A performance of the project choir, Rosario, Argentina

Sha'ar Le Yahadut, Rosario

Location:Rosario, Argentina
Name of implementing organization:Gmilath Jesed
Date of initial project approval:February 2006

Brief description of the local Jewish community

Number of Jews: 6,000 - 7,000
Number of Jewish families: 1,600 - 2,000
Educational institutions:

      The Jaim Najman Bialik  Day School (350 children) 
      Madrichim School (EDITTI- Rosario)
      Tnuot Noar (Hanoar Hatzioní, Hejalutz Lamerjav, Habonim Dror)

Project aims and objectives

• To bring Jewish families back to the Jewish Tradition and Jewish Culture.
• To create a learning community, with membership comprised of all ages
• To conduct Jewish education courses for parents, especially for families with Bnei Mitzvot children.

Project Description

This project aims to connect families to Jewish traditions, values, and culture. The project is comprised of several components:

• Bar/Bat Mitzvah preparation classes, particularly intended for children who are not attending the Bialik day school. The curriculum includes: Jewish History; the Jewish Holidays; Hebrew Language; Bible; the Oral Torah; Prayer; and Development of the Bar/Bat Mitzvah Ceremony
• Classes for parents of children preparing for Bar/Bat Mitzvah: Jewish Identity (What is Judaism?; Jewish Community Life; The Jewish Family and Home), and Jewish Values and Mitzvot (including Shabbat, Kashrut, Jewish symbols, and Bar/Bat Mitzvah).
• Young couples classes, which aim to help them build a home incorporating Jewish traditions, and to transmit these traditions to their children: Jewish History and Culture; Jewish Identity; Israel and Zionism; The Jewish Life Cycle; and Jewish Holidays.
• Classes for adults: Judaism in the 21st Century – Times of Crisis; Jewish Texts; and Jewish Philosophy.
• Choir: Besides singing, they study the content and background of Hebrew and Jewish songs to be performed.

Main budget elements

• Project Coordinator
• Instructors
• Choir Director
• Materials   

The project's successes

After years marked by a lack of Jewish cultural  activities, this inertia was “broken” and people began to return to sing in the choir, and to study a Jewish course. More than 300 people attended a concert presented by the choir in June 2007.

The number of people initially attending the courses increased, as did their participation during  classes. People felt proud of attending and enjoyed the classes and discussions.

Difficulties encountered along the way

We did not reach all the Jewish kids of bar/bat mitzvah age, due to lack of a complete data base of the Jewish community of Rosario. Also, it was not easy to convince parents to participate in a parents' course.

Though the young couples who participated in the workshop were pleased with it, they represent just a small number of the total universe of possible participants. We have to work harder to reach more people.