Welcoming ECC Parents Back on Campus

At our early childhood centers, the spring season has brought many opportunities for parents to be back on campus, and a true sense of kehillah (community) can be felt. In March, we reinstituted our Shabbat Families program, for which parents join their children at school and spend Friday morning with the class. “This is so emotional for me,” shared one mother as she stepped foot in the Sanctuary at Glazer, reminiscing about her older sons being Shabbat boys and now being able to share this special moment with her youngest daughter. At Glazer, Mann, and University, each highlighted Shabbat child looks forward to family members joining for challah baking, lighting of Shabbat candles, and a Kabbalat Shabbat service filled with song and prayer. It’s a beautiful time for families to be together.

In celebration of Purim, the ECC school buildings were buzzing with lots of parent volunteers dressed up in costumes; parents helped run carnival booths made by the children, baked delicious hamantaschen, and added to the joy of the holiday. Parents also reflected on how meaningful it was to be on campus, participating in their children’s school experience. We’ve also had parents volunteering to be library readers, reading stories to the class and helping the children check out books. These are the special moments that bring us true joy and make us feel part of the Wilshire Boulevard Temple community.