Olam Chesed Education Center
click here to enroll
Olam Chesed - a world of loving kindness
The JCOGS educational center provides programming for children from birth through the teenage. In a dynamic , engaging, and nurturing environment we explore Judaism’s rich culture, the beauty of the Hebrew language and the wisdom of Torah and ancient texts, through stories, drama, games, songs, and art. Students learn to sing and understand common prayers, developing confidence to participate in Jewish life.
Over the years in Olam Chesed programs, students develop a deep connection to Judaism, gaining a strong sense of Jewish belonging and identity. We encourage students to explore what is personally meaningful about Jewish ritual and tradition, contemplate Jewish concepts of G-d, and develop a sense of their own connection to am Yisrael, the Jewish people, in our local Vermont community, in Israel, and around the world.
We come together to share holiday and Shabbat celebrations, embrace Jewish values and ethics, unpack the significance of Jewish history, our connection to Eretz Yisrael, and to engage in tikkun olam, healing the world through social justice. This shared experience prepares students for a lifetime of seeking Jewish community and experiences and offers them the tools to be active Jewish citizens of the world.
Young families
Shoresh (ages birth - 7 years old)
Meets monthly on Saturday (Shabbat) morning 10:00-11:30 a.m. Begins Sep 13, 2025
Tuition $80, membership in JCOGS not required
Our youngest learners meet once a month for music, stories, and play with Rabbi David and Katie Yoskowitz. Shoresh, formerly Tot Shabbat, is a wonderful opportunity to meet other young families while engaging in Jewish tradition and culture.
This program engages infants and toddlers in multisensory crafts and play while offering pre-school and kindergarten students explorations of the alef bet and Jewish traditions.
About your teacher:
Katie Yoskowitz is a mother of three children in our education programs and a longtime early and elementary childhood educator. Katie is passionate about literacy, nature education, and building strong community relationships.
Rabbi David loves playing guitar for young families, leading Hebrew hokey pokey, and crawling on all fours—out of a sense of joy in connecting young ones to Jewish song and story. When he is not busy dressing up for the Purim play, he is the Abba/dad of three children in our education programs.
Elementary age
Gesher (“Bridge)”, grades 2-5)
Wednesdays from 4:15 - 6:00 p.m. including snack and a lite meal. Begins Sep 10, 2025
Tuition $600, membership required
This is so much more than the Hebrew school you remember. We embrace the concept of un-school as we learn about Jewish values and ethics, share holiday and Shabbat celebrations, unpack the complexities of Jewish history, acquire Hebrew language skills, and engage in tikkun olam (repairing the world). Our graduates move on to study for their mitzvah ceremonies as active citizens of the world and life-long contributing members of the Jewish community.
About your teacher(s):
Sarah Villanueva is a former special educator specializing in elementary education and world religions. Sarah has a passion for Jewish education, history, and social justice.
Rabbi David delights in leading elementary school youth in shira/song-based learning and intellectually engaging, hands-on exploration of our tradition's values and stories. When he is not looking at Jewish graphic novels with JCOGS youth, he is the Abba/dad of three children in our education programs.
6th and 7th grade Pre-Mitzvah and Mitzvah Program
Pre-Mitzvah Program (Grade 6 or any pre-teen who has had limited religious education and wishes to have a b'nei mitzvah ceremony)
The Pre-Mitzvah program is designed for 6th graders and those students who may be of Mitzvah age (or even older!) but still need a bit more exposure to Jewish education and to acquire the foundational Hebrew and prayer skills that will be expected in the Mitzvah year. This program meets on Sunday morning from 10-12 and once a month on Saturday to experience the Shabbat morning service. (Learn more and register here)
Pre-Mitzvah tuition is $600.
First day at JCOGS: September 6, 2025
Mitzvah Program (Grade 7 or older students who have some Hebrew background who wish to celebrate a mitzvah ceremony)
The Mitzvah program for 7th graders takes students through the process of preparing for their individual mitzvah ceremonies including preparing them to lead the service, chant Torah, and deliver a d'var Torah. Concurrent with the Pre-Mitzvah program, this program meets on Sunday mornings from 10-12 and once a month on Saturday so students can participate in the Shabbat morning service. (Learn more and register here)
First day at JCOGS September 5, 2025
This is a combined JCOGS/Beth Jacob program, therefore classes will meet each week at either JCOGS in Stowe or or Beth Jacob in Montpelier. Check the calendar for the location.
Tuition: Mitzvah Program Tuition $2700 (plus the required synagogue membership ) The Mitzvah Program includes, in addition to weekly classes, 30 individual sessions with a Hebrew tutor who works with the student to prepare for their Mitzvah ceremony. Families are responsible for the cost of any additional tutoring beyond the 30 sessions included in the tuition payment.
*We use mitzvah without a gender-specific modifier in conscious awareness of embracing all who celebrate the transition from Jewish child to Jewish adult.
Contact the Mitzvah Coordinator - Amy Rosenthal (amy.rosenthal@jcogs.org) for more information.
Amy was a Jewish Studies major in college and continued her involvement in Jewish life as a religious school and b’nai mitzvah teacher in various synagogues in New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Tennessee, and North Carolina. After a long career as a crime victim advocate, she retired in 2015, and spends her time at JCOGS teaching and tutoring the pre-mitzvah and mitzvah students, as well as advising the teen program.
Rabbi David takes great pride in reaching pre-Mitzvah and Mitzvah youth in their formative years, teaching them how to make the Torah relevant for their lives when they give a D'var Torah/sermon and how Tefillah/prayer can connect and ground them. When he is not wrestling with Jewish ideas and values with JCOGS teens, he is the Abba/dad of three children in our education programs.
Mitzvah Handbook (PDF)
Teen Youth Group
Participation is free; some programs may have a cost (such as trips).
For teens post mitzvah-18 years old.
For teens post mitzvah-18 years old.
Monthly gatherings led by and coordinated by teens. See calendar for scheduled events.
The "Jew Crew" - JCOGS Youth Group allows students in 8th-12th grades the chance to gather together once a month to socialize, organize community service projects, and to discuss/learn about important and relevant issues to them as yougn members of the Jewish community. Regular meetings are on the first Sunday of the Month from 5-7pm. (Learn more and register your interest to get on a mailing list for upcoming events)
This year a cohort of teens will be participating in the Interfaith Civil Rights trip to Alabama and Georgia and will be creating a presentation about their experience to share with their peers throughout the state. Additionally, through active engagement and in discussions of Torah and other texts of ancient wisdom, the Teen Tzedakah Team disperses funds raised to support JCOGS, the worldwide Jewish community, and our local community, honing their role as responsible citizens of earth.
Contact Amy Rosenthal - Teen Program Coordinator or more information. amy.rosenthal@jcogs.org
Click here to meet our Education Team.
Summer camp
Join us for a week of fantastic Jewish summer camp fun in summer 2026!
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Tue, August 19 2025 25 Av 5785