Welcome to Yerusha...a revolutionary approach to Hebrew school.
"I bumped into an acquaintance who told me of a new community called Yerusha that focused on family, community, and living a spiritual Jewish life…Yerusha, which means inheritance, has become our home, our family, our community, our bridge to what it truly feels like to be Jewish and more. It is not a drop off, but a drop in. The learning is fun, varied, and we are all, children and adults, valuable parts of the community."
Parent of Yerusha's second Bar Mitzvah, March 2012
Yerusha creates an environment where
- Judaism is learned by doing,
- The entire family is involved,
- Youth have the opportunity to teach as well as to learn, and
- The most up-to-date technology is used to excite and motivate our modern, computer-literate children.
At Yerusha, we believe that Jewish learning should be fun, challenging, and fully engaging.
The Yerusha Approach to Jewish Learning
Ron Wolfson, a leading Jewish educator, once quipped that "the single greatest influence on Jewish identity development is the family." Yerusha, which means inheritance, was founded in 2009 by Rabbi Justus Baird and a group of visionary families who wanted to support each other in passing along Jewish tradition to their children. Yerusha is in its third year of operation in central New Jersey.
Learning takes place during weekly Yerusha gatherings, at quarterly Shabbatons, and at home and in the community. Learning is guided and structured by a series of ranks and requirements, which students advance through at their own pace by completing tasks, such as making and hanging a mezuzah, creating a map of where Jews live in the world, or studying in-depth the structure of Jewish liturgy. Within each rank, there are recognized milestones for accomplishing required activities, so students are rewarded as they progress. Read about Yerusha's achievement system for additional details.
Two Yerusha Programs
Yerusha groups learners into two age groups: one for grades K-4 and another for grades 5-12. In the older group, younger learners learn with and from older learners, who begin to take on leadership roles in the community after their Bar/Bat Mitzvah. The program is low-cost and high-touch.
Yerusha In The News
Yerusha was profiled in the Baltimore Jewish Times cover story (December 17, 2010)
How Hebrew Schools Are Turning the Corner
Read The Jewish Week June 23, 2010 article on Yerusha:
All-In-The-Family Hebrew School
Read West Windsor & Plainsboro News May 14, 2010 article on Yerusha:
"A New School to Embrace Jewish Traditions"
Read NJ Jewish News May 10, 2010 article on Yerusha:
"New Hebrew School Puts Focus on Family"
Read Rabbi Justus Baird's' article in the Forward about family-based education:
"Jewish Education Begins at Home"
New Families Welcome!
Yerusha will soon complete its third successful year of operation. Because of the high degree of innovation being tried out in the program, families with a tolerance for experimentation who are excited about shaping something new are especially welcome. Yerusha's vision is to spend a few more years perfecting its learning model before launching chapters around the United States. Please contact us if you would like to learn more about the program, to request a home visit from Yerusha's leaders, or to visit and observe the program. Join our community, and help us shape the face of Jewish education for generations to come!
Yerusha is egalitarian: girls and boys have equal roles in all aspects of our program.
Yerusha is progressive and cross-denominational: families from all Jewish backgrounds are welcome.