KesherKIDS 5785 (2024-25)
Jewish Engagement and Enrichment
As we embark on our sixth year of KesherKIDS, we have successfully built our program around our shared beliefs that meaningful Jewish life can take many different forms, and that identity and community connections are fundamental to having a rich Jewish experience.
With our intuitive sense validated by recent research, we’ve set out to create a program that echos the community spirit and joyful expression of Judaism that children find at camp. Experiential learning is woven into arts & crafts, music, movement, cooking, outdoor education, t’filah (prayer), culture and heritage, and tikkun olam (repairing the world) projects. All of these can enrich, and have been enriched, by Judaism, and by having fun doing them together, our students gain first-hand experience of the joy and beauty of Jewish practice and Jewish community.
It’s important to us that the students look forward to being together and to having fun while learning about Jewish identity/spiritual practice, Jewish values, rhythms of time (holidays), rituals/practices and social justice themes.
Registration is on a sliding scale and no one will be turned away due to financial barriers. We ask that everyone register at a price point reflective of their resources.
Class Descriptions
**With our program still being in its growth and development phase, our class format and structure is subject to change, based on the number and ages of registrants we receive.
First - Third Grade Sundays
First through third grade children gather on three Sundays per month, from 10:00am -12:00pm.
Two of these sessions, led by Chaim Steinberg, are dedicated to Jewish learning, music and prayers, and creative activities (art projects, baking, etc). The third Sunday, taught by Joe Brophy, features introductory Hebrew, in an age-appropriate learning environment.
Class themes focus on Jewish holidays, the ritual of Shabbat, the weekly Torah portion and Jewish values.
Fourth - Seventh Grade Thursdays
Fourth through Seventh grade students gather on Thursday evenings from 5:00-7:00pm with Joe Brophy. Learning in a small group setting, students explore prayer and song, delve into Jewish holidays and values, and work toward individualized Hebrew learning goals.
This curriculum includes outdoor and active experiences, as well as art, culture, and creative expression - with an emphasis on social justice and tikkun olam.
As part of this program, it is highly encouraged that students of this age, along with their families, join us for monthly Kesher Kabbalat Shabbat.
B’Mitzvah Journey
Families hoping to celebrate a B'Mitzvah with Kesher Pittsburgh and/or with Kohenet Keshira in the 2025-26 school year are encouraged to contact Kohenet Keshira (keshira@keshirahalev.com) soon to schedule a consultation, discuss the process, and begin!
*We use the term “B’Mitzvah” to include children of all genders.
Kesher Pittsburgh values inclusion and we strive to make KesherKIDS programming accessible and welcoming for all participants.
KesherKIDS Celebrate Shabbat
Our community gathers for Kesher Kabbalat Shabbat once a month. We consider participation in a Shabbat experience to be an integral part of our KesherKIDS curriculum. We ask that our families to consider Kabbalat Shabbat dates as seriously as they do KesherKIDS dates. Join us for our next Kabbalat Shabbat by registering at the link on our Gatherings page.