Olamim: Latin Jewish Belonging for Families – To concretize and grow the organization’s Shabbat family cohort program and learning resources to create meaningful intergenerational experiences that weave together Latin and Jewish cultures and traditions.

How do you blend Latin and Jewish learning at the Olamim Family School? 

We blend Latin and Jewish learning through a carefully-crafted curriculum and learning process where families get to experience Latinidad and Judaism in an integrated manner. One of the ways we do this is by centering heritage language as a way to access identity and belonging. Besides conducting our program multilingually, we are constantly getting creative about how to infuse Judaism and Latinidad into meaningful moments. We sing Jewish songs in Spanish, and pair Latin American arts and culture with Jewish teachings.We also focus on the ways Judaism and Latinidad overlap and the cultural values they share, including love of family, respect for others, delight in music and the arts, solidarity, and community-mindedness.

What kind of impact does this learning have on the children and families who participate? 

One of the most important aspects of the Olamim Family School is that it puts the family at the center and keeps it there– this means that we see learning as an intergenerational and intercultural process, where children, parents and extended family all play a purposeful role in transmitting the values, traditions, and teachings that strengthen family life. My favorite aspect of the work we do is storytelling. Storytelling is a fabulous way for everyone in the room to find a seat at the table, to share meaning across generations, and to gain diverse reference points for what it means to be Jewish. We want every family member to see that they are part of the story of Jewish Peoplehood, and we need to tell Jewish stories in dynamic ways that touch people’s lived experiences.

Are there any unique or special elements or activities of your bilingual/multicultural approach that you particularly love running? 

Parents have come to us with stories about how their young kids now think Jews all speak Spanish. To us, that’s a win, and not because we want children to generalize about Jews or develop biases, but because it shows us that these kids have normalized their own identity. And we believe that’s almost impossible for multiethnic Jewish kids to do in our society. For families who are double or triple diasporic, identity-building is quite complex. We know it’s not only kids who need support, but also the adults in the room, so we learn together and separately.