So the saying goes … “the children are our future.” Congregation Beth Sholom believes in the power of this statements and devotes countless resources to making the synagogue a welcoming, friendly, and nurturing environment for children (and their families, too).

That’s why each Shabbat and most Jewish holidays, the lower level of our building turns into a Children’s community, with four different Junior Congregation services offered, all designed to enhance their love of community and love of Judaism. Each service is led by teen members of the synagogue or Jewish educators to help make the experience positive and nurturing. The service options include:

• Minyan Katan: For young children accompanied by a parent
• Minyan Shalom: For pre-K and Kindergarten children
• Minyan Gesher: For children in grades 1-3
• Jr. Congregation: For children in grades 4-6

In addition, there are four to five synagogue-wide children/family programs offered to coincide with different holidays and important times on the Jewish calendar. The services and programs are coordinated by volunteers from the congregation.

Congregation Beth Sholom is also proud to have its own children’s choir, Tzipporei Shalom. Conducted by Adina Avery-Grossman and Ronit Wolff Hanan, the group features 30 children in first to sixth grades who meet every Shabbat from 10-10:30 a.m. (before Junior Congregation services begin). Despite the wide span of ages and abilities, this chorus has mastered a rich repertoire of diverse music. From Naomi Shemer to Debbie Friedman, from Stephen Schwartz to Andrew Lloyd Webber, there is no end to what the kids energetically produce.

Tzipporei Shalom regularly performs at synagogue functions, including the annual Shabbaton. In 2004, they joined Zalmen Mlotek, Neil Sedaka and a choir 200 strong on the stage of Carnegie Hall, and they have been the featured vocal group at the annual Israel Folk Dance Festival in Manhattan for four consecutive years. A few years ago they joined Tavim and HaZamir North Jersey (a high school choir) in a concert featuring the music of singer/songwriter Debbie Friedman, who joined us for the Big Event!

Another unique children’s program is the Lunch n’ Leyn series, where fifth graders meet over a series of Shabbat afternoons from January-May and learn the cantillation (series of musical notes) used when reading from the Torah. Families of the participants host the group for lunch on a rotating basis. Adina Avery-Grossman and Ronit Wolff Hanan teach this program.