The curriculum at the ECC is grounded in the Jewish Holidays; Jewish Life is what it is all about. Children experience these special days through song, dance, storytelling, art, and play. There are many events that take place during the Holiday Season. While every Jewish Holiday is celebrated, the biggest celebrations include:

Weekly Shabbat Celebration with Rabbi Brett and Ditza

After Kabbalat Shabbat in the classroom, the children visit Plotkin Chapel each week for a Shabbat Service with Rabbi Brett and Ditza. Prayers are shared, a story is told, and children experience the beauty and grace of Shabbat and the importance of community during this spiritual time. At each Shabbat service one child from each classroom is recognized and honored by the Shabbat Family, as they join in song and prayer on the bimah. The service is filled with love and song, and it is open to everyone!

Sukkot Sing-A-Long

ECC children love to decorate and sing in the Sukkot on campus! Music and other activities are held inside the Sukkah during this festive season.

Hanukkah

As the year ends, Hanukkah is always a joyous time. Children hear the retelling of the story of the Maccabees and the miracle of the lights, they play with dreidles and make latkes to eat. The Festival of Light is widely anticipated in the ECC and a time for families to join the classrooms where they can celebrate together.

Purim

Squeals of glee can be heard all around campus as the teachers dress up to tell the story of Purim. Each year, the children are eager to see who will "play" Hamen, who will be the beautiful Queen Esther, and who will be the brave Mordeccai? As they march through the streets of Shushan, the gregars ring loudly. Of course the Temple Purim Carnival is the best way to celebrate this happy holiday!

Passover

Families join in the classrooms to celebrate Passover each year. A real sense of community can be seen and felt all over the ECC as they come together to read the Haggadah and eat the foods that commemorate this time in Jewish history. The Pre-K class gathers as one community to practice the seder, complete with song and story showing how much they've learned and that they are ready to participate in family traditions.

For more on Jewish Life in the Early Childhood Center, visit the Media Gallery for photographs of the children exploring our traditions and holidays.