning for students in grades 3-7. New this year are “chugim” (electives) on a variety of interesting topics. MAGAL is the Hebrew word for circle and a

symbol of oneness. Learn more about how your family can become part of our circle!

Virtual Meet & Greet

Wednesday, August 12

5-6:30 p.m.

MAGAL • 50 S. Moss Road • Winter Springs • 407-647-3055

First Day of SchoolSunday,

August 169 a.m.

Rabbi Orrin Krublit

our already hugely successful school community and cur-riculum into one focused on adapting to our post-COVID reality,” said Rabbi Orrin Krublit. The school, led by Cantor Doug Ramsay and Rabbi Krublit, has put in a lot of time and energy over the summer to make sure that this upcoming year will be an even better experience for its students after pivot-ing late last year to become a virtual school.

Last year SOJC imple-mented a new curriculum centered on learning the Jewish beliefs, traditions, and holidays, instilling a love and commitment to Israel, and teaching how to behave ethi-cally and morally. All of these topics were taught through the lens of different Jewish values, Midot, as students studied examples of where different Midot were to be found in every aspect of the Jewish religion. This year, that same curriculum has been further refined and en-hanced to work with a virtual based student population.

“The teachers have under-gone extensive training in us-ing streaming technology to make sure that the students will remain engaged in and excited about religious school for this upcoming year,” said Cantor Ramsay. “One of the really unique things that we’re offering here is a full time, regularly scheduled, virtual religious school, but without having kids sit in front of their screens for three straight hours.”

The school also imple-mented a teamwork and self-motivating based Hebrew education program in 2019, called Aleph-Beit Kovesh, the Hebrew Alphabet Conqueror, or ABK. SOJC actually con-tinued this Hebrew program over the summer, for free, for all of its students who wanted to take advantage to continue their work on their Hebrew skills. With over 15 teachers and volunteers helping out, the students were able to continue to receive one-on-one guidance and attention as they trained their Hebrew knowledge.

“We had over two dozen students continuing their Hebrew education over the summer,” said Rabbi Krublit. He continued, “This had the benefit not only of helping them with their language skills but also helped train our teachers for the “virtual reality” we’re going to be working with this fall. Our deepest hope is that we will soon be able to welcome everyone back to the syna-gogue, in person, in a safe and loving environment.”

Boasting more than 100 students in its pre-kinder-garten through Hebrew High School classes, the SOJC Religious School has been leading Jewish education in South Orlando since 1991. The school proudly employs a qualified teacher for each grade level, pre-K through seven, as well as the Hebrew High School class taught by Rabbi Orrin Krublit in con-cert with JTEN (Jewish Teen Education Network).

All grades (pre-K through seventh) meet on Sundays from 9 a.m. to noon, and third

SOJC is excited to begin a Religious School year like no otherthrough seventh grades also meet on Wednesdays from 5:30-7:30 p.m. The Hebrew High School class with Rabbi Krublit will meet on Tuesday nights. The school will begin the year virtually and hopes to transition to a mixed vir-tual and in person sessions at some point after the High Holy Days. Students in all grades learn Hebrew, Torah, Jewish holidays, customs, community, ethics and what it means to be Jewish, all taught through the lens of Jewish values.

“Perhaps as important as gaining Judaic knowledge, the students also have a chance to interact with other Jewish children in a caring, nurturing, and at the beginning of this year, virtual environment,” says Cantor Doug Ramsay, who continues his work with the school teaching t’filah, training the students to lead the congregation in Shabbat services. Cantor Ramsay has been involved in SOJC’s reli-gious school daily operations since 1997.

“Our students develop a high level of comfort with Jewish religious practices and prayer,” says Ramsay. “By the time our students reach the age of bar orbat mitzvah, everyone in our congregational family is kvelling and visitors marvel over how our capable young people lead services, read Torah, chant Haftarot, and deliver insightful Divrei Torah. Better yet, our stu-dents continue to do these things even after their Bar or Bat Mitzvah through our Cantorial Corps, Kadima, and USY youth groups. All this is a result of the love and commitment to Judaism that they have developed during their fulfilling and rewarding religious school experience.”

Jodi Abrache, a member of the SOJC Board of Directors and Co-Chair of the Educa-tion committee, summarized everyone’s excitement for the start of the school year when she exclaimed, “We look forward to another fantastic year of learning and fun for our children at SOJC!”

A radically different new school year is about to begin, and the Southwest Orlando Jewish Congregation, located at 11200 S. Apopka-Vineland Road (2 miles from Down-town Disney and next door to the Rosen JCC), can’t wait to virtually greet the many returning faces and new students.

“This summer has been a wonderful opportunity for growth and transformation of

invaluable life skills but they’re also having a great time while doing it.

“These programs were designed to be a fun and effective way for students to explore a critically impor-tant industry,” said Reiter. “Aside from learning about responsibility and leadership, members also have the ability to form strong, long-lasting relationships with peers that share similar interests and passions.”

Through involvement in youth agricultural programs, students can look forward to the following:Good Friends

Agricultural organizations give students the opportunity to be actively engaged in proj-ects and events that involve socializing with friends and meeting new people from across the country. From attending local fairs to com-peting in contests and career development events, mem-bers have the opportunity to travel and work alongside classmates that have similar interests as them.Growing Confidence

Group meetings provide a fun setting for members to interact with both peers and adults. Throughout the year and during fair season, mem-bers are often required to ad-dress large crowds. Whether it’s presenting animals to a panel of judges or giving a speech, high-pressure situa-tions like these teach students about preparation, poise and public speaking.Leadership Opportuni-ties

Both 4-H and FFA focus on empowering young people to take on leadership posi-tions within their respective organizations. While in FFA, members elect their own of-ficers and are responsible for planning and conducting ac-tivities throughout the year.Civic Responsibility

Giving back is a primary component of 4-H and FFA,

and throughout the year members spend ample time coordinating various fund-raising campaigns to benefit their communities.Recognition

Participating in youth agricultural organizations means being surrounded by a variety of adult role models. Throughout the year, mem-bers attend events and meet executives from some of the country’s top corporations, through which many mem-bers form connections and receive recognition for their hard work.

Tractor Supply frequently recognizes individuals who have displayed exemplary service and commitment to their community. Last year, the retailer presented dozens of hardworking 4-H and FFA members with commemo-rative certificates during special ceremonies at state and county fairs.

From June 8 to October 22, the company will send its Mobile Fair Tour to 19 fairs across the country where they will continue to acknowledge members of both organiza-tions. This year, honorees have been selected as win-ners of Tractor Supply’s first ever “Great Neighbor” Essay Contest, which encouraged 4-H and FFA youth to sub-mit a short essay detailing how their participation in these organizations has em-powered them to be a better neighbor.

