Congregation Kneseth Israel begins school

Congregation Kneseth Israel, 330 Division St. in Elgin, is proud to announce the beginning of its Religious School year. Openings are still available from pre-kindergarten through high school. School meets depending on age on Sundays from 9 a.m. to noon and 5:30 to 7 p.m. Wednesday for older students.

The school features a professional educational director who has a speciality in preschool, special education and educational leadership. In addition, they have an updated curriculum with a full computer lab making us relevant and engaging. They have a monthly interactive, multi-generational Judaism Rocks program that features hands-on project based learning that includes music, art, drama, and cooking.

All of this lends an air of joy to studying an ancient tradition.

This year's overarching theme, "Finding Your Place in the Covenant," exploring how to treat one another with respect and love. Each month, they will look as a whole school community at a Jewish value they hold dearly. The first one will be "Welcoming Guests."

Recently, Rabbi Barbara Frisch Klein returned from teaching at NewCAJE, a professional conference for Jewish educators where she taught about how to teach Jewish text in a politically diverse world.

"Our community garden is great. We teach kids about growing food and that food then feeds some of the hungry in greater Elgin. It lives out the mandate to leave the corners of our field in a very real, practical way," said Rabbi Barbara Frisch Klein.

Join them on any Sunday morning and find your place at CKI. The school represents 30 communities and 11 school districts, a full range of Jewish belief and observance and many interfaith families.

For questions, contact Heather Weiser at (847) 741-5656 or visit www.ckielgin.org.