One of my favorite memories of being a student at BJEP was when Purim would roll around. The carnival was always so fun for us with all of the games, especially the cakewalk. I remember dressing up in an old wedding dress and petticoats to be Esther, and dancing around the cakewalk while my mother ran it.  On the flip side, one of my favorite memories of being a Madrich at BJEP was when one of my kids was having a hard day and talked to me about it….continued. Read more from Claudia Maibor on working with this particular BJEP student, longevity with BJEP and hopes for the future, as showc ..read more

Israel is a part of the BJEP curriculum for each grade, and teachers have the opportunity to individualize lessons on Israel, like all lessons, to each child’s developmental stage, interests, and motivations. While BJEP is a fundamentally pro-Israel community, we aim to teach our students how to think, not what to think. Jewish practice and study teach us how to hold contradictions and conflict within our own beliefs and in discussion with others. Our Israel education, first and foremost, gives children social and emotional tools to handle the complexity of the conflict, educational resources ..read more

Join BJEP and a team from the Brandeis Lemberg Center for family fun at our hands-on family fun filled Purim Festival! We’re bringing back our friends from the Lemberg Center for another year of learning about the environment, this year with compost & worms.  The morning will include games, art-filled stations and more. Recommended for ages 3 to adult, younger siblings are welcome of course!  We wrap up with a performance from the Brandeis Klezmer band.  What are you waiting for?  Love costumes, costumes welcome (but of course, optional). Take 60 seconds to RSVP, email ..read more

Grateful for the opportunity to spotlight the BJEP program on Boston’s Chagigah Sunday morning program on WERS, who showcase the music of Jewish singers and songwriters from the USA, Israel, and from around the world. Listen to Heather’s share a little about BJEP, the summer camp vibe, and share her favorite tune we hear at BJEP on the Brandeis campus.    Learn more about Chagigah and stream them regularly here. The post Heather’s Guest DJ appearance on Chagigah this Summer first appeared on Boston-area Jewish Education Program ..read more

Micah Heilbron is a Brandeis University junior, double majoring in Near Eastern & Judaic studies and education studies, and the teacher leading BJEP’s Madrichim program. At BJEP, my role is teacher to the Madrichim (Hebrew term meaning “guide” or “leader”), the 8th-12th grade teachers’ assistants. They have the opportunity to discover what their nefesh is, to realize what they have been transmitted and what they want to transmit to the Jewish future.  Learn more about the root of the word Nefesh, and about the Madrichim program here. The post Inspiring the Next Generation of Hebrew Sc ..read more

Have you ever seen so many smiling faces at Sunday School?  Probably not–and that’s why BJEP is different! Our students look forward to coming each week to learn in a way designed for kids. We’re more like a summer camp than a religious school. Our educators, who are Brandeis students, put a fun twist on learning while fostering critical thinking, communication, and leadership skills. Through art, music, and games kids explore their Jewish values and Jewish identity, holiday celebrations, eco-Judaism, and Hebrew. Located on Brandeis’ campus, we invite you to join us for an open house to ..read more

Leila Small, a Brandeis University 2022 graduate with a double major in education studies and psychology and minor in Near Eastern and Judaic studies, reflects on 3-years as a BJEP teacher and shares this DIY activity to make your own Havdalah set. One of my favorite parts of the weekly Shabbat experience is its end. I know, strange, right?! There are so many wonderful aspects about the 25 hours of Shabbat that I cherish, including gathering with friends and family for special Shabbat meals, eating delicious challah and having the opportunity to take a day off from the everyday distractions to ..read more

As Jews, we are a part of the long legacy of shared justice work between the Black community and the Jewish community in our country. This week, may we take a moment to acknowledge all of the incredible work that has been done in this country to realize the dream of a nation healed of its ills, even as we prepare for the long road of more work ahead. Let us also send a bit of that light to all those places in the world still in need of healing and peace. As we celebrate the unveiling of the new King monument, “The Embrace,” on Boston Common this week, may we all feel embraced by the legacies o ..read more

Grateful for many things, including a Sunday spent visiting Turtle Pond Mass Audubon Habitat for a hands-on learning morning about preserving the earth (Eco-Judaism) and aspiring to do better this coming year (Tashlich). We didn’t spot any owls on this particular Sunday morning, but birds, deer and more greeted BJEP students. Where did your boots take you on Sunday morning? Learn more about the BJEP program, mid-year enrollment open, program starts on Sunday, Jan 22, 2023. The post The Owl Connection first appeared on Boston-area Jewish Education Program ..read more

Simmy Decker, a Brandeis University 2022 graduate, majored in public health, was a member of Manginah, Brandeis University’s premier, coed, Jewish a cappella group, and taught at BJEP for three years, most recently leading its fifth grade classroom. “Over the course of this past year at BJEP, by celebrating both the individual and the community, we have each demonstrated our own unique ability to prevail in not just sustaining, but in building our community.”  Read More. JewishBoston / Photo: starfotograf/iStock The post Connect, Build and Grow Community first appeared on Boston-area Jewi ..read more