Tractor Supply’s Mobile Fair Tour will offer visitors the “Out Here” experi-ence. Attendees will have the opportunity to lasso a “runaway pig,” test their strength on the high striker bell-ringing game, and at-tend the special recognition ceremonies.

To stay up to date on the tour or learn more about the interactive experience, follow Tractor Supply Company on Facebook and visit www.TractorSupply.com/FairTour.

From students to leaders: How today’s youth are preparing for the future

the health of the local envi-ronment, the importance of agriculture is boundless.

But for agriculture to continue to advance, it’s es-sential to educate and inspire young minds, invest in the next generation, and turn today’s youth into tomorrow’s agricultural leaders.

That’s where youth agricul-tural organizations come in.

According to Phil Reiter, vice president of marketing at Tractor Supply Company, the nation’s largest rural lifestyle retailer and a long-time supporter of AG-centric programs like 4-H and FFA, members of these organiza-tions are not only learning

(BPT) — You don’t have to grow crops or raise livestock in order to understand the

vital role both play within society, nor do you have to reside in rural America to

understand the value of the farmers and ranchers that do. From the food we eat to

HERITAGE FLORIDA JEWISH NEWS, AUGUST 7, 2020 PAGE 3B

Rabbi Joshua Neely

MAGAL, the Meitin Alli-ance for Growth and Learn-ing, is proudly entering its 5th year in the greater Or-lando community. MAGAL was created by Temple Shir Shalom (Reform) and Temple Israel (Conservative) to bring together Jewish students from a broad spectrum of back-grounds in order to have their diversity enrich their learn-ing. 2020 will be the second year that Congregation Beth Am (Conservative) will also be a partner in the alliance. This collaboration was designed to magnify the quality of Jewish education for the children of all the congregations. MA-GAL’s years of cooperation and creative thinking have prepared it for the unique

MAGAL initiates ‘hybrid model’ to start out the school yeartific information, and Semi-nole and Orange county school decisions, MAGAL will begin 2020 with a hybrid model, and transition to “in-person” classes when it is safe to do so. The school year will begin with a special “drive-in” Aug. 16 for all the families. Songs, games and treats will accompany the sounding of the shofar to herald the start of a new year. This in-person, but socially distant event, will give everyone a much-needed chance to form and strengthen the bonds that bring us together.

Regular Sunday classes begin on Aug. 23. School hours will run from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., but individual class meeting times will be

staggered in order to pro-vide manageable session length for the students. In addition to Judaica and Hebrew sessions, students will also have valuable time with Rabbi Joshua Neely (Temple Israel) and Cantor Kim Singer (Temple Shir Shalom) to experience the treasures of Jewish wisdom and culture. New this year: Since online learning af-fords new opportunities for engagement, MAGAL will be offering a rotating selection of Chugim (electives) that will take advantage of the flexibility of the technology.

Older students will be able to come into school on Wednesdays for face-to-face learning. Classroom spaces

have been redesigned to allow for generous social distancing while still letting this age group experience valuable time together with their peers.

All students will be given clear instructions for home study between classes to supplement the screen time. These learning projects will have shared themes for the whole school but also specific components for age appropri-ate learning.

MAGAL will follow these changes and make adjust-ments as necessary to ensure the quality of education. If you have questions or comments about any of these procedures, please don’t hesitate to be in touch with Rabbi Joshua Neely or Cantor Kim Singer.

Cantor Kim Singer

challenges of the 2020-2021 school year. At times such as these, their stable partnership

puts them in a solid position to overcome any obstacles.

Considering current scien-

By Ben Harris

Within months of gradu-ating from a Jewish high school near Boston in 2017, Asher Dale had an internship that he “absolutely loved” at Forter, an Israeli technology startup that sells online fraud protection services.

The company, which pro-cesses more than $50 billion in transactions annually for a global network of retailers, was growing rapidly and the 18-year-old Dale was in the thick of it. He regularly put in 10-hour days dur-ing his four months at the company’s Tel Aviv offices and worked on two major software products.

For the aspiring computer scientist who had decided to put off college for a year to spend a “gap year” in Israel, it was a dream job.

But that was hardly the highlight of Dale’s time in Israel. Rather, he says, the highlight was the personal transformation he saw in himself over the course of a year spent living abroad.

“I’ve always been so am-bitious and so focused on my future,” said Dale, now 19 and a computer science major at the University of Illinois. “But over my gap year I realized that’s not all that life is about. Life is so much more about living in

the present, as cliche as it sounds. It was kind of big for me.”

That kind of personal development is one of the major selling points of gap years, defined as a semes-ter or more of experien-tial learning usually taken between high school and college.

Proponents of gap years point to data suggesting that gap year students perform better in college and exhibit greater academic motivation and higher reported levels of job satisfaction. But it’s the potential for personal growth and enhanced self-knowledge that is often touted above all else.

“It’s a unique opportunity to look into themselves,” said Liran Avisar Ben Ho-rin, the CEO of Masa Israel Journey, which annually brings some 12,000 young Jews from around the world to Israel for a wide variety of gap year experiences. “You’re going to grow up and mature significantly, understand what you care about and what you want to do, and come back home with skills that you’re not going to get in college.”

Founded in 2004 as a joint venture by the Jewish Agency for Israel and the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office, Masa is the leading

provider of gap year experi-ences in Israel. Since its founding, Masa has brought more than 150,000 Jews to Israel from over 60 coun-tries. The organization helps match young Jews with an array of programs run by a large network of providers and provides $40 million in scholarships each year to help subsidize the costs.

Gap years in Israel long have been a rite of passage among Or thodox Jews, with some religious high schools sending upward of 90 percent of their gradu-ates to study in Israel for a year, typically at religious seminaries. But the trend is also catching fire beyond the Orthodox world.

“It’s a growing phenom-enon in America ,” sa id Shalom Elcott, Masa’s North American CEO. “More and more parents are realizing that our children today, they’re graduating college, they’re getting degrees and they’re not exactly sure where to go. Or they’re finishing high school, they have the pressure of applying to colleges, but they’re not really sure about what they want to study or exactly what their path is.”

In fact, academic burn-out is the principal reason cited for taking a gap year, according to Ethan Knight,

Want your kid to excel in college? After high school, try a break in Israel

the founder of the American Gap Year Association, an Oregon-based nonprofit that promotes gap years. About 40,000 Americans take gap years annually, and the average yearly growth rate clocks in at 23 percent over the past 10 years, according to the association.

