We’ve been going to Tot Shabbat once a month—lots of singing, dancing and stories for the under five set—but we didn’t actually have to join the synagogue to participate. Now we are members and enrolled in a huge Jewish education program. I actually went to the same synagogue growing up, but same in name only I think. We had 8 kids in our class; Rose has 20.

In one day, they did three art projects (a Rosh Hashannah card, a collage, and a very clever apples and honey plate—do you sense a theme?); had story time, learned the chant “one two three eyes on me; one two eyes on you”; had snack—Rose happily substituted a gluten-free chocolate chip muffin for the challah they provided; and didn’t get a service because the parents were all having our orientation meeting.

Rose already has two friends in the class, Miriam and Dessa. She went charging into the class, barely registered when I left, and couldn’t stop talking about it. Aside from picking her cuticle bloody during story time (no sticker on the chart today), I think it’s going well.