That Shabbat feeling

DEBORAH SUSSMAN SUSSER
Associate Editor

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Valley Shabbat programs

More than halfway through a Friday morning meeting of Tots and Torah at Temple Emanuel - after singing songs about the Ten Commandments and sitting (sort of) still through a story in the sanctuary, then trooping to the common room for prayers over challah and juice - some of the toddlers are flagging. But 27-month-old Ariella Golden is going strong.

As Rabbi Andrew Straus and cantorial soloist Susan Schanerman sing along to Schanerman's guitar, Ariella leaves her mother's side and dances a happy, wiggly dance.

"We've been coming for more than two months," Ariella's mother Liza Golden says of Temple Emanuel's regular Friday morning Shabbat gathering for toddlers. "That's our Jewish thing."

Golden came to Arizona from Tel Aviv eight years ago to study environmental planning at Arizona State University. She met a man from Chicago, married him, and is now the mother of two. Ariella's little brother, Yaniv, 5 months old, sits in his car seat at Golden's feet. Every so often Ariella skips over to check on him.

"Now that we're having kids we're trying to make traditions," Golden says. She watches Ariella dance. "She's not growing up in Israel, but we're doing our best."

Golden is typical of many new parents in the Jewish community in that she is looking to form a connection to Judaism on behalf of her children. Programs like Emanuel's Toddler Shabbat help parents introduce their children to Judaism at the children's own pace. Such programs also give parents a way to meet other parents who are trying to do the same thing.

"Parents have an opportunity to meet one another and to form friendships," says Schanerman, director of education at Emanuel. "Children have their first introduction to the rabbi and to stories and lessons about Judaism while sitting right on the bimah next to the ark. It's a hands-on experience which sets the stage for a lifetime of Jewish learning and celebration."

Ilissa Minkus, who runs what she calls "an enriched babysitting" program for congregants on Saturday mornings at The New Shul in Scottsdale, echoes Schanerman's sentiment. The idea of tot Shabbat, Minkus says, is to bring Shabbat to younger children "so that they learn to understand it, they can appreciate it, have fun, learn that synagogue isn't just boring."

Over at Temple Beth Sholom in Chandler, the toddler Shabbat gathering, called "Rabbi and Me," is much smaller. Rabbi Bonnie Koppell, the rabbi of "Rabbi and Me," says that there are anywhere from one to eight families that participate regularly. This Friday morning, there are two.

"What was the holiday last week?" Rabbi Bonnie Koppell asks 4-year-old Jeremy Millman, his 2-and-a-half-year-old sister Leah and 3-year-old Sabrina Newman.

"Tu B'Shevat," Jeremy says shyly.

"You're a genius!" Koppell crows. "So smart!"

Jeremy beams.

Koppell reads the children a book called "A Tree Full of Mitzvos." Then Koppell directs Jeremy to bring out the Torah - a plush, stuffed Torah in primary colors. Without prompting, the little boy walks it around to each person in the room. The moment is reverent and almost solemn - a surprise given the children's ages - but then just as quickly, the rabbi leads the children in a circle dance while they all sing "Ring around the Torah."

Jeremy's mother, Michelle Millman, who travels to Beth Sholom from Gilbert, explains that all three of her kids - older brother Hershel is 6 - have grown up with the routine. She says that Jeremy started coming when he was just a few weeks old.

The temple also offers a Shabbat service for the "little, little kids" on the fourth Friday of every month, at which every child gets to carry his or her own plush Torah around the sanctuary.

As Koppell says, "You never know when the songs are going to sink in."