“In our countr y, the running joke is that most students take a gap year: It’s called their freshman year of college,” Knight said. “Most people laugh when they hear that, but the reality is there’s at least as much educational value, potentially at a much lesser cost, by taking a qual-ity gap year.”

Masa’s program offerings cover a vast range of pos-sible gap year experiences. Participants can experience Israeli army life, work in development towns helping to close achievement gaps bet ween nat ive Israelis and recent immigrants, or pursue college credit from more academically oriented programs. Others work in hospitals, volunteer with Israel’s emergency medical services, such as Magen Da-vid Adom, or teach English.

The participants live inde-pendently, typically in apart-ments with others in the programs. They are exposed to Israel generally through tours of the country and oth-er educational opportuni-ties. Several hundred of the 12,000 annual participants

are selected to participate in a special leadership training track that grooms them to assume positions of Jewish leadership in their home communities.

But for many Americans, career development oppor-tunities in Israel’s fabled startup culture is the biggest draw of a gap year in Israel.

“Israeli culture allows you to be a talent regardless of your title or experience,” Avisar Ben Horin said. “It’s just about what you can do. If you’re good at what you’re doing, you find yourself more and more in the center of things. It’s a sink-or-swim experience. You’re not go-ing to find yourself making copies.”

One of Masa’s offerings is a gap year run by Big Idea, a 12-year-old Israel company that began as a technology summer camp for teens. Big Idea’s program begins with a four-month training course in computer coding or graphic design in the southern Israeli city of Beer-sheba, followed by a month of applying that knowledge to build a technology solu-tion for an Israeli nonprofit. For participants who choose Big Idea’s full nine-month program, this is followed by an internship with an Israeli technology company.

“A lot of them come with no experience of living away from home, with no real vi-sion of what can they do with

this kind of knowledge or tools, and you see at the end of the program how they be-come confident,” said Dotan Tamir, Big Idea’s founder and CEO. “They stand on the stage presenting their app that they developed and speak with so much confidence on things that they had no clue about just five months ago.”

For Dale, the experience effected a significant shift in his career goals. A self-described “ambitious kid,” Dale as a high school student aspired to found a company and become a billionaire “like Steve Jobs.” He even released a mobile app on Apple’s app store while still a senior in high school.

By the end of his time in Israel, Dale had come to realize that success in the technology world wasn’t the only thing he cared about.

“I want to start a company that would actually do good for the world,” he said. “I’m much more focused on relationships, my family, friends, having a really posi-tive experience in college, and kind of more living where I am and not always being stuck in the future.”

This article was sponsored by and produced in partner-ship with Masa Israel Jour-ney, a leader in immersive international experiences in Israel for adults ages 18-30. This article was produced by JTA’s native content team.

Tech whiz Asher Dale, second from right, hikes with friends in the Negev Desert during his gap year in Israel.

Some 1,200 young Jews per year enroll in gap-year programs affiliated with Masa Israel Journey.

PAGE 4B HERITAGE FLORIDA JEWISH NEWS, AUGUST 7, 2020

www.jewishacademyorlando.org

Preparing A Future With No Limits.

851 N. Maitland Ave. Maitland, FL 32751

407.647.0713

Serving students of all faiths from transitional kindergarten to 5th grade.

Schedule a Tour today!

Jewish Academy of Orlando will begin the 2020-21 school year on Monday, Aug. 17. The school will offer in-person learning with precautions in place as well as remote learning.

“For many of our families, it was crucial to have a safe, in-person school experience for their children,” said Head of School Alan Rusonik. “I am grateful to offer the safety precautions we have in place to minimize risk.”

In order to ensure the safest possible learning environ-ment, the school has put in place a multi-layer approach to mitigating risk. These strat-egies will include, but are not limited to, screening, moni-toring and testing students and faculty, using a unique and state of the art ultraviolet disinfection technology, hand washing, smaller class sizes, social distancing, wearing facemasks, frequent disinfec-tion and limiting interactions of students.

The in-person experience will consist of small class sizes with desks spaced apart and reduced interaction outside of homeroom classes. Stu-dents will continue to receive their specials such as art, PE, social-emotional learning and music with those teachers ro-tating among the classrooms. Recess will be outside with one

School starts Aug. 17 in person and remotely at JAO

classroom playing together at a time. The playground will be cleaned between sessions. Several classes will be held outside.

The numbers of students enrolling their children at JAO toward the start of school has increased as many parents are looking for the safest op-tion for their children. While the school is still enrolling students, because the class sizes must be limited, only a few spots remain.

Rusonik added, “We look forward to starting another year of learning and growing when school resumes in Au-gust. We are laser-focused on creating the safest plans and policies for our resumption of in-person learning.”

Jewish Academy of Or-

lando serves central Florida students of all faiths from transitional kindergarten through fifth grade. The school delivers a whole-child education fostering academic excellence and character education rooted in Jewish values. Jewish Academy of Orlando is accredited by the Florida Council of Indepen-dent Schools.

To learn more about Jew-ish Academy of Orlando, please visit: jewishacademy-orlando.org or follow the school on Facebook https://facebook.com/JewishAcad-emyOrlando.

To learn more about CO-VID-19 Precautions at Jewish Academy of Orlando, please visit: https://www.jewishacad-emyorlando.org/covid19.

9:30 and 3rd-7th Sunday and Wednesday beginning at 4:30. Second grade has an option to attend Wednesdays as well. The Pk and K classes will be offered as an enrichment class called “Shalom Chaverim” twice a month rather than the weekly classes. This age group is not as proficient at being on screens. Each class session will stand on its own. Participants can register for each class as fits their sched-ule. There will be circle time, art, movement, story, Hebrew letters and words of the day.

The Hebrew school pro-gram will be on Zoom. Teach-ers are planning for small group learning opportuni-ties in break out rooms so that students can received focused attention, have op-portunity for collaborating and “chvreuta” study as well as connecting with friends. Madrichim are being trained to be able to facilitate some of the small groups with adult staff checking in on them.

COS will continue to offer programs for young fami-lies including Mishpacha Sheli, Shabbatlettes and Shirei Shabbat. Kibbutz Ohev

for families with Preschool through 2nd grade will re-sume on Wednesday a month beginning in September.

COS Youth groups will be offering a variety of programs and events. Some will be vir-tual, some in the building at limited capacity and some out-doors when weather permits.

Plans are underway for a full array of programs and activities for the month of Elul, the month we gear up to the High Holidays, through the end of the holidays. There will be something for everyone to renew, reflect, reconnect. There will be baking, Rosh Hashanah Seder, Shofar blow-ing opportunity, Tashlich. On Sept. 24 will be master storyteller Amy Kohan via zoom with an interactive story about the holiday season.

