About the concept of the Kindergarten
Our work is geared towards Jewish families who are looking for a warm and natural jewish environment, where cultural and religious differences are seen as an enrichment and not as a threat.
Jewish Education
The main goal of Jewish education is the development
of a Jewish identity that enables a dialogue with and a connection to other Jewish identities.
The capacity for communication and respect for each other have always
been essential to the jewish community. Jewish education and social competences are the basis for this.
Tradition and culture of a living religion are received and not "tought".
In the daily life of our Kindergartens, the children experience Jewish tradition by:
- celebrating Kabbalat Shabbat on a weekly basis
- preparing and celebrating Jewish holidays and festivities
- saying the berachot
- getting acquainted with kashrut
- using Jewish terms and symbols
- experiencing and learning about Jewish values
- hearing stories from tanach und midrash
- using ritual objects
- meeting the Rabbi and visiting the Synagogue
Our educational approach
Our educational approach is based on the Jewish perception of humanity and ethics:
- every human being is unique
- his/her dignity as God's partner
- the obligation to act in a "good"/just way for creation (focusing on conscience - responsibility - accountability)
- free will and autonomie
- community ("all of Israel are responsible for one another")
- charity
- the principle of ongoing revelation and progressive halachah
Our pedagogical work
Our pedagogical work takes the individual needs
of the children into account and integrates a variety
of methodological approaches:
"Situationsanatz" (situational approach), Systemic, Intercultural and Experiental Education.
Our curriculum complies with the the "Berlin Educational Programme" - as mandated by the Berlin Senate.
Its six "areas of education" are:
- Health
- Communication: Language development, early literacy and media
- Art: Creative Design, Music, Theater
- Mathematics
- Nature, Environment, Science
We hold that Jewish content and values are not to be added as a further "area of education", but that they are the starting point and basis for our educational approach and will therefore permeate each of the given areas.
Gender equality is essential for chosing our games and learning materials as well as for interacting with the children. Girls and boys are equally involved in religious praxis and are encouraged to break role stereotypes.
The director and her team put a strong emphasis on a warm and trusting atmosphere. Conscious that the sustainability of education depends largely on the consent and support of the parents, communication with the parents in formal and informal settings plays a crucial role in the daily work of the kindergarten.
We are also cooperating with other organisations active in family and youth work in the neighbourhood.
Bilingualism
Bilingualism in the groups and individual support for language acquisition are core areas: the educational goal is that each child speaks the two group languages (German/Hebrew or German/English) fluently at the start of school.
The teachers speak with the children in German, Hebrew or English on a daily basis, the languages are used in songs, games, rhymes and books and in religious praxis.
In each of the groups, the two main teachers communicate with the children in their mother tongue.
Thanks to our membership in the Association for early multilingualism in day nurseries and schools, we are up to date with the developments in multilingualism.
Food/Nutrition
We offer kosher (dairy) organic food with fish, prepared in our own kitchen.
Our food concept complies with the Criteria for a healthy and varied diet for children, developed by the Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection and the Research Institute for Child Nutrition Dortmund.
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