Family Programs
Kane Street Synagogue has a large and active community of families with children.
Our mission:
To help families celebrate, learn and enjoy Jewish life to the fullest!
We have programs and special events for families with infants through b'nei mitzvah age and beyond. Scroll down to find out more about them!
Youth and Family
Shabbat Morning Services
Most weeks during the school year we hold Shabbat morning services for families and kids. We all gather with the main service in the sanctuary at the end to close out our services as one community.
In the Goldman Educational Center Building
2024-2025
September 7 - June 14
BRAND NEW PROGRAM: Tot Shabbat
10:45am - 11:30am
includes grape juice, hallah and bagels with schmears
2nd of the Goldman Educational Center
for children ages 0-4 with a grown up.
Led by Adina Ornstein-Luks, early childhood ed. teacher
A unique blend of silliness and soul. Children and family members sing prayers, dance and hear stories, march with stuffed Torahs and fall in love with a joyful Judaism! Each Tot Shabbat concludes with hallah, grape juice and bagels
- September 7
- October 4
- November 2
- December 7
and the first Saturday of each month
On weeks when Tot Shabbat does not meet, we invite this age to join in with Kinder Minyan!
Kinder Minyan
2nd Floor of the Goldman Educational Center
3rd floor the 1st Saturday of the month
for children in Kindergarten, Grades 1 and 2,
and their families.
Led by Landon Braverman
A fun, friend-filled time to be inspired. Children attend with or without a grown-up. Singing, learning and a story are led by Landon Braverman using a colorful siddur that kids enjoy. We end in the main sanctuary with the whole congregation and kiddush lunch
Minyan Noar
In the Chapel, 2nd floor of the Goldman Educational Center
for children in Grades 3 through 7, and their families
(We welcome parents to drop off kids here so they can go to the main service)
Led by Rabbi Val, Melissa Zimmerman, Sarah Rebell and Teen Apprentices.
Kids explore meanings of rituals and prayers, sing and master tefillot. Kids take all the Torah service honors, learning how to carry, bless read the Torah and discuss it vigorously. Dramatic re-enactments of Torah are favorites. Each week is an adventure! We end in the main sanctuary with the whole congregation and kiddush lunch
Shabbat Family Dinners
Shabbat Mishpaẖa
Friday Evenings 9/20, 1/10, 5/9
kanestreet.org/shabbat-mishpahaShabbat Mishpaha (Family Shabbat) for families with kids age 1-6 (through K)
5pm Blessings and dinner with kid-friendly and adult-tasty food, beer, wine. Free,thanks to sponsors
Register in advance or sign up to sponsor
kanestreet.org/shabbat-mishpaha
Shabbat Yeladim
Friday Evenings 11/1, 2/7
kanestreet.org/shabbat-yeladimShabbat Yeladim (Children's Shabbat) for families with kids in grades 1-4.
5:15pm Family Service led by our clergy and Landon
6:15pm Blessings and dinner with kid-friendly and adult-tasty food, beer, wine. Free, thanks to sponsors
Register in advance or sign up to sponsor
kanestreet.org/shabbat-mishpaha
Shabbat Noar
Friday Evenings 12/6, 4/26
Shabbat Noar (Youth Shabbat) for families with kids in grades 5-75:15pm service led by Rabbi Dardashti & Cantor Sarah
followed by dinner with tasty food, beer and wine for adults and dessert!
The dinner is free and is sponsored by a few families each time, which covers the cost of the event.
Register in advance or sign up to sponsor
kanestreet.org/shabbat-noar
Yom Siddur ~ Prayerbook Day
Yom Siddur is an annual event in which each of the 3rd graders in our member's families receives their very own inscribed prayer books during the main sanctuary servies. This is a highlight event for the 8 year olds each year, and they relish carrying their siddur to services when they attend.December 7, 2024
High Holy Days
Candy Apple Bash
Sunday, September 22
10:30am - 11:25am ages 0-3
11:30am - 12:30pm ages 4-11
Reverse Tashlih
Sunday, September 29
Join us for a clean up of the area on the streets and tree-beds near the Gowanus Canal.
To register and get all the details, click here.
No charge.
Each year for High Holidays families with kids gather for dynamic services in the main sanctuary and we hold Family Services as well. These are led by Rabbi Val Lieber, Melissa Zimmerman and Landon Braverman and Adina Ornstein-Luks
The full schedule for 2024/5785 is found here.
To register (members) or to purchase tickets (non-members) please click here
Services are by age cohort, with service leaders who cater the tone and level to each age group
Mini Minyan
for families with infants, toddlers and preschoolerschoose 9am - 9:35am or 1pm - 1:35pm
Kinder Minyan
for families with children in K-grade 2.choose 9:45am - 10:35am or 12pm - 12:35pm
Minyan Noar
for families with children in grade 3-6.At this level several children practice and prepare a 1-2 verse Torah chanting and lead the Torah reading.