On the second day of Rosh Hashanah there will be a preschool family service at 9:30 with Nina Fine on zoom and at 10:30 a very special Family service. The service is called Shirat Haruach. It is a service created and led by popular Jewish song lead-ers and artists Rick Recht, Josh Warshowsky and Eliana

COS: Changing how we do it but not what we doIn this time of COVID,

Congregation Ohev Shalom staff and leadership have been working diligently to be able to offer the same quality Jew-ish education, programs and services virtually. We are not changing what we do only how we do it.

Hebrew school will be virtual for the start of the year and will be evaluated regularly. “We know that face-to-face learning is ideal not just for skill mastery but equally important for social connection to build com-munity. We need to ensure

that our families, teachers and Madrichim are safe and that is why we are beginning the year virtually,” said Amy Geboff, director of Youth and Family Education.

While school is virtual, classes for grades 1 and 2 are Sunday beginning at

Amy Geboff

Kline. You may not know their names, but you probably know their songs. The service will be interactive, uplifting, melodic and meaningful for all ages.

For more information about Congregation Ohev Shalom, Hebrew school, Youth programs and all programs and services, go to the website www.ohevshalom.org, Congregation Ohev Sha-lom and Ohev Shalom Youth and Family facebook pages or call the synagogue at 407-298-4650.

Every day that you’re outside, you’re exposed to dangerous, but invisible, ultraviolet (UV) sunlight. Left unprotected, prolonged exposure to UV radiation can seriously damage the eye, leading to cataracts, skin cancer around the eyelid and other eye disorders.

Protecting your eyes is important to maintaining eye health now and in the future.

Shield your eyes (and your family’s eyes) from harmful UV rays. Wear sunglasses with maximum UV protection.

For more information, visit www.thevisioncouncil.org/consumers/sunglasses. A public service message from The Vision Council.

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HERITAGE FLORIDA JEWISH NEWS, AUGUST 7, 2020 PAGE 5B

Whether you are looking for social, travel or networking opportunities or just looking for a place to hang out and meet other Jewish students, Orlando is not just a place to be, it is also home to one of the highest ranked Hillels in the nation. We are here to serve as a home away from home for our JeJewish students, helping them live, learn, connect and succeed. For more information or to set up a personal tour, please contact Jacqui McGrail at jacqui.mcgrail@centralfloridahillel.org.

Central Florida Hillel is the epicenter for

Jewish Life for University of Central

Florida college students. Whether you are seeking a great education on a visually stunning campus or the terrific variety of America's largest undergraduate university (which is also home to a top collegiate football program), UCF is the place for you. Orlando is home to some gOrlando is home to some great options for students seeking a vibrant Jewish campus life experience coupled with great academics. Students have the opportunity to connect with our fabulous Orlando community while scoring a fantastic Orlando-area internship and making Jewish friends to last a lifetime.

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The Holocaust Memorial Resource and Education Cen-ter of Florida has virtual pro-grams under the umbrella of Strategies for Action that can help people understand many different aspects of hatred, racial injustice and prejudice, and ways to overcome. All of the events are free and are held virtually from noon to 1 p.m.

The schedule of programs include:Aug. 7 — Color-Coded: Language as a Survival Tool

This live, online virtual event features Shannon Green and Revel Lubin who will dis-cuss code-switching, which is the skill one adapts through language, demeanor and dialect to survive and thrive inside a dominant culture. Aug. 21 — Championing the Unheard: Addressing Racial Inequity

Join in a panel discussion, moderated by Monica May to hear how Civil Rights attorney Cecile Scoon and Chris King, founder and CEO of Elevation Scholars Program, saw a need within their communities and took action.Sept. 2 — Implicit Bias New Title: The Inner Work of Bias and Op-pression

Upcoming Strategies for Action events at the Holocaust Center

In this learning event, participants are encouraged to take a “hard look” within ourselves, examining both bias and internalized oppres-sion. Rachel Luce-Hitt will guide participants through this inner work.Sept. 14 — Building Emotional Bravery

Join us for this live, online virtual event featuring Jenny Susser. Many of us are unsure about how to approach dif-ficult conversations and this

can be especially difficult when a relative or good friend holds views vastly different from your own. Often times, it is our own fears that hold us back. Jenny will help us identify how our fears play into our actions and reactions and how we can rewire some of our thoughts.

For more information on the Strategies for Action events, contact the Holocaust Center at 407-628-0555 or visit holocaustedu.org.

A few of the students who are part of the Central Florida Hillel at UCF.

By Aaron WeilExecutive Director and CEO Central Florida Hillel, UCF

Universities are reopening across the State of Florida in a much different way than we could have ever imagined. There are new guidelines and safety measures to keep everyone safe and comfortable with this new normal, while being able to have a college experience that includes social activities and ways to remain involved on campus. Central Florida Hillel has been working diligently to create opportunities for students in various capacities as they will be returning to campus this fall in person, online, or mixed mode.

With safety being our number one priority, a CFH Reopening Task Force, con-sisting of board members, staff, students, alumni and Dr. Marcia Katz, associate dean of The UCF Medical School, are working to set policies for this fall to ensure a safe commu-nity. The programming may

look different, but we are com-mitted to providing students with experiences that will al-low them to participate in the community in the safest and most supportive way possible. Along with the Task Force, Central Florida Hillel is closely coordinating our reopening policies and guidelines with UCF to further ensure the safety of our students.

Amongst those at CFH that have been shaping our current situation, we have welcomed two new members, Liz Kalef and Adina Smirin. Kalef is our new associate director who is joining Hillel after spend-ing 23 years as a successful synagogue executive director in Columbus, Ohio. Smirin is our Springboard Innovation fellow, moving to Florida after studying Public Relations at the University of Texas.

We understand that stu-dents and families have to make a difficult decision on whether they will be return-ing to campus in person or not. CFH will be providing opportunities for our students to connect in a variety of dif-

UCF Hillel is your hometown Hillel

ferent platforms. Learning opportunities such as the Jewish Learning Fellowship, cooking classes, Shabbat and High Holiday services, game nights and more will be held in a virtual platform as well as on campus. We want to be available for our students no matter where they may be.

To the incoming students, whether you are entering your freshman year or transferring to a new university, we are ready for you, we are here for you, and we are excited to take this journey with you. For those returning either to campus or virtually, we are thrilled to welcome you back and work together to create meaningful opportunities to connect with your traditions while possibly exploring new ones.

