Youth Program

All members are important to us at Ohr Chadash; we strive to welcome everyone, including the very youngest of our members. We do this by:

  • Providing age-appropriate programming

  • Creating comfortable and positive spaces

  • Relying on parents to provide supervision when children are not in programming

  • Communicating with and listening to feedback from parents

  • Asking for patience as we adapt to the needs of our minyan

  • Promoting safety awareness when children transition from room to room

We currently offer classrooms for three age groups for our pre-teenaged children:

Nitzanim, Blossoms
children ages 0-3

We have a room conveniently located off the Lobby in which parents may supervise children. This room is equipped with couches, books, and toys with which you can engage the children. Feel bring to bring your own labeled toys, especially for the youngest in the room.

Prachim, Flowers
children ages 3-6

Our Prachim (Flowers) are 3-6-year-olds who are supervised by a Senior Advisor with a Counselor-in-Training or a parent. The children have opportunities to play inside and outside (weather permitting), share in a circle time, experience tefillah, enjoy snacks, and more! Our Parent Point Person for this group, which meets at the far end of the youth hallway downstairs, is Jason Shindler.

Eitzim, Trees
children ages 6+

Eitzim (Trees) are children who are aged six and up. Along with indoor and outdoor play, they share a more formal tefillah experience, and snacks. This group is supervised by two counselors and a ShinShin who is from Israel (during the school year). David Kogut is our Eitzim Tefillah Coordinator; he guides the counselors and davens with the children on occasion. Our Parent Point Person for this group, which meets in the first room of the youth hallway downstairs, is Zev Feuer.

Note: Groupings may be different on the High Holidays as we accommodate larger groups of children on these dates. – Click for additional youth info

Donation Opportunity

The youth program is always looking for new or gently used low tech toys, books, and games general and Judaic themed.

Emergency stash of diapers/ wipes/ plastic bags/ spare clothing for unexpected accidents.

Middle and High School Students

Ohr Chadash welcomes and encourages active participation by our teenagers to:

  • Experience and participate in the engaging tefillah of the minyan

  • Provide leadership and supervision for younger members as counselors

  • Share Divrei Torah

  • Participate in a teen committee that focuses on participation of our youth

  • Young men are encouraged to lead davening and participate in the Gabbai Mentorship Program

  • Young men are supported in reading Torah, Haftorah and Megillot

  • Young women are supported in reading Megillot for women

  • All are encouraged to commemorate their Bar/Bat Mitzvah anniversaries with Divrei Torah