Adventure Rabbi Kids (Alternative Religious School) - Adventure Rabbi

Adventure Rabbi Kids (Alternative Religious School)

An Adventure in Jewish Education

For Students in 1st – 6th Grade

The Adventure Judaism Congregation has been providing innovative ways to engage Jews with Judaism since 2001. Our youth education program lives up to our reputation.

This is not the religious school you dreaded as a child!

  • Outdoor Components
  • Conveniently scheduled classes
  • Excellent and carefully designed curriculum
  • Opening Day at Camp Granite Lake includes kayaking!
  • Teachers include Rabbi Jamie Korngold, Jayme Sneider, and as a substitute teacher, Rebecca Shavit-Lonstein
  • Innovative and engaging teaching techniques
  • High-quality instruction

We can’t wait to welcome your family into our community!

Register Here

What to Expect of Ark in 2023-2024

  • Each class will begin with a 15-minute all-group session with singing, teaching by our rabbis, skits presented by our interns, and other fun activities.  Parents and siblings are welcome/encouraged to join us.
  • We will offer three all-school programs celebrating Shabbat, Chanukah, and Purim. Parents and siblings are welcome/encouraged to join us.

Curriculum

In 2023-2024, we will be learning from our Judaism through Time: The study of Important Jewish Figures curriculum. We will combine outdoor activities, art projects, storytelling,  drama, and discussions as we learn about these important people and events.

In our first class, we have a song session (parents and siblings are welcome to join for this part), and then break into our classes to kayak, stand up paddleboard and play community-building games. Our goal for this session is to create class cohesion. Parents are welcome to enjoy the camp grounds and take a walk or simply relax by the lake. PLEASE: leave your dogs at home.

It’s our version of “back to school night!”ARK families join the Adventure Judaism congregation for a 1-hour, song-filled, outdoor service at the amphitheater on Flagstaff summit overlooking Boulder, followed by a BYO picnic dinner. This is a great chance to meet other families and make connections. Free for ARK families. More info>>

We learn about Moses, Miriam, and Leadership.

What makes someone a good leader?

Rabbi Hillel and Rabbi Shammai lived in Israel around the year 0. Ruth became an exemplar of loyalty and kindness.

Many of their teachings are the basis for how we express Judaism today. When asked to sum up the entire Torah, Rabbi Hile taught, “What is hurtful to you, do not do to your neighbor. That is the whole Torah. All the rest is commentary— now go study it.”

The creators of Marvel comics, Ironman, Spiderman, Superman, and the Barbie doll were all  Jewish. How did their Jewish background shape these iconic characters? What Jewish values are imbibed by these ubiquitous characters? We learn about the Jewish value of sticking up for the underdog and overcoming obstacles.

Albert Einstein was proud to be Jewish and noticed God in the physical and natural world.

Parents and siblings are invited to join us for our all-school Hanukah celebration. We will light menorahs, sings songs, and play games.

In what may be the highlight of the year, we participate in a process drama in which we act out the arrival of immigrants on Ellis Island. Students will be assigned parts for all the roles including immigrants, ship captains, inspectors, and more.

 

 

The Purim Carnival is a highlight of the year. Parents and siblings are welcome to join us in the Bear Creek gym, which will be transformed into our carnival space. There will be games, prizes, and even treats! Parents and kids come in costume and  you might like to bring some hamantashen to enter in the hamantashen contest.

Ben Yehuda ( January 7, 1858 – December 16, 1922 ) and Golda Meir  (May 3, 1898 – December 8, 1978) are leaders who accomplished what many said was impossible.

  • Ben Yudah brought back Hebrew as a spoken language making it the first “dead” language to ever be resurrected. 
  • Prime Minister Golda Meir led her country to victory when enemies attacked Israel from all sides. 

We use a four-year rotating curriculum so that as students move through the program, they can re-meet the lessons and learn them through a different lens.

  • Year 1: Judaism through Time: The Study of Important Jewish Figures 2023-2024 (2012-2013 & 2015-2016 & 2019-2020)
  • Year 2: Values 2020-2021  (2013-2014 & 2016-2017 & 2020-2021)
  • Year 3: Tour of the Torah: Stories from Genesis 2021-2022 (2014-2015 & 2017-2018)
  • Year 4: Jewish Holidays (2018-2019 & 2022-2023 )

There are three core components to the curriculum: Values, Tradition, & Community.

1. Values:

Think of it as mensch training! We learn about Jewish people from history as well as contemporary Jewish role models. We talk about the choices they made and the values they held. When do we agree? When do we disagree? In what ways do we want to be like them? In what ways do we want to be different? Building relationships with characters from our Jewish People’s past will firmly ground our students in their past while preparing them for a healthy, strong, and vibrant Jewish future.

2. Tradition:

Students will explore new and traditional ways to celebrate Jewish rituals. We will discover meaningful Jewish practices and rituals appropriate for our busy and technologically active lives.

3. Community:

Adventure Judaism is known for our ability to build a community quickly. We feel that being a part of a Jewish community is one of the most important elements of the Adventure Rabbi Kids (ARK) experience. To that end, our experiential education techniques allow children to make friends quickly and easily. If your child needs a little extra coaxing to feel comfortable participating or making friends, please let us know. We try to be especially diligent about keeping an eye out for students who need a little more help engaging socially.