10:45am - 11:50am
Teen Experience
for students in grades 8-1212pm - 1pm
Rosh Hashanah
We welcome the new year with blasts of the shofar, stories, Torah and song. On the first day of Rosh Hashanah we hold services. On the second day we have games, singing, a play and a story to highlight the meanings and purposes of Rosh Hashanah. Children get apple and honey candy.
2024/5785:
Thursday, October 3
First day of Rosh Hashanah
- 9am - 9:35am Mini Minyan #1
- 9:45am - 10:35am Kinder Minyan #1
- 10:45am - 11:50pm Minyan Noar
- 12:00pm - 12:50pm Kinder Minyan #2
- 12:00pm - 1:00pm Teen Experience
- 1:00pm - 1:35pm Mini Minyan #2
Friday, October 4
Second day of Rosh Hashanah
- 10:00am - 10:40am Rosh Hashanah sensory activities for children ages 0-3 (with a parent)
- 10:45am - 11:40am interactive games, re-enactment of the Torah portion and shofar blasts for age 4-8
- 11:30am Rosh Hashanah Minyan Noar for ages 8-12
Yom Kippur
We observe the Day of Atonement through prayer, stories and finding ways to express how we are sorry for failures in the past year and our hopes for the coming year.
Saturday, October 12
- 9am - 9:35am Mini Minyan #1
- 9:45am - 10:35am Kinder Minyan #1
- 10:45am - 11:50pm Minyan Noar
- 12:00pm - 12:50pm Kinder Minyan #2
- 12:00pm - 1:00pm Teen Experience
- 1:00pm - 1:35pm Mini Minyan #2
Sukkot & Simhat Torah
Sukkot is the Jewish harvest holiday each fall. We put up a sukkah, decorate it wave the lulav and etrog and give thanks for bountiful food and blessings.Wednesday, October 16,
4:15pm - 4:40pm - ages 0-3
4:45pm - 5:15pm - ages 4-8
welcome Sukkot with singing, a story and lulav waving in the Sukkah in our courtyard. We ask a grown-up to accompany each family of children.
5:20pm - 6:00pm ages 7-12
Welcome Sukkot with prayers, lulav waving, a game, and making decorations for the sukkah.
Sunday, October 20 Sukkot Spectacular!
Register and get your tickets here.
10am - 11:15am
Quiet Sukkot activities for ages 0-3.Infants and toddlers enjoy stories, simple crafts to decorate the sukkah, singing with Landon and lots of fruits and vegetables to touch (and taste)
Register and pay in advance here.
11:30am - 12:45am
Sukkot & Simhat Torah activities for ages 4-8Enjoy making lots of decorations for our synagogue sukkah plus games and crafts to get excited about Simhat Torah! Plus singing with Landon!
Simhat Torah
On Simẖat Torah we finish reading the end of the Torah scroll and start again at the beginning.
Sunday, October, 20
Just before Simhat Torah, the families of 7th graders gather to learn about the Torah, the physical scroll and the portion they will read at their b'nei mitzvah. We will unfurl the scroll to show them, and each 7th grader receives a personalized copy of the Etz Hayim Torah commentary to use to help them write their B'nei Mitzvah divrei Torah speeches.Thursday, October 24 Erev Simhat Torah
4pm - 4:45pm
Erev Simhat Torah service and activities for ages 0-75:15pm - 6pm
Erev Simhat Torah service and activities for ages 7-126pm dinner
7pm
Erev Simhat Torah service for all ages with jubiliant hakkafot (Torah parades, dancing and singing.)
H̱anukkah
H̱anukkah is the festival of lights celebrated at the darkest time of year. We bring light and joy to families in our celebrations.
Sunday, December 15 Hanukka Family Fest
Register for tickets here
10:30am - 11:25am
Quiet Hanukkah activities for ages 0-3.Infants and toddlers enjoy stories, simple crafts, singing with Landon and Hanukkah food.
11:30am - 12:45am
Hanukkah party for ages 4-7Baking menorah-shaped cookies, making lego dreidels, find-the-hidden-oil game, create Hanukkah cards and more!
