Big Tent Judaism

Find and connect unengaged families with young children this High Holiday season (RECAP!)

Earlier this month, over 90 Jewish communal professionals and volunteer leaders from across the continent “gathered” on an interactive webinar to learn about the Jewish Outreach Institute’s High Holiday outreach tool and accompanying program model: The Color-Me Calendar for the Jewish New Year. Participants learned how to bring this brand new, FREE calendar (produced in collaboration with our friends at Shalom Sesame*) to their communities, and how Color-Me Calendar can accomplish the following:

• The program, built around decorating a dynamic kid-friendly activity calendar, functions educationally to introduce children to symbols of the High Holiday season.
• In addition, it provides a creative marketing opportunity, in that each Jewish community or organization can customize the calendar with its upcoming events and offerings that specifically target families with young children while they are in a planning mindset.
• This is a project around which communities can collaborate, ultimately reflecting and highlighting the diverse opportunities available within a local Jewish community.
• Color-Me Calendar also serves as an entry point to relationship building between these families and the Jewish communities.
• In order to find people where they are, Color-Me Calendar takes place in back-to-school shopping establishments, community fairs, farmers markets, food stores, bookstores, library, malls, playground/parks and other venues where families with young children spend their time at the end of the summer/beginning of school year. Color-Me Calendar can function on its own, or augment late summer and High Holiday family programs currently being planned.

It’s not too late! You still have a few days left to sign up to bring these exciting tools to your community and join the dozens of Jewish communities who are already on board! Email Eva Stern, JOI’s Senior Director of Training, to learn how to access this FREE tool and its accompanying programmatic methodology to find those who are not yet connected to your institutions this High Holiday season.

*       Shalom Sesame is a multimedia educational project from the creators of Sesame Street. Using television, video, the web, and community outreach, Shalom Sesame teaches children and families about Israel and Jewish life.   Sesame Street, Shalom Sesame, and their associated characters, trademarks and design elements are owned and licensed by Sesame Workshop. All Rights Reserved.

1 Comment

1. I am wondering if the calendar is something we can download. Thanks.

   Comment by Jennifer Greenberg — August 4, 2011 @ 12:19 pm

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