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Makom Torah - A Place of Torah

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A Place of Prayer But Also of Play.........posted Nov 30, 2008

Congregation Tikvat Israel has a well-established reputation for teaching children the importance of living a full, complete Jewish life. Now the synagogue is breaking new ground in its obligation to practice dor-va-dor - literally.

The synagogue has just added two new playgrounds - one in front of the shul and the other behind the education wing. Check out photos of our kids enjoying the new equipment!

They will provide safe and secure, fresh-air activity zones for kids during Shabbat, for children enrolled in the full-day Broadman-Kaplan Early Childhood Center, for after-school Religious School students and for the K-6 students enrolled at the full-day Hebrew Day Institute (which leases space at Tikvat Israel).

The eagerly awaited play areas were completed in November and are geared to meet the physical needs of children ranging from toddlers through early teens. The back play structure is safety-rated for children 2-12 and the front for children 5-12.

The front playground, with replaces an existing site with an enlarged area, contains earth-tone colors and is surrounded by a seven-foot fence. It is designed to challenge the growing bodies of elementary-age children. The Hebrew Day Institute students, religious school pupils and young Shabbat attendees will be able to enjoy a rock wall, balancing lily pads, a double-circle climber and a tunnel slide during their exploration of this new structure.

A $35,000 donation by Hope Mineo and her husband Jeffrey Kitchen, who live in Southern California, in honor of Hope's late parents Beverly and Marvin Ehrlich, funded about half of the front playground's costs.

Rabbi Gorin officiated at the funerals of Mineo's mother and late uncle Phil Helman, and he solicited the donation during a recent West Coast trip. Helman's wife Shirley has attended services and events at Tikvat Israel.

The remainder of the playground's cost was covered by Rabbi Gorin, who provided a bridge loan to the synagogue.

The brightly colored play structure behind the TI education wing was constructed to mainly serve the needs of the Broadman-Kaplan ECC children ranging in age from 2 to 5 years. It is designed to challenge growing bodies and develop vivid imaginations.

Taking recycling to new limits beneath the fully enclosed play structure, TI has used shredded tires to protect and cushion the children during spills and tumbles. In addition, the ECC Parent Committee donated a unique basketball ring geared for preschoolers.

Photos of the play area in early use are available on the ECC website at http://www.broadman-kaplan.org.

Rori Pollak, director of the Broadman-Kaplan ECC, says the two new play areas will be important assets for all the children using the synagogue.

"Both new play structures provide an engaging arena for children of all ages," Pollak says. "The outdoor play space is just as important as the indoor space. One of our program goals is to help children develop to their full potential. The ECC strives to help children feel good about who they are!"

Pollak believes the outdoor play sites will help youngsters to become independent and confident, as well as self-disciplined.

TI congregant Elissa Schwartz, a mother of ECC students, did much of the planning, research and cost negotiations for the playground toys and fencing. "We owe her our gratitude," says TI President Ronald Rabin.

The synagogue is still looking for someone to make a donation for naming rights to the rear playground, which cost $35,000 to construct. Naming rights also are available for a specific toy or piece of equipment. If interested, contact Michael Grossman, TI executive director, at 301-762-7338.

(Story by Jay P. Goldman)