This Friday morning around 10:15 am in the Pierrepont playground in Downtown Brooklyn was an attraction of balloons, sounds of music and musical instruments, filled with parents, nanny’s, and children participating in a program called “YoShaba Shaba” run by Kiddie Korner preschool, a project of Chabad of Brooklyn Heights.
Kiddie Korner runs Yoshaba Shaba, a Shabbat welcoming program, at the Shul building of Bnai Avraham located in Remsen street in Brooklyn Heights, every Thursday at 10am and 12pm for children from all over the neighborhood.
This summer Kiddie Korner’s owner and Director Shternie Raskin initiated the program taking place in the local Pierrepont Park, a few blocks down from the Shul.
Children as young as a few months up to 6 years old attend the program weekly and we’re having a great time at the park.
People gathered from all corners of the park and from areas near by to participate in the singing and story telling right after.
The music talent behind the program is Kyle Tigges, who is a talented musician working for a program called Music Together and also teaches music at a local school in the city. Kyle thoughts about the outdoor program is that “bringing music into a public space is a wonderful way to connect with the community. In a modern world where most folks rely mostly on recorded music, outdoor or live music allows families and communities to experience unity through singing and dancing in their natural environment. I say sing out!”
The outdoor YoShaba is also a great way for mothers to connect, and for new mothers to find friends and network as well.
Shayna Schneider, a mother of two, told us that “YoShaba Shaba live in the park was a great interactive experience for everyone. It was fun watching the kids sing and jump around to the music.”
Children who are supervised by nanny’s also found their way to the park following the sounds of the instruments. We met Chinadan Alli, who brought two girls, June and Zoey, to join the fun. Alli attends the indoor YoShaba program weekly with the girls and loves to see the girls have fun and learn something new every week.
“We enjoy music class indoors and outdoors in the summer,” says Alli. She paused for a minute to pick up Zoey, and continued. “It’s a great experience seeing other kids interact with music and instruments and having Zoey sing to Kyle’s banjo and playing with the kids.
“We can see the love the children acquire for music,” continues Alli. “Also Sheli reading is a bonus story time. We love it!”
YoShaba Shaba is one of the ways Chabad of Brooklyn Heights spreads the love for Shabbat, the terms associated with Shabbat, and the mere celebration of the coming of Shabbat. By doing so, they instill in the children of the community the importance of observing Shabbat and making it a beautiful and memorable experience every week over and