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We seek the creation of an educational environment that fosters an appreciation of Judaism already at this impressionable age. The young child is provided with the opportunity to experience his/her rich Jewish tradition in a meaningful fashion within his/her preschool setting - not to just learn about Jewish tradition but to actively live it in the classroom.
This is accomplished by:
a. adding curriculum areas emphasizing Jewish customs, symbols, values and experiences in an egalitarian, tolerant and non-coercive atmosphere;
b. enabling the young child to actually live and fulfill many of the Jewish customs within his/her classroom interactions;
c. designing the physical educational environment in such a fashion as to emphasize the importance of Jewish tradition within the kindergarten.
TEF provides basic learning materials to support the teachers in their efforts to integrate Jewish enrichment into the kindergarten. These include a basic Jewish library with professional as well as early childhood literature, didactic games, teachers' kits. TEF also assists in the purchasing of Jewish ritual objects such as a Torah and Torah Ark, Shabbat candlesticks, Havdalah candle and spice box, and Kiddush cup.
TEF provides pedagogic support for the early childhood staff in the form of on site supervision, in-service training and in some cases pre-service training in the area of Judaic Studies, with an emphasis on developmentally appropriate Jewish enrichment curriculum for young children. TEF provides the TALI kindergartens with pedagogic counselors who work closely with the teachers. The counselors help the teachers to integrate Jewish programming into their daily curriculum.
TEF Develops pre-school curriculum and learning materials specifically designed for TALI kindergartens around the country. The Early Childhood Division is in the process of preparing a general TALI curriculum for Jewish enrichment in the preschool.
TEF facilitates the establishment of additional TALI early childhood frameworks. An additional four frameworks were opened at the beginning of this school year and we anticipate the opening of nine new kindergartens in the coming academic year. IS THIS UP TO DATE?
TEF conducts Programming development in the area of family education (e.g., parent/child workshops, activities). Two such workshops were developed recently and focus on the topics of "Shabbat" and "Respect for Fellow Man and Acceptance of Others" which touches upon the question of the gap between outer appearances and inner richness.
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