Build Community with Schechter Manhattan: Grandparents and Special Friends Program

 

Thursday, December 17, 10:30 AM

Join Zoom Meeting
https://schechtermanhattan-org.zoom.us/j/89191398000?pwd=Yy8vbzE4Ky9lZmUzcE84dlVHSE9Ldz09
Meeting ID: 891 9139 8000
Passcode: chanukah

In the months of the COVID-19 pandemic, I have learned that Schechter Manhattan transcends any one set of structural parameters, even the walls of our school building.  Last spring, when school moved to distance learning, and this fall, when many of us returned to in-person instruction in ways we never imagined before, the core values of our Jewish learning community sustained. We continued our pursuit of limmud torah, study and academic exploration,menschlichkeit, nurturing caring and respectful relationships, and kehillah kedoshah, contributing to a holy community.

I think this last value, of sustaining our tight-knit community, is most challenging when we need to be physically apart.  Still, we have used our creativity and all the tools available to us to make sure that our students and families, faculty and staff, friends and community supporters all have the opportunities to connect with each other.  And we will not let the pandemic get in the way of one of my favorite annual Schechter Manhattan community gatherings, the Grandparents and Special Friends program.

Please join us next Thursday, December 17, at 10:30 AM over Zoom for what is going to be a lovely community gathering and Chanukah celebration (Click here to join by Zoom, Passcode: chanukah). While we can’t have visitors in our building this year, we have planned to get together in new ways.  The program will include a virtual walk through the school, so that family and friends can see what it is like in school these unusual days. Grandparents, special friends, and other visitors will drop in to our classrooms virtually, to see what the students are working on.  And we will light Chanukah candles and sing together.

To be sure, we look forward to the day soon when we can invite you to join us physically together in our school building.   But we are also excited about being able to include even more people in our community gathering this year.  Family and friends who live outside our area can join us from wherever they are, and I am looking forward to seeing folks from all over the country, and maybe the world.  And since our virtual gathering will have no walls, we have no space limitations, and we hope that you all will join us.

Wishing us all a joyous and healthy Chanukah.

חג חנוכה שמח