Together with our partners at Yehudi, Rabbi Yisrael and Tamar Abisror, we are excited to once again provide our stu-dents with the warmest and most welcoming environment possible.

UCF Hillel is YOUR Home-town Hillel. We are grateful to the Orlando Jewish commu-nity for your vision in seeing the incredible importance of supporting our college students here in Orlando. As the home to the third largest Jewish campus population in the world (outside of Israel), Central Florida Hillel at UCF is the place to be this fall for your students.

Whether it is virtually or so-cially distant, Central Florida Hillel is here for you and we are excited to be taking this new journey, together. For more information on Central Florida Hillel, please contact Liz Kalef at Liz.Kalef@Cen-tralFloridaHillel.org.

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The Hannah Senesh school in Brooklyn expects enrollment to hold steady or increase slightly in the fall of 2020.

March, while public schools in the area adjusted more slowly.

“We didn’t have to go through a whole hierarchy of structures of 10 schools in the district to make sure we could make it happen,” Kushnir said.

Now her school is plan-ning on full-time in-person instruction this fall, and families are flocking to it. The school is holding an event for 35 prospective families next week, and Kushnir an-ticipates as many as five to 10 could wind up enrolling their children.

In Brooklyn, the Hannah Senesh Community Day School is also fielding inqui-ries but may not be able to accommodate everyone who wants to attend. The K-8 school is planning to reopen in the fall with full-time in-person learning for younger students and a blend of in-person and online learning for older ones.

Head of School Nicole Nash said she’s had inquiries for every grade level, but doesn’t expect to be able to accom-modate them all given space limitations. As it is, the school intends to use every inch of available floor space, includ-ing the gym, library and art room to accommodate an anticipated increase in enroll-ment from the 220 students who attended last year.

“At a minimum we’ll hold steady, but I anticipate some incremental growth,” Nash said.

Like Hannah Senesh, other Jewish schools in New York City have seen increased inter-est as it became clear that the city’s public schools will not be opening with a full-time in-person schedule this fall.

But the schools also have been coping with the loss of families who left the city to es-cape the pandemic. Hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers have vacated their homes in recent months, often from wealthier neighborhoods, and

whether and when they will return is unclear.

Beit Rabban, a nonde-nominational K-6 school in Manhattan, also is bracing for a decline in enrollment this fall from the more than 140 students it had anticipated, according to a recent report in Tablet. The school’s direc-tor said she was most nervous about the effect of families moving out of the city.

Luria Academy in Brooklyn also anticipates a dip from the 320 it expected prior to the pandemic even as it ramps up its search for additional space to permit the necessary social distancing.

“It is my sense that most day schools are down in the city,” said Amanda Pogany, Luria’s head of school.

Some schools are better positioned than others to weather the crisis.

In New Rochelle, just north of New York City, Deganit Ronen said she expects in-creased enrollment at West-chester Torah Academy. The Modern Orthodox day school has incorporated online learn-ing since it opened in 2013 and boasts a relatively low price tag as a result — a potential boon for newly cash-strapped families for whom public schools may not feel like an option.

In Los Angeles, where public schools are going to be entirely online when the school year commences in August, the Kadima Day School was hoping to see a 10% jump in enrollment in the fall. With just 250 students and a large campus, the school was confident it could safely open on a full-time basis while maintaining 6 feet of distance for all students.

But that plan was thrown into disarray earlier this month after Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that the pandemic remains too severe to permit in-person instruction in Los Angeles. Now, Head of School Steven

Lorch hopes his school may be granted a waiver, but the situation remains fluid.

“Everything is a little up in the air,” Lorch said.

Efforts to reopen have been strained as well by mount-ing economic concerns. At Kadima, the reopening plan has required hiring more custodial staff to keep the facility sanitized, improving the ventilation system and installing various types of protective equipment — all while coping with a 30% in-crease in requests for tuition assistance.

At Adat Ari El, a K-6 day school in Los Angeles, ad-ministrators are installing 360-degree, voice-activated Owl Pro cameras (retail price: $999) in every classroom to fa-cilitate virtual learning, along with Plexiglas barriers and other protective equipment. Meanwhile, the school is fac-ing “skyrocketing” requests for tuition assistance that Sarah Schultz, the interim head of school, said it won’t be able to fully meet.

“Every day we have meet-ings about this to figure out what we can do,” Schultz said. “We are still a community and we want to stand behind our families and be there for our families in this time of dire need. But we can only do so much.”

In Syracuse, that’s less of a concern. Enrollment was already so low that the school can accommodate many more students without taking on significantly expanded costs. The bigger question is wheth-er the school can sustain the enrollment bump once things return to normal.

“Recruitment isn’t just recruitment,” Lavine said. “It’s about retention. We are mindful that once things open up, there’s a vaccine, you might find some of these families returning to public school. Our job is to continue to offer a superb education.”

Are families fleeing Jewish day schools? Far from it, but it’s complicated.

By Ben Harris

(JTA) — In the last aca-demic year, Syracuse Hebrew Day School had a grand total of 34 students enrolled in grades K-6, down from a high-water mark of 165 students decades ago.

The 60-year-old school in central New York, the only Jewish day school for 75 miles, has seen its fortunes sink along with those of its city. Once an industrial hub, Syracuse has declined in population from a peak of 220,000 in 1950 to just over 142,000 today.

But with the city’s public schools signaling that they are unlikely to reopen for full-time in-person instruction in the fall, Syracuse Hebrew Day School is anticipating its first major bump in enrollment in memory.

Its head of school, Laura Lavine, told the Jewish Tele-graphic Agency that the school expects as much as a 40% increase in enrollment in the fall, when it plans to open full-time for in-person instruction with mandatory mask wearing and social dis-tancing requirements.

Some of that is driven by families that have relocated

from elsewhere to escape the pandemic — one prospective family called Lavine from Brooklyn after overhearing someone in their apartment building say they were moving to Syracuse. But most of the interest is local.

“My phone is ringing ev-ery day with questions from prospective families,” Lavine said. “And the reason for that is the public schools are still trying to figure out what they are going to do.”

Lavine’s experience paral-lels that of many day schools this year. Far from facing dev-astating enrollment declines, some Jewish day schools are finding that the pandemic is bringing them new students — particularly if their facili-ties enable them to space out students sufficiently to permit a full five-day schedule.

“We are picking [that] up in a lot of places,” said Paul Bernstein, CEO of the Jewish day school network Prizmah. “There’s a lot of interest from students at other schools. Jewish day schools of course are doing their best to ac-commodate the interest they are receiving, but it won’t always be possible given all the restraints.”

