Adat Reyim Preschool welcomes children of all faiths. An important part of our curriculum is to teach Jewish values and traditions. We say the Hamotzi (prayer over food) every day before eating snack and lunch, as well as the prayers for Shabbat on Fridays. Learning about the Jewish holidays and celebrating them is an integral part of the curriculum.

Most Friday mornings, the preschool joins the rabbi in the sanctuary to celebrate the joy and beauty of Shabbat. The rabbi leads the children in a song, and then tells the children a story about Shabbat or the holiday approaching. They end their sanctuary time with Miss Gail, our Preschool Director, who leads the children in songs to bring in the Shabbat.

The celebration then continues in the classrooms, where the children say the Shabbat blessings over the candles, the wine, and the challah, and then drink their apple juice and enjoy the delicious challah snack. The children sing songs about tzedakah (charity), collect tzedakah, and make their Shabbat crafts, as well as their own little challah to bring home. There is always enough challah to take home to share with the family, though often the children eat most of it on the way home.  J

Even though our 2-year-old class does not attend school on Fridays, they do learn all about our special holiday, Shabbat. The children collect tzedakah one day during the week and have a Shabbat unit, where they make different Shabbat crafts, including challah.

Tzedakah is collected throughout the year and then is donated to a local charity that each of the classes has chosen.