Barely two weeks remain in school year 2020-2021, although to refer to these past months as a school year stretches the true meaning of the term. The pandemic put paid to most in-class learning. And yet, schools were always open “electronically” and “digitally”, teachers taught and students persevered. Since mid-March of 2020, the Jewish Educational Infrastructure adapted to pandemic restrictions and developed a new base of teaching/learning experience from which to take the best components to incorporate into new, evolving educational structures.
Though the summer has not yet arrived, it is not too early for parents to start thinking about their children’s Jewish education for the fall of 2021 and to think about starting the related conversations with their children.
GAJE’s key purpose, of course, is to help make Jewish education affordable for all families who seek it for their children. But as readers of this weekly update know, it is also our purpose to champion meaningful Jewish education and encourage families to enrol their children if it is possible for them to do so. There are many valid reasons keeping youngsters out of Jewish day school classrooms such as finances, geography, and family “dynamics”.
And so, in this vein, as GAJE has done in the past, we call readers’ attention to ADRABA as a possible educational venue for high school-age children who will not or cannot find themselves in a day school in the fall. ADRABA incorporates the best digital tools and web-based resources into its teaching model.
Serving communities in the GTA, Kingston and Hamilton, the school launched three online Ontario approved credit courses last year. ADRABA also established partnerships with 15 congregations across Ontario. In 2021, their courses will become fully integrated into the post bat/bar mitzvah learning track for these congregations.
ADRABA has been described as a “dynamic, engaging, exciting and innovative”. That the students earn high school credits in the process is a compelling bonus.
ADRABA’s promotional material says that the school “fills a critical and acknowledged gap not only in the trajectory of Jewish educational opportunities for teens but also and especially for smaller Jewish communities that lack access to Jewish resources.”
GAJE’s over-arching purpose is to bring more Jewish children to Jewish education. If that education cannot be in day school, we urge parents to explore ADRABA. For more information about ADRABA go to its website: adraba.ca or send an email to: info@adraba.ca
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Be safe. Be well.
Shabbat shalom.
GAJE, June 11, 2021
Grassroots for Affordable Jewish Education 