But the enrollment surge is

uneven, with many schools in the New York City area, where most day school students live, contending with enrollment declines. And continued un-certainty about whether and how schools can safely open means much could change between now and the start of classes, in most places next month.

Bernstein said the trend of increased interest seemed particularly strong in sub-urban communities, where families have stayed put and in some places seen that their local public schools were not able to pivot to online learn-ing as quickly as nearby day schools.

“Some of the contrasts that people are experiencing between Jewish day schools and other schools, including public schools, is happening in wealthier areas,” he said. “What they’ve managed to offer is nothing like what Jew-ish day schools have offered.”

That’s one factor that Lena Kushnir, head of school at Sol-omon Schechter Day School of Metropolitan Chicago, said she thought had driven “in-sane” levels of interest from new families. The school of-fered full-day online instruc-tion within days of closing in

By Marilyn Shapiro

As Florida and the rest of the country navigates the upcoming school year, I am sharing an article reflecting my own experience teaching a college preparation course 27 years ago.

May 28, 1993, was gradua-tion day at the Capital District Educational Opportunity Center, a division of Hudson Valley Community College which offers a wide range of programs and education-ally and economically disad-vantaged adults.

During and after the cer-emony, there were laughter, tears, and the inevitable thanks that we teachers re-ceive from our students for the time we spent with them in the classroom. My college preparation students thanked me for guiding them through their term papers, helping them improve their study skills, and making sense out of difficult reading passages. What my students don’t real-ize is that I, as an adult edu-cator, have learned as much from them as they learned from me.

I have learned about de-termination. Two and a half years ago, Michael was lying in a hospital bed, recovering from a construction accident that nearly killed him and ended his career. Rather than cursing the powers that be, he decided, 20 years after finish-ing high school, to rebuild his life by pursuing a college degree.

“I’ve always believed that God never closes a door without opening a window,” Michael wrote in one of his essays. His window was go-ing back to school. Despite

the pain of his injuries, a long commute from Know to Albany, and family responsi-bilities, Michael came every day, motivated, determined, and optimistic that he would reach his goal. That same determination will serve him well at Hudson Valley Community College come September.

I have learned about cour-age. Sharon is a recovering agoraphobiac, a woman afraid to leave the shelter of her home. The first day of class, she learned that an oral presentation was a require-ment of the course. She was terrified. Coming to school was enough of a challenge; speaking in front of a class was nearly impossible. The last week of class, however, her face white but determined, her hands gripping the podium for emotional and physical sup-port, Sharon gave her speech to her supportive classmates. When she finished, the class broke into spontaneous ap-plause.

I have learned about prog-ress. Carmen was a D student

in high school. Returning to our program at the age of 30, he was convinced that he would barely complete my course. “I don’t think I deserve to pass,” he said. “I am not sure if I am smart enough to handle college.” His final essay belied his own belief. His piece on what was needed to succeed in college was nearly letter perfect and showcased the progress he had made that semester. “You deserved this A. You can suc-ceed in college,” I wrote on his paper.

I have learned to be tough. Carol, a recovering addict who spent time as a home-less person on the streets of Albany, and who was repeating my course after failing in the fall, thanked me for taking off points every time she turned in a paper late. “It is important for me to take responsibility when I fail.” She also advised me to stop listening to the recovering addicts’ sob stories and start coming down hard on them for not completing assignments. “We know how to bulls**t you, Marilyn.

Don’t listen,” she advised me. I have learned about compas-sion. On the days that I was tired and ‘soul weary,’ as one of my perceptive students said, the students cared about me. “Get some sleep Marilyn. We can wait for our papers.”

I also saw their compassion for each other: the student groups, the impromptu tu-toring, the support that gave each other either in learning how to use the computer or in keeping up spirits when someone failed a test.

The students have given of themselves: a perspective comment, a good argument, a family story or anecdote, a journal entry letting me know they are enjoying may class. I read essays about a very spe-cial Christmas, a child’s birth, a grandmother’s death, home-less families in bus depots, and numerous stories of recover.

I have been given much more. They have shared something of their lives. As a result, they have enriched me as both a teacher and a person. For this, I thank each one of them.

How school enriches both teacher and student

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We are not changing what we do, just how we do it!

COS Hebrew School will be virtual for the beginning of the school year.

Opening day “Maskerade” Sunday, August 16 at 10 a.m. Drive into the

parking lot, pick up books, say hi to teachers and Madrichim and then

park for a parking lot welcome to the year and to Rosh Chodesh Elul.

Hebrew school is for grades 1-7. While we are virtual Sundays at 9:30

and Wednesdays at 4:30.

NEW for PK and K: “Shalom Chaverim” while we are virtual. Each class

will be based around a theme and include Hebrew letter and word of

the week, movement, story, craft and more. Register for the entire

semester or register for the class you are able to attend. First class is

August 30 at 9:30 a.m.

Families with young children Mishpacha Sheli on selected Tuesday

mornings, Shabbatlettes on selected Shabbat mornings and Shirei

Shabbat on selected Friday nights.

Kibbutz Ohev Family Edition one Wednesday a month at 5 p.m. geared

toward families with children in preschool through grade 2.

Vibrant and Active Youth Groups, Olim 3rd-5th grade, Kadima 6th-8th

grade, USY 9th-12th grade.

DDD: Dinner, Daber and Dvar - Formal Jewish educational program

for all Jewish 8th-12th graders. This year’s theme is World Jewry.

First class is August 26.

Gear up for the High Holidays with a series of programs and events

beginning in the Hebrew month of Elul thorough Yom Kippur.

For more information contact the Synagogue at 407-298-4650,

www.ohevshalom.org or educator@ohevshalom.org.

Like our Facebook Page—Ohev Youth and Family

By Marilyn Shapiro

Despite outstanding grades for my student teaching, I crashed and burned in the real classroom. My age (22), ideal-ism, and poor disciplinary skills resulted in my leaving my first teaching position. A year later, armed with a newly completed master’s degree in reading, I accepted a position as an adult education instruc-tor at the Capital District Educational Opportunity Center, a division of Hudson Valley Community College.

In contrast to the pre-dominantly white suburban high school I had left, the CDEOC was located in Troy, New York’s inner city. Housed in a group of modular build-ings in the shadow of Clem-ente Latham Concrete, the classrooms were joined by a wooden passageway that was covered with snow and ice in the winter.

The mission of the CDEOC was to provide academic and vocational training to dis-

advantaged adults. My first assignments were teaching courses to prepare students to take the national General Educational Development tests, which, when passed, provided the graduates a high school equivalency diploma.

