Community Beit Midrash of RI: Bringing Jewish education to more families

A group of families in Rhode Island came together with a common goal – to provide their children with a Jewish education beyond the fifth grade.

These families were looking for something to supplement their children's education, or in some cases, fill the gap left by not having a Hebrew school.

This led to the creation of the Community Beit Midrash of RI.

"We wanted something to supplement what was happening in people's Hebrew schools, and other families didn't have Hebrew schools,” said Aliza Krieger, the president of the organization.

“So we wanted to do something where their kids could be learning together and socializing together during the week and also on Shabbat."

Alongside vice-president Rabbi Navah Levine, the organization officially started in the fall of 2019 with a lot of planning and collaboration with other local organizations such as the Jewish Community Day School of Rhode Island (JCDSRI).

However, just as the program was gaining momentum, the COVID-19 pandemic hit, forcing the organization to put their plans on hold.

"I remember having a conversation with the head of JCDS saying, 'You know, I think we'll have school next week, but...' and then we didn't, and that was the end of it," Krieger said.

While the pandemic put a halt to in-person learning, it also highlighted the need for a program like Community Beit Midrash as it became the only in-person social experience for many children during the first six months of the pandemic.

The organization started with just five families, and they remain heavily involved as their children have entered their high school years. Community Beit Midrash now serves students from 6th through 11th grade, and each year, they continue to pilot different experiences.

What started as learning sessions on Wednesday afternoons outside of JCDSRI has now moved to the Dwares Jewish Community Center and includes dinner and discussions. Currently, seven middle schoolers and six high schoolers are enrolled in the program.

In addition to these weekly learning sessions, Community Beit Midrash also offers parent-child learning opportunities.

"Some kids were looking for a little bit of extra learning, maybe something a little bit more advanced in text," Levine said, adding that this led to the creation of a parent-child learning program that takes place on Saturday nights or Sunday mornings.

This year, the organization has moved from monthly sessions to quarterly ones, including breakfast for the families.

Krieger, of Providence, works as a behavioral consultant psychologist for the Department of Developmental Services, in Fall River, Massachusetts. She also runs a small private practice in the evenings. In addition to her work, Krieger is also a mother to two children attending a Jewish school and is personally involved in her local Jewish community.

Levine, also of Providence, is a rabbi who serves as the rabbi in residence at a Boston synagogue and teaches introductory biblical Hebrew at Hebrew College. She is also a parent to a 16-year-old. Her work centers around transmitting the love of Torah through a Jewish lens and anchoring individuals in community and tradition.

Some parents organize food for the weekly learning sessions while other parents and community leaders teach the high school program along with Rabbi Michael Fell, who led the middle-school program for the first quarter. Rabbi Barry Dolinger also holds sessions with a class.

The curriculum covers a wide range of topics and can vary depending on the interests and expertise of the instructors. Krieger said that the organization tries to avoid being too prescriptive, instead allowing for open discussions and exploration of different ideas and perspectives.

One of the main focuses is to help individuals understand the meaning and value of prayer.

In addition to prayer, the organization also aims to engage and challenge individuals through thought-provoking discussions about Jewish texts.

"What we want is for kids to engage meaningfully with each other and with that text.... Our goal is to be able to give them Jewish tools for engaging throughout their lives,” Levine said.

As the organization continues to grow and evolve, Krieger sees it as an essential resource for families in Rhode Island. One of the unique aspects of Community Beit Midrash of RI is that it not only includes children but also their parents.

With plans to expand and enhance their offerings, Kreiger added that Community Beit Midrash is dedicated to providing a strong Jewish education for students in Rhode Island.

"We want our kids to value lifelong Jewish community and Jewish learning and recognize they're going to go in their directions as adults,” said Levine.

“We're trying to give them this grounding in the importance of ongoing Jewish learning.”

For information, contact Aliza Krieger, president, at aliza.krieger@gmail.com or visit cbmri.org.

SETH CHITWOOD (www.sethchitwood.com), of Barrington, is a features reporter for The Standard-Times, in New Bedford. He is also the creative director of the award-winning Angelwood Pictures production company.