LVJCC Blog

Shalom, with the High holidays behind us, we can now dive into learning about Jewish Culture. This week we started learning about Creation of the World and then we will move on to Noah’s Ark (because those are the first 2 stories in the Torah).

Sitting together at the Thanksgiving table reminds me of the need to be thankful. But shouldn’t we count our blessings every day? Wouldn’t it be great to live each day with gratitude in our hearts and in our minds? To help with this process, I’ve compiled a list of ways to do this.

The High Holy Days are almost here, which means life is about to get very, very busy — if it hasn’t already. This time of year, brings a special kind of panic upon Jewish families across the globe. Capturing the beautiful meaning of the holidays can be a challenging task for young families. So here’s your guide to helping the holidays go smoothly.

Our ECE Director's list of helpful hints to make the first few days leading up to the start of school easier.

Are you really relaxing or are you glued to your iPhone and your e-mail? How do you shut down work at the end of the day and where do you find time for yourself and your family? You CAN reclaim summer for your family. In fact, you can make this the best summer ever with your kids. It doesn’t take travel or a lot of money.

Purim is the noisiest, most fun Jewish holiday. The story is found in the Megillah (scroll of the book of Esther).  It is the story of Mordechai and his niece Esther, who marries King Ahasuerus of Shushan, Persia. She finds out that Haman is plotting to hurt the Jewish people and she bravely informs the King. Much rejoicing is done and the celebration is very special.

Our Interim ECE Director, Sheryl Block, gives us the history of Hanukkah and some fun projects to do with your children this holiday season.

Music and Movement are vital parts of any school program.  The value of these areas of a curriculum is seen in all domains of a child’s development – emotional, social, physical and intellectual.

Ever notice how almost every play area or classroom has a set of blocks available, including the classrooms here at JCC of Lehigh Valley? It’s for good reason - building blocks have long been considered a crucial skill set builder and an educational activity for kids.

The concept of “playtime” dates back all the way to the beginning of a child’s life, when we are trying to adapt to our world as newborns. At just a few months old, infants play with reachable items mostly in their hands and mouths. As they grow into toddlers, they develop playful associations with inanimate objects, such as holding up a piece of spaghetti and declaring it a worm.