Reading partners sought for students in Greater New Haven

The Jewish Coalition for Literacy is seeking volunteers to become reading partners to students in area public schools.

 

The JCL is a nondenominational program that "recruits, trains, places and supports volunteer reading partners in local public schools to read one-to-one with children," according to a release. "Reading partners share the pleasures of reading and the thrill of helping a student enjoy learning."

 

No prior experience is required, according to the release.

 

An orientation and information session for new and returning literacy volunteers will be held at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday Sept. 17 at the Jewish Community Center of Greater New Haven, 360 Amity Road, Woodbridge.

 

Fay E. Brown, associate research scientist, Yale Child Study Center; Krista Bergin, literacy intervention facilitator, New Haven Board of Education and Cheryl C. Durwin, professor of psychology assistant chairwoman, Psychology Department, Southern Connecticut State University, are panelists who will present "best practices of reading with a child and highlight the importance of reading partners offering children a nurturing opportunity to help them succeed," the release said.

 

"In just one hour per week, reading partners make a significant positive impact on their students as they enjoy reading and conversation, sharing the pleasures of reading, enabling children to become confident readers and stronger students while improving their English language skills."

 

Further, volunteers choose the day of the week, time of the day, specific school and grade level of the student with whom they would like to work, the release said. Children who would most benefit from the individualized attention and support are selected by teachers and reading specialists.

 

For more information and to register for orientation program, email bbrenner@jewishnewhaven.org or call 203-387-2424 ex. 308.

Rabbi will be Scholar-in-Residence

Rabbi Jonathan Porath will be welcomed as Scholar-in-Residence to the Jewish community of Greater New Haven from April 26-28.
His visit is sponsored by the Department of Jewish Education of the Jewish Federation of Greater New Haven, federation officials said in a statement.
All programs are free and open to the community.

Porath served on the faculty of the Wexner Heritage Foundation for many years and recently completed 15 of service on the senior staff of the Russian Department of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, commuting from Jerusalem to St. Petersburg and other cities in the Russian interior more than 175 times since 1964, the statement said. He is the author of “Jews In Russia: The Last Four Centuries.”

The schedule is:
On Monday, April 26, Porath’s will address “All of Jewish History from Abraham to the Present Day in One Hour” at noon April 26 at Congregation Beth Shalom Rodfe Zedek, 55 East Kings Highway, Chester. Participants are encouraged to bring a brown bag lunch for the talk.
Also, att 2:30 p.m., that day, Porath will address “Nurturing Our Jewish Hearts and Our Jewish Souls” at Evergreen Woods, 88 Notch Hill Rd, North Branford. At 7:30 p.m., he will tell of his experiences in the Former Soviet Union at his talk entitled, “The Greatest Partnership: A Century of the JDC (the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee) and the Jews of America Helping the Jews of the World” at Temple Beth Tikvah, 196 Durham Road, Madison.
On Tuesday, April 27, his subject will be “Instilling Jewish Values or How to Be a Mensch,” at 10:30 a.m. at Congregation B’nai Jacob, 75 Rimmon Road, Woodbridge. At noon that day, he will present “All of Jewish History from Abraham to the Present Day in One Hour” at a brown bag lunch gathering at Ezra Academy, 75 Rimmon Road, Woodbridge. At 7:30 p.m, he will discuss “175 Trips to the Jews of Russia” with Rabbi Michael Farbman of Temple Emanuel, at the Jewish Community Center, 360 Amity Road, Woodbridge.
On April 28, at 11 a.m., Porath will present “All of Jewish History from Abraham to the Present Day in One Hour” at Tower One/Tower East, 18 Tower Lane, New Haven. At 1 p.m. he will speak about “Helping Others and Helping Ourselves: Principles of Practical Tzedakah in New Haven” at a brown-bag lunch at the JCC. At 7:30 p.m., Porath will discuss “Expanding Our Jewish Horizons or How to Be More Jewish in Cheshire” at Temple Beth David, 3 Main Street, Cheshire. This program is co-sponsored by Kol Ami and MAKOM Hebrew High School.
Porath is an 18th-generation rabbi in his family. He received his bachelor’s degree from Brandeis University, his master’s from Columbia University, and his rabbinic ordination from the Jewish Theological Seminary of America. He has served as a Hillel Rabbi and as the rabbi of Temple Beth O’r in Clark, N.J., before moving to Israel with his family in 1984.
For more information, call Ruth Gross at 203 387-2424 x310 or email Rich Walter, director of the Department of Jewish Education, at rwalter@jewishnewhaven.org