Some of our meetings will involve the whole school and parents so that students can experience being part of a larger community. Although there is no obligation, we hope that your entire family will enjoy becoming involved in Adventure Judaism’s additional events, such as our High Holiday and Passover Retreats, and meet our fabulous multi-age community.

Time and Dates

-1st* Sunday of the month from 2-3:30 pm Aug-April
-Each class begins with a 15-minute all-group program. For example, sometimes it will be a song session led by Rabbi Jamie Korngold

*Exceptions to 1st Sunday are Aug (we start after BVSD school year begins) and  Sept (Labor Day).  Opening Day is longer than the regular classes.

2023-2024 Tentative Schedule

Aug 20 Camp Granite Lake, from 9-12 noon. PLEASE: leave your dogs at home.
Aug 25, Back to School Shabbat Service and Picnic on Flagstaff Mtn More>>
Sept 10, 2-3:30 Bear Creek Elementary School
Oct 1, 2-3:30 Bear Creek Elementary School
Nov 5, 2-3:30 Bear Creek Elementary School
Dec 3, 2-3:30 Bear Creek Elementary School
Dec 10 Hanukah Party Party 4:30-6 Bear Creek Elementary School
Jan No class
Feb 4, 2-3:30  Bear Creek Elementary School
March 3, 2-3:30 Purim Carnival  Bear Creek Elementary School
April 7, 2-3:30 Bear Creek Elementary School

Location

Our South Boulder location at Bear Creek Elementary School provides us with both indoor and outdoor access.

The Opening Program location is at Camp Granite Lake, a 35-minute drive from South Boulder. We will be offering stand-up paddleboarding, kayaking, and other fun group-building activities.

Teaching Style

We combine outdoor and indoor settings as well as innovative and traditional teaching techniques. We are aware that not all students learn the same way and we will use a variety of teaching styles to engage them.

Our students will engage in experiential and traditional learning experiences to provide them with tools to explore the richness of our Jewish heritage. We will learn about Jewish values, Jewish personalities, and Jewish culture. We will build meaningful and genuine relationships with our tradition and each other. All this and more will firmly ground their Jewish identity while helping them become people with whom we all want to share the planet.

GradesTeacherMax # of StudentsTimeInternIs there room?
1-3Rabbi Jamie Korngold152-3:30 pmTBDYes
4-6Jayme Sneider202-3:30 pmTBDYes

Early Bird Tuition

$650 for members
$750 for non-members

After August 1, 2024
+$50

Scholarships are available for those in need.

We offer a monthly payment plan, spreading your payments over three months, for $35/student. If you need the payment divided into more months, please just let the bookkeeper know and we will accommodate you. Today, you will be charged $235. The remainder will be divided into three payments. Payments begin the month after you register. If you register before the 20th of any month, payments begin the month after you register. If you register after the 20th of any month, your 1st monthly payment will occur on the 1st after a 30-day billing cycle has passed (e.g. if you register May 21st, your first payment will occur on June 1st).

Refunds are not available unless you purchase $35 tuition insurance per student. If you purchase tuition insurance, we will refund the remainder of the classes. A $50 registration fee, the late fee (if applicable), the payment plan fee (if applicable), and $35 tuition insurance are not refundable.

Note: Cell phones and other similar electronic devices are not permitted at Adventure Rabbi Kids classes. If your student needs to bring a phone so that they can contact a parent at the end of class, they can keep it out of sight in their backpack/bag. If they use it during class, it will be taken away and returned after class.

Discounts and Additions:
Bypass the 3.5% credit card fee by using ACH
Monthly Payment plan is $35/student
Tuition Insurance is $35/student

Please consider a membership for you and your child to our congregation.

Membership Benefits:

  • Discount tuition
  • Discounted  attendance to our Passover, Rosh Hashanah, and Yom Kippur retreat
  • Free attendance to Fridays on Flagstaff
  • Help sustain our congregation
  • Attend member-only events
  • Convert unused portions of membership payments into an end-of-year tax deduction of up to $250 for your child and $499 for yourself.

Learn More »

We can’t wait to welcome your family into our community!

Register Here

Our Staff

Rebecca Shavit-Lonstein, Substitute Teacher

Rebecca is Adventure Rabbi’s main educator. She teaches private and small group lessons in Hebrew and other Jewish subjects to over 35 of our students. Kids describe Rebecca as fun, patient, and encouraging. They actually look forward to Hebrew lessons with her!

She is thrilled to be able to work with students in a group setting for ARK. Her priority is to create a fun, safe environment, in which kids can make deep and lasting friends, even if they came in knowing no one.

Hebrew Tutor Rebecca Shavit-Lonstein

Jayme Sneider:

My name is Jayme Sneider. I am from Philadelphia and have traveled to all seven continents studying volcanoes. I have over 20 years of working in education and outreach in many different countries (and cultures). My family and I have been connected to Adventure Rabbi Kids for the past two years. As a family, we enjoy whitewater rafting, kayaking, hiking, and mountain biking.

As part of ARK, I am looking forward to creating a welcoming and fun environment for students to enjoy the outdoors while also learning about Judaism.

Jayme_Sneider

Rabbi Jamie Korngold:

Rabbi Jamie is known for empowering students to think for themselves while awakening their Jewish identities. She brings her love of education, youth, and community to each lesson.

Rabbi Jamie is passionate about building community and works to build a class in which kids and interns gell into a cohesive group. This is difficult to achieve with classes meeting only once a month, but she is tenacious in her efforts.

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We can’t wait to welcome your family into our community!

Register Now