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South Orange Residents who Grew Up at TSTI Now Send Their Children to the Reform Synagogue’s Preschool
SOUTH ORANGE, N.J., April 10, 2018 – For many people, once a TSTI member, always a TSTI member—and once a religious school student there, so it will go for their own young children.
Several young parents who grew up at Temple Sharey Tefilo-Israel (TSTI), the Reform synagogue in South Orange, have taken the Jewish trope, “from generation to generation” to heart. Once students in TSTI’s religious school and Hebrew High, they have selected its Iris Family Center for Early Childhood Education for their youngsters. Among them are Michael Rogoff, Jamie Silver and Julie Schwegman.
The three also attended Columbia High School together, having grown up in South Orange/Maplewood at the same time. They’re now raising their families in South Orange, and agree that TSTI’s preschool was the best choice, for several reasons.
Rogoff, who attended TSTI’s religious school and became bar mitzvah there, has twin sons, age two-and-a-half and an infant daughter. He and his wife were not necessarily looking for a Jewish preschool but he said, “It’s the best decision we ever could have made. The boys love it. For them, it’s where they go see friends.” Right now, they attend only on Friday but Rogoff and his wife plan to enroll them for the full five-day week next term.
Rogoff values TSTI’s openness and inclusiveness. His wife is not Jewish, so they sought a place where everyone could be comfortable. Having attended services and special occasions at other synagogues, he said, “You see the difference at TSTI, it’s a nice environment and there’s no pressure regarding your level of observance.”
Silver’s family joined TSTI upon moving to South Orange in 1990. She attended the religious school and Hebrew High, became bat mitzvah soon after Rabbi Daniel Cohen had become the rabbi, and she was confirmed there. She was also active in STISY, the youth group, serving on the STISY board. Her daughter Dylan started in the toddler time program and is now in the 3s class. Silver is on the preschool board and will chair it next term.
“My husband Brian and I looked at other temples but there was really no question that we’d choose TSTI,” she said. “We are members, attend services and participate in many of the young family programs, which are great. It’s such a warm, nurturing environment and very inclusive, which we love. Our daughter is thriving there and we’re very happy.”
The Silvers recently celebrated their baby boy’s bris there and when he’s ready, he’ll go to toddler time, too.
As a special treat, her mother, Liz Rashbaum, who does pet therapy, brings her dog Ruby to the preschool once a week; everyone loves Ruby’s visits, from the kids to Carol Paster, the director of early childhood education.
For Julie Schwegman, who grew up in Maplewood, there was also no question as to where to send her daughter, Sydney, to preschool. Schwegman attended TSTI’s religious school through confirmation and celebrated her bat mitzvah there. Like Rogoff’s spouse, her husband Beau is not Jewish but feels comfortable at TSTI. And, like Silver, she and Beau celebrated a milestone with Rabbi Cohen, who married them. She serves on the preschool board and volunteers on many projects and community outreach programs.
Schwegman said that Sydney likes nature and music—two very big parts of the school day, and as a mother, she appreciates the play-based program. “They go outside as much as they can, which is great, and the kids are encouraged to engage in lots of pretend play; it’s not about rigid activities—it’s about exploration and imagination.” The Iris Family Center has two indoor playgrounds and three outdoor classrooms including the nationally certified WonderSpace that was created by Paster.
“Children need freedom to dream and create,” said Paster. “Everything we do at the Iris Family Center promotes that in the best ways possible.”
The classrooms at the Iris Family Center have various learning centers—fine motor and sensorial, language, math and imaginative play—plus a quiet corner and an art area. There is also a STEAM room with areas for science, technology, engineering, art and math. Teachers encourage children to experiment, explore interests and develop positive social interactions.
“At four-and-a-half, Sydney’s learning life skills like how to play together and negotiate who gets to choose the games,” said Schwegman. “She is involved and engaged, which is awesome for a four-year-old.”
Schwegman hopes to enroll her toddler son, Joey next year. “Even now when we drop off Sydney, Joey doesn’t want to leave,” she said.
Paster, who lives in West Orange, has been the director since 1998, taught for seven years prior to that and still teaches kindergarten. During her 28 years at TSTI, she has seen a whole generation of youngsters grow up and become parents themselves.
“These young parents have maintained a strong connection to the TSTI community through family and their own happy childhood memories here. I’m glad we’re here to help them pass that down to their children at an early age.”
The Iris Family Center for Early Childhood Education is located at Temple Sharey Tefilo-Israel, 432 Scotland Road in South Orange. For more information, visit https://www.tsti.org/early-childhood-center.
Temple Sharey Tefilo-Israel is a vibrant, inclusive Reform congregation that welcomes Jews by birth or by choice, interfaith, traditional and non-traditional families, and children of all abilities. It offers lifelong learning and creative, enriching programs for all members, from preschoolers and teens to older adults. Its full complement of religious services, early childhood and religious school education, cultural programs and activities foster connection, engagement and community outreach. TSTI’s members live in Maplewood, South Orange, West Orange, Short Hills, Millburn, Livingston and surrounding areas. For more information, please visit www.tsti.org.
PHOTO CAPTION:
Jamie Silver of South Orange with her daughter, Dylan, who attends TSTI’s preschool. Silver, grew up attending TSTI’s religious school and Hebrew High, was active in the synagogue’s youth group and will chair the preschool board next term.
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