On the first day, I faced a class of 15 students who were working independently in GED books. Mary, a Black woman in her early 20s, took her seat and calmly laid out her tools: a pen, a notepad, and a switchblade. What? Muster-ing my calmest voice, I asked her to put away the weapon. She did, and, as I found out later from the veteran teach-ers, I had passed the test.

As this was adult education and way before laws banning public smoking took effect, many of my students were allowed to smoke in the class-room. I taught in a cloud of nicotine. I had classes morn-ings and afternoons three days a week, and afternoons and evenings the remaining two days.

Despite the less than ideal conditions, the smoke, and the occasional switchblade, I fell in love with teaching adults. Most were willing to return to school because they wanted to complete the education that was upended by pregnancies, family situ-ations, or just dropping out. Along with the academic courses, the CDEOC also offered vocational programs in business, cosmetology, building trades, and welding (culinary arts and nursing as-sistant programs were added later). Once they passed the GED, they then learned a trade. The CDEOC also of-fered a college preparation course that provided a feeder into HVCC.

Over the next 25 years, I personally witnessed the magic of the CDEOC. My teaching assignments ex-panded to college prep as well as a study skills instructor for the vocational programs. I found joy in all of them.

One of my favorite stories

Switch blades, snakes, ‘Second Hand Rose’ — All part of my life as an adult education teacher

involved Don, a man in his mid 30s who was enrolled in my GED preparation class. When his practice GED scores came back, I shared with him the good news that he did exceptionally well and that he would have no difficulty passing the actual exam. To my dismay, Don immediately burst into tears. When I asked what I had said that upset him, he responded, “Marilyn, I am just crying for joy. For my entire life, everyone has told me that I’m a failure, a loser, a dummy. You are the first person who ever said I could succeed.” Two months later, Don received word that he passed the exam on the first try.

Another student who left a footprint on my heart was Elmira. As a Muslim pharmacist in Sudan, she had given needed drugs to Christian friends, illegal in her country. She and her infant son were sent to a prison that had little food and water and a hole in the ground for a bathroom. She somehow escaped and fled across the desert with a group of Bedouins. Once she got to Egypt, she and her son were able to get passage to Albany, New York, where she joined her husband and other children. She completed the CDEOC’s ESOL and college prep program and enrolled in HVCC’s computer technol-ogy program. We lost touch after her college graduation,

but I remember our long conversations about her life and its contrast with mine.

And then there were mo-ments that still make me chuckle. Jose was enrolled in my HSE class, and each day he would come in with a children’s metal lunch box. After a break, I returned to class to see Jose crawling on the ground.

“What are you doing, Jose?” I asked.

“I lost my boaah,” he told me in his strong Hispanic accent.

“Your ball?” I asked. “Why are you playing with a ball?”

“No, no! My boaah,” he said. A second later he yelled, “I found it!”

Jose stood up holding a five-foot long boa constrictor.

“That’s not a ball!” I said. “That’s a BOA!”

“Yes, that is what I said. Boaah.”

“You’re not supposed to have snakes in the classroom!” I yelled.

“It’s not in the rulebooks,” he retorted.

He was right. So he had been bringing his “boah” to school every day so he could feed it every three hours. By the next week, “Only service animals allowed” was in the rulebooks.

I cherish memories of other encounters: The day I woke a student up in the middle of my grammar les-son. “How can you fall asleep during semicolons?” I asked.

“Adverbial conjunctions are so much fun!” (He suggested I get a life.) The time I had to explain to a young Vietnamese student what it meant when his American girlfriend sug-gested they “play house.” Or the time I promised my college prep students that I would sing for them if they all got their essays in on time. They com-plied, and as promised I sang my own a cappella rendition of “Second Hand Rose.” After I finished, the students told me I was very courageous. Not melodious. Courageous.

In 2000, I left the classroom to take an administrative position. As the coordinator of program development and research, my work involved grant writing and data man-agement. But the favorite part of the job was handling the CDEOC’s public relations. Over the next few years, I put together three brochures highlighting the student success stories. I may have physically left the classroom, but my heart was still there.

Marilyn Cohen Shapiro, a resident of Kissimmee, Fla., is a regular contributor to the (Capital Region N.Y.) Jewish World and the Orlando Heri-tage Florida Jewish News. She is the author of two compila-tions of her stories, “There Goes My Heart” (2016) and “Tikkun Olam” (2018). Both books available in paperback and e-book format on Ama-zon. Her blog is theregoes-myheart.me.

Engineer provides 2,000 schools across the country (totaling about 100,000 stu-dents) with Intro to Computer Science and AP Computer Sci-ence classes through trusted curriculum providers. All students participating in this program also receive a free membership to AWS Educate, which provides them with free access to computing power in the AWS Cloud for their cod-ing projects, and content to learn about cloud computing.

Jennifer Tulipano, a teacher who is using the course in her classroom at Monsignor Scanlan High School in the Bronx says, “It’s exciting to see the significant increase in my students’ creativity, logical thinking skills and confidence levels, since learning to code, and there is no doubt in my mind that we have paved the way for them to head down very successful career paths in the field of computer science. I truly believe our students, particularly our female students, have been empowered by the computer science courses.”College:

As students head off to college, the program offers new resources to support continued education in the field. The program provides 100 students from under-represented and underserved communities committed to studying computer science in college with a $40,000 col-

lege scholarship - $10,000 per year. For many students, this financial aid is the catalyst that allows them to pursue post-secondary education and a career in computer science. “This scholarship is very important because it means when I go to college, I won’t have to constantly worry about money,” said scholarship recipient Leo Jean Baptiste, from Orange High School in Orange, New Jersey.Internship:

Amazon Future Engineer also offers the 100 scholarship recipients a guaranteed, paid summer internship after their first year of college. Interns partner closely with a techni-cal mentor and manager, as well as their fellow interns, to innovate and create.

“I not only witnessed but was immersed in what it’s like to be a software develop-ment engineer,” explained Nari Johnson, a sophomore at Harvard University study-ing computer science. “I left my internship feeling more confident in my ability to transform a vision for a service or product into reality. As a woman in computer science, Amazon’s commitment to diversity and early computer science education has been especially meaningful to me.”

Students, teachers, school administrators, and parents can learn more and apply at www.amazonfutureengineer.com.

Increasing access to computer science education for students

(BPT) — For today’s stu-dents, learning how to code is becoming just as important as learning how to read. The Bureau of Labor Statistics says computer science is the fastest growing profession within the science, technol-ogy, engineering and math field. They also project that, by 2020, there will be 1.4 million computer science-related jobs available and only 400,000 computer science graduates with the skills to apply for those jobs.

