Rabbi Michael Panitz with students.
“The Melton Mini School was a wonderful educational experience for me,” says Kevin Tabakin, a 2006 graduate of the Florence Melton Adult Mini-School.
Sponsored by the Jewish Life and Learning Department of the Simon Family JCC, a new first year class of the Florence Melton Adult Mini-School is planned for this fall. The class will begin on the evening of Wednesday, Oct. 17 for 30 weeks through May for each of two years. Limited scholarships are available.
The Melton Mini- School’s 10th class graduated in June.
Open to adults of all Jewish religious affiliations and all levels of Jewish knowledge, the Florence Melton Adult Mini-School provides an opportunity for participants to increase their Jewish literacy by studying various Jewish texts in a classroom geared to interactive discussion. Since it is non-denominational, it does not promote one “movement “or Jewish perspective over another.
Jerry Kantor, a 2010 graduate, particularly enjoyed the open and frank discussions in the class. “Melton helped me to learn how much I didn’t know and still don’t know,” he says. “It truly motivated me to keep learning. When I think back on my twoyear experience, it’s the class discussions which, led carefully by our excellent instructors, were t r e m e n d o u s l y enriching.”
Jody Laibstain, a classmate of Kantor’s, says Melton “was an eye opening experience. You think you know about your religion, but realize how much history there is to learn about our people. I really enjoyed learning through the teachers, the texts, and the discussions with other classmates.”
“The curriculum is comprehensive, and nondenominational, and helped fill in the many gaps in my Jewish education,” says Tabakin. “The class was structured in a participatory, nonthreatening learning environment where students learned from each other’s experiences, as well as from the instructor. The best part of the Melton experience was the bonds that I formed with my classmates.
A Friends of Melton/ Alumni Association is planned to launch soon. A group of Melton alumni and students are currently discussing how to ensure the future vitality of the school including raising funds for scholarships and other needs.
For more information about scholarships and classes, contact Miriam Brunn Ruberg at the JCC 321-2328 or mbrunnruberg@simonfamilyj.org.
by Leslie Shroyer and Miriam Brunn Ruberg