The 36-week course is taught on a rotating basis by Reform, Conservative, Reconstructionist, and Orthodox rabbis, giving participants multiple perspectives. The average class size is 20-25 students. Each student is required to secure a rabbinic sponsor from one of the local congregations and meet the conversion requirements developed by his/her sponsor. Students gain an introduction to Judaism and a reading knowledge of Hebrew; participate in Shabbat, holiday, and ritual observances, and make connections with individual congregations and the larger community.

Post-Conversion Program

In 2018-2019, the Rabbinical Association for the first time is offering a post-conversion program to help new Jews-by-choice become more familiar with Jewish traditions and assist them in connecting with local congregations and the larger Jewish community. NCEJ is pleased to be supporting this innovative program.

For more information contact Annette Fish, Administrator/Program Director.

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• A post-conversion program
• Introduction to Judaism for Spanish speakers
• Interfaith outreach initiatives
• PJ Library subscriber get-togethers
• Expand the Circle discussion groups
• Family to family connections

* For grants up to $5,000, NCEJ will award a 20% additional bonus on applications received before December 31, 2018, once approved by the foundation.

Apply today for an NCEJ Grant — tell your friends in the field, too. Simply fill out our short two-page grant application: Download Application. See a special mention of our funding bonus in eJewish Philanthropy.

Sign up for grant news to get ideas for how you can promote Judaism in your community and learn more about all the innovative programs NCEJ supports.

Recent Grant Highlights & Updates:

Jewish Federation of Greater Indianapolis

The Indianapolis Federation recently advertised its innovative programming, supported by NCEJ. Each program was featured in the latest JFGI Connections magazine resulting in strong community interest and registrations. View a digital copy of the magazine here, where you can find the feature about Taste of Hebrew on page 13 and Finding Your Place in B’nai Mitzvah on page 15. Program descriptions can also be found below:

Program: “A Taste of Hebrew”

A Taste of Hebrew is designed to teach Hebrew decoding skills to both Jews and non-Jews who cannot read Hebrew, with a focus on parents of children who are in the process of learning Hebrew. The class is intentionally designed only as a very basic introduction to Hebrew in order to make it easily accessible and open to everyone. Learn More

View Program Flyer

Program: “Finding Your Place in B’nai Mitzvah”

Finding Your Place in B’nai Mitzvah, aims to create a place for non-Jewish parents to deepen their understanding of b’nai mitzvah and feel supported as their children go through this important life-cycle event. Special outreach to interfaith families who are currently synagogue members along with unaffiliated interfaith families who may be seeking b’nai mitzvah outside the organized Jewish community will be made to identify participants for this seminar. Learn More

View Program Flyer

Grant News

Many other groups throughout the country are developing new approaches to welcome individuals, couples, and families who want to become part of the Jewish community. Here are a few examples:

Congregation Bnai Amoona, St Louis was awarded a marketing grant for its Introduction to Judaism class. Last year Bnai Amoona received a NCEJ advertising grant through the Rabbinic Assembly. It has offered a wide range of courses for newcomers to Judaism for many years.

The Rabbinical Association of Greater Kansas City just received a grant for a post-conversion program that will provide support to new Jews by choice. This is in addition to the grant they receive every year to promote their introduction to Judaism class.

JCC of Pittsburgh received another grant to promote a series of family holiday camps, following up on the success of last year’s Chanukah and Passover programs which attracted over 200 participants.

Temple Aliyah, a Conservative synagogue in Needham, MA is a first-time NCEJ grantee for a program entitled “Exploring the Joys of Shabbat, Purim, and Pesach through Jewish Food”.

Have an idea?

Give us a call or send us an email, contact Ellen Gerecht, Executive Director or call 301-802-4254.

The post NCEJ Announces Bonus for Applications Received by December 31 appeared first on National Center to Encourage Judaism.

Grant Highlights:

Increasing Publicity and Expanding Programs

Some of the grant money will be used to fund three CCJ open-house breakfasts so that rabbis, Hillel directors, representatives from JCC’s and the Y’s can become familiar with the CCJ program and recommend it to interested individuals. Other money will be used for a printed brochure and additional programming.

The director of the program, Rabbi Bronwen Mullin, reached out to us to find out more about the types of programs that NCEJ funds. NCEJ is delighted to provide some of the funds that will help her promote CCJ to a wider audience. Email here for more information.

Got A Program Idea? Contact Us Today

We’d Love to Hear from You

If you have an idea for a program that you think NCEJ might fund please contact Ellen Gerecht, via email here, or call: 301-802-4254.

The post New NCEJ Grant to Support the Center for Conversion to Judaism in NYC appeared first on National Center to Encourage Judaism.

Innovative Outreach Program Highlights:

Program: “A Taste of Hebrew”

A Taste of Hebrew is designed to teach Hebrew decoding skills to both Jews and non-Jews who cannot read Hebrew, with a focus on parents of children who are in the process of learning Hebrew. JFGI will promote and sponsor a series of 6-week Taste of Hebrew classes throughout the community. The class is intentionally designed only as a very basic introduction to Hebrew in order to make it easily accessible and open to everyone. JFGI will hire the teacher(s), help design the curriculum, provide materials, and take care of publicity for the Taste of Hebrew programs. It is hoped that these classes will generate additional interest in continued Hebrew learning among parents and others in the community and lead to further adult Hebrew education classes being developed and offered in the years ahead.

Program: “Finding Your Place in B’nai Mitzvah”

Finding Your Place in B’nai Mitzvah, aims to create a place for non-Jewish parents to deepen their understanding of b’nai mitzvah and feel supported as their children go through this important life-cycle event. JFGI will design a 4-session seminar with a focus on the non-Jewish partner, with the Jewish partner invited to the final session. Special outreach to interfaith families who are currently synagogue members along with unaffiliated interfaith families who may be seeking b’nai mitzvah outside the organized Jewish community will be made to identify participants for this seminar.

These seminars will provide participants with a comfortable place to ask questions and express concerns. Participants will have the opportunity to request a b’nai mitzvah mentor (a volunteer member of an interfaith family who has already experienced a child’s bar/bat mitzvah).  Additional reading materials, resources, and community connections will be provided as well.  While this seminar is focused on b’nai mitzvah, it can also serve as an opening for participants to find out about other ways to learn more about Jewish ritual and potentially explore ways to learn along with their children.

Participants of the program will:

• Hear about other interfaith families’ personal b’nai mitzvah experiences.
• Learn more about b’nai mitzvah ritual and halachic considerations with regard to non-Jewish family members.
• Develop tools for communicating with extended non-Jewish family.

For more details about these programs contact Nina Price, Director of Jewish Education Initiatives, JFGI, via email here, or call: 317-726-5450 (ext.1245).

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