Programs

Shaare Torah is part of the Conservative Jewish movement, and our program is dedicated to fostering a positive Jewish identity in our children with activities that are appropriate for their developmental stage and that enhance their curiosity about the world around them. Jewish values, rituals, principles and traditions are carefully woven into daily classroom life.

The children will have the opportunity to experience the beauty of their religious identity through the celebration of Shabbat, arts and crafts, story telling, drama, Jewish music, the basics of Hebrew language and prayer, the delight and joy of Jewish holidays and foods and cultural heritage. We believe that Judaism is best taught by example and through an experiential process.

Rabbi Jacob Blumenthal participates in the nursery school as a consultant and teacher, and he is a frequent visitor to the classroom. He is involved in many of the religious activities and holiday celebrations.

Torah Tots - Transitional Two's Program
This new transitional two’s class is geared for children who will be two years old by February 1, 2009. For the fall semester, the class will have one teacher along with parent participation. After winter break, an additional teacher will join the class and the students will begin the transition process to having parents leave them in class. This class is a wonderful opportunity to introduce your child to the Jewish nursery school experience in a warm, nurturing environment. The program offers opportunities for socialization and introduces children to activities such as circle time, music, arts and crafts, and snack time. They will also be introduced to Jewish holidays, songs and traditions. In addition, parenting topics will be discussed each week.

Nursery School
Our program is committed to helping each child develop emotionally, socially, physically and intellectually. We believe each child is important and must be respected as a unique individual with particular care paid to the development of their self-esteem.

Through games, music, manipulative materials, craft activities and creative movement, we seek to give our children a broader and deeper understanding and appreciation of the exciting world in which they live. Our emergent curriculum is based on “play.” Childhood is the time when children learn social skills, how to express themselves and work well with others. We stress cooperation where the children can learn how to accomplish projects together, problem solve and learn to be a contributing member of a larger group.

We combine the best of Jewish content with early childhood social, emotional and cognitive development programs. With each year of nursery school, we are preparing your child to enter the public/private school environment with tools such as self-esteem, confidence, independence and a willingness to accept new challenges along the way. We also hope the close relationship between your home and our school becomes a source of enduring friendships and a foundation for continued participation in our synagogue community.