Historically, access to computer science education and skills training has been absent in the curriculum for many underrepresented and underserved communities, despite research showing that exposure to these subjects at a young age makes students more likely to pursue comput-er science in college. The new childhood-to-career program, Amazon Future Engineer, is working to change that with a four-step process to ensure access for all students.K-8:

First, the program has after-school computer science workshops, coding camps hosted at schools and vari-ous locations, and online computer science courses like Coding with Kids and Code.org’s Hour of Code: Dance Party - all designed to encourage students to explore computer science.

“Without Amazon Future Engineer funding this cod-ing camp, my son would not have had such a wonderful opportunity because I simply could not afford it,” explained Kelly Garcia, whose son Pierce attended a Coding with Kids camp in Seattle, Washington.High school:

The majority of public el-ementary and high schools, particularly in low-income communities, do not offer computer science classes. Each year, Amazon Future

PAGE 8B HERITAGE FLORIDA JEWISH NEWS, AUGUST 7, 2020

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By Rabbi Avraham WachsmanOrlando Torah Academy Dean

Orlando Torah Academy is excited to begin its 11th year with double-digit growth and over 100 students. After

spending the last few months of the last school year dis-tance learning, the children are eager to get back to school, be with their friends and begin another year of learning and growth. OTA is also thrilled to welcome all the new families joining

the school locally from Dr. Phillips and Winter Park and families that have relocated from Israel, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania.

It’s been a busy summer on the OTA campus. For this year, OTA is offering its dual-curriculum program as both

an in-person and an online digital distance-learning experience called Virtual/In Person. To prepare for both options, OTA has invested in added technology, expanded classrooms, purchased new furniture, hired new staff and so much more. Protocols and

procedures have been crafted to help ensure that all staff and students, from our preschool toddlers up to our eighth grad-ers feel safe and have a positive learning environment.

Beginning with just 12 children in 2010, OTA’s growth over the past decade has truly

been remarkable. It is a testa-ment to the warm and talented staff of OTA and the positive learning experience for our students. To find out if OTA is the right choice for your family please email office@orlandotorah.com and come take a tour.

Students and staff of Orlando Torah Academy 2019-2020 school year.

Orlando Torah Academy excited to begin its 2nd decade

By Sam FriedmanHillel Director, Stetson University

I know there will be some-thing different about the upcoming school year, but I just … can’t … put … my … finger … on … it …

Perhaps it is the start of a new president at Stetson Uni-versity? As many of you know on July 1, President Libby of-ficially became Stetson presi-dent emerita and chancellor, and Dr. Christopher Roellke became the 10th president of Stetson University. Dr.

Libby was the first female and first non-Southern Baptist minister to lead the Univer-sity (she’s a nice Jewish girl from Brooklyn!), and during her tenure, Stetson saw an increase in Jewish life on campus that positions us as a leading institution for Jew-

ish families seeking private higher education. Jews at Stetson now have access to Kosher food on campus, a Jewish studies minor (led by a world renowned expert in the Holocaust, Dr. Eric Kurlander), and a thriving Hillel community centered

Sam Friedman

Dynamic Jewish life at Stetson continues to flourish despite a virusin a beautiful house that en-gaged the highest percentage of Jewish students in the state.

Maybe it’s the influx of Jew-ish students choosing Stetson as their home for the next four years? For all of the reasons listed above, Stetson has seen a steady increase in Jewish applicants and incoming stu-dents. During the 2019-2020 school year Stetson hosted Jewish high school students and their families from across the country. We welcomed students from South Florida, Georgia, the northeast, and as far as California and British Columbia. If you’re looking for a Jewish home on a beauti-ful campus near the beach, I have a green shirt with your name on it.

It may be that the word has gotten out about the op-portunities to engage in all aspects of Jewish life? Last year we reestablished the Malka Altman Lecture series and hosted Julie Salomon who shared with us the process of researching and writing her book, “An Innocent By-stander: The Killing of Leon Klinghoffer.” For the second year in a row, Stetson brought the largest delegation in the country to the JNF College Summit in Washington D.C., and our largest delegation

to date to the AIPAC Policy Conference. It could be the excitement due to our profes-sors who have gone to Israel, the open displays of Jewish pride on campus, or the fact that Stetson has no BDS or anti-Israel activity.

Just don’t tell me that this year will be different because of the coronavirus. It will, and we will adjust, but the parts of Jewish Stetson that matter — the community, the friendships, the advocacy, and the action — can all happen behind a mask and from six feet apart. To the incoming class of 2024, welcome home, and roll hats!

Early Childhood The Richard S. Adler Early

Childhood Center begins its academic year on Monday Aug. 10, 2020. Children from ages 6 weeks through Pre-K may attend. Following the guidance of the Sheva Learn-ing Institute, the Reggio-in-spired program focuses on the needs of the individual child and provides a nurturing, developmentally appropriate environment for children to learn and grow. Due to Covid safety measures, children are dropped off and picked up outside of the JCC. Classes are kept separate from each

other and the entire ECLC remains in their secure wing. There are limited spaces avail-able. For more information, contact Melissa Youngblood at melissay@orlandojcc.org.Academic Enrichment@The J

For those families choos-ing K-12 options such as LaunchEd, Seminole Con-nect, Orange County Vir-tual School, Seminole County Virtual School or Florida Virtual School, the JCC’s new Academic Enrichment@The J may be what you are look-ing for. Children are in pods of no more than eight with

an academic support staff member to help them with their virtual program. This is not a school but childcare with an academic focus. We follow your child’s academic program and provide care until 4 p.m. You can drop your child off earlier or keep them at the JCC until 6 p.m. for an additional cost. All of the JCC’s Covid safety measures are fol-lowed. For more information go to http://visit.orlandojcc.org/enrich or contact Tara Harris, Director of Academic Enrichment @ The J at tarah@orlandojcc.org.Afterschool program

The JCC’s a f terschool program under the direction of Kacie Zemel DeMartin re-mains one of the best in town. You can bring your child after the school day ends as early as 3 p.m. and they will get help with homework as well as so-cially distanced activities un-til 6 p.m. In addition, we are offering enrichment classes for an additional fee such as piano lessons, Bricks 4 Kids, chess lessons, karate, cheer, yoga, dance, and the JCC’s swim program. Depending on demand, transportation may be available from your child’s school to the JCC

Children having fun at the Richard S. Adler Early Child-hood Center.

Getting back to school and afterschool care at The Roth Family JCC

for an additional fee. For more information, contact

Robin Merkel at registrar@orlandojcc.org.