Seize the Day

Location:Kishinev and 9 regional Jewish communities in Moldova
Name of implementing organization:Jewish Community of the Republic of Moldova
Date of initial project approval:February 2012

Project aims and objectives

To train a core of students and youth to conduct programs about the Jewish Life Cycle, and to provide educational seminars about Jewish holidays

Project Description

TARGET GROUP: Youth, students, and members of the entire Jewish community

EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM:

NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS:

The core of the project includes up to 20 young people from Jewish schools and youth organizations during the first year. 10 participants will be selected to receive further training and to conduct activities in local communities during the second year.

EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES:

The project is training a core of Jewish youth from Jewish high schools and student organizations, to prepare and implement programs about the Jewish holidays and Jewish life cycle events.

There are a total of 9 training seminars in the first year of the project. 4 of the seminars focus on Jewish Life Cycle events; 3 deal with Jewish holidays; one seminar is connected to preparation of a Jewish calendar; and one seminar provides additional training in preparation for the second year activities. Local experts in Jewish education provide instruction at all the seminars.

Up to 20 young people from Jewish schools and youth organizations will attend each of the 4training seminars about the Jewish Life Cycle. Seminar topics include: Birth and Brit Mila; Bar/Bat Mitzvah; Marriage; Death and Mourning. The project also will conduct a pre-Passover seminar for 15-20 Hillel students, and a seminars on Shavuot and Simhat Torah, for members of the community. There also will be community celebrations of Jewish holidays.

In August 2012, project participants will begin to prepare a Jewish calendar to be distributed (150 copies) during Rosh Hashanah. This aspect of the project will begin with an informal seminar. Participants will share their experiences of Jewish holidays, and their visions for calendar design. The Calendar will include Zionist elements such as Yom HaZikaron Lashoah, Yom HaZikaron, Yom HaAtzmaut, Yom Yerushalayim. The project will publish a short methodological book, "The Jewish Calendar: Simple About the Essential", to be distributed to local Jewish communities, youth organizations, and schools.

At the conclusion of the first year of the project, 10 participants will be selected to attend a Training of Trainers (ToT) seminar. Each of these participants will work with one of the regional communities in Moldova (Beltsy, Bender, Grigoriopol, Dubossary, Cahul, Orhei, Ribnita, Soroca, Tiraspol, and Kishinev) during 2013. The young trainers will use what they learned during the first year of the project, to help organize events and holiday celebrations in the local communities, with the participation and support of local community members. They also will prepare seminars on the Jewish Life Cycle, to be presented in each of 9 regional communities. The Project Manager will provide supervision and consultation. In October and November 2013, the young trainers and other volunteers will conduct regional seminars about "The Jewish Calendar". Students in Jewish schools and other Jewish youth will prepare a Jewish calendar.

As part of Chanukah celebrations, seminars will be conducted in two Jewish schools and a Jewish kindergarten in December 2013. Also in December, the young trainers will prepare a Virtual Jewish Calendar for the entire project. This will include photographs and films of project activities.

NECESSARY RESOURCES:

The project is working with local communities and community organizations and institutions, including the local synagogue, Jewish schools, Jewish student organizations, and local communities.

WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION?

Local experts in Jewish education will provide instruction at all the seminars.

The Project Manager will provide supervision and consultation.

Main budget elements

Project Management

Trainer

Travel to the regional communities

Preparation and publication of the Jewish calendar and the manual

Food for activities and holidays

Educational materials

Contact information for anyone seeking further information about the project:

Alexander Bilinkis
Jewish Community of the Republic of Moldova, 109/1 Mateevici Street, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova

Telephone/fax: 373 22 238 139

office@jcm.md
www.jewish.md