Mrs. Ellen Rappaport

Ellen Rappaport, executive director of Bet Yeladim, said when an interfaith or non-Jewish family comes to the preschool, she tells them that teachers talk about Judaism and Jewish customs, Bible stories, holidays and reciting Hebrew prayers.But she said parents "see the nurturing and caring and the values we are teaching, and no one can dispute that that builds a good foundation."

Mrs. Rappaport said Bet Yeladim's teachers and staff stress the importance of introducing the whole family to Jewish culture and having a group to relate to."Becoming part of a community is the whole sense of what Bet Yeladim is all about," she said.
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It's those traditions that Mrs. Rappaport said help make the connections for families.She talks about the smell of challot baking in the school kitchens on Friday mornings that helps to embrace the families and connect them with Judaism.
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Mrs. Rappaport said the preschool never pushes anyone to convert to Judaism, and if asked by a parent about conversion would refer them to a local rabbi.

"We want to find out what people are all about and get to know them personally," she said.

Ellen Rappaport Executive Director e-mail: ellenr@connext.net410-997-7378 fax: 410-997-0577e-mail: Info@betyeladim.org

Ellen Rappaport, Executive Director 410-997-7378 fax: 410-997-0577 e-mail: ellenr@connext.net