MLK Jr. Day Weekend
Dr. Martin Luther King Junior weekend is a time of service to the community. Each year we partner with Repair The World to participate in service learning. In recent years, we have teamed up with Hannah Senesh Community Day School to do service and learning there.Sunday, January 19
More details to come.Tu B'Shvat
Tu B'Shvat is the festival of trees. We celebrate by eating a variety of fruits and pledge to protect our natural world.Sunday, February 9
Bake for the Biosphere Social Action eventages 7-14 and families, 10am - 1pm
Family Tu B’Shvat Fest
1:30pm for ages 0-3
2:30pm for ages 4-7
Purim
Purim is a holiday to rejoice, wear costumes, give gifts and gather as a community to acclaim the Jewish heroes who bravely stood up to tyrants.Sunday, March 9, 10:30am-12:30pm Purim Family Extravaganza Great for ages 0-7
Hamantashen-baklng, face-painting, crown-making. Plus singing, costume parade and a short Purim megillah play in English.
Don't miss Vashti Dardashti's Shushan Salon!
This year we invite our older kids to join the whole congregation for a super Saturday evening service, Saturday, March 8 at 8pm! Costumes encouraged. There will be some carnival-esque games in the community room that evening as well.
Passover
Passover is the festival of freedom.
Sunday, April 14
10:30am - 12pm Matzah-Baking and Elijah Cup Decorating for families with children ages 1-5
1pm - 2:15pm Chocolate Seder for families with kids in K-grade 7. Sign up here by April 1.
Yom Ha'atzmaut
Yom Ha'atzmaut is Israel's independence day when we celebrate Israeli culture.Tuesday, May 14 (on Yom Ha'atzmaut) 5pm - 7pm
Yom Ha’atzmaut Festival @ Hannah Senesh Community Day School
Bringing Stories to Life
In the Build-Your-Own Jewish Musical program children in grades 3-6 create and perform an original musical based on a Jewish story. Led by Musical Theater composer Landon Braverman, BYOJM meets weekly on Mondays 6:00-7:00pm starting in mid-October through late May.
Build Your Own Jewish Musical is an immersive and engaging theatrical program that gives participants the exciting opportunity to be the creators and stars of their own new original musical. Throughout the program, participants learn the basics of how to adapt a Jewish text, write music and lyrics, and stage their show. The program culminates with a fully staged production of their show. The program instills collaboration, leadership, crreativity and a sense of one's place in Jewish history.
To see past musicals from 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023 please go to kanestreet.org/BYOJM.
FEBRUARY BREAK DAY CAMP @ Hannah Senesh
Tuesday, February 20 - Friday, February 23
9am - 4pmCamp with Jewish themes and Jewish diversity held at Hannah Senesh Community Day School. Open to all kids in K-Grade 3.
Register here: https://www.hannahsenesh.org/camp-kulam/
Friendraiser & Funraiser
Since 2016 each February people of all ages flock to the synaogogue for the best event all year - Trivia Night.There is something for all ages. Great food, fun times, prizes, and friends!
Many children in the Kane Street Synagogue community attend Jewish summer camps, and the synagogue promotes Jewish camping - both day camping for young children and sleep-away camp for older kids.
For more information about the value of camping and about specific camps please click here.
Pursuing social justice is important for many families in our community. We provide many opportunities to gather and do the mitzvah of tikkun olam together - thereby instilling a desire in our children to continue to fulfill this sacred calling.
Over the years with even the youngest kids we have volunteered at the Gowanus Canal Conservancy; collected and sorted baby clothes for new mothers lacking the resources to purchase them; created bike-a-thons to send bicycles to girls in East Aftrica; did bakesales for new refugees; walked to support research for Juvenile Diabetes and Juvenile Myocitis; filled and mailed backpacks full of daily necessities for children in Texas who had just crossed the border; and many more.
We often work together with Repair The World Brooklyn whose family service program is terrific.
Coming of Age with B'nei Mitzvah
B'nei Mitzvah is a personal milestone for 13 year-olds and also a significant time of transition for the entire family. At Kane Street, B'nei Mitzvah is an opportunity for an adolescent and their family to celebrate on the way toward living a full adult Jewish life.
Rabbi Dardashti and Cantor Sarah have shaped the B'nei Mitzvah program to be full of meaning, powerfully transformative and joyous.
Come attend a B'nei Mitzvah service on Shabbat. See the synagogue calendar for all the dates.
For more information about the preparation, please see this document.
Communication with Parents
- Calendar of upcoming events
- Shabbat service schedule
- Websites to visit for books to read
- Fun family activities
- Explanations of upcoming events, fundraisers and other things happening in and around Kane Street
- Photos of families having a great time.
If you would like to receive the weekly e-newsletter about all of the synagogue programs, please keep scrolling down just a bit and fill out the form at the bottom of this page to be added to "Kane Street Connections."
About Our Director
Contact
For further information about our family Programming, please contact: RabbiVal@kanestreet.org or at 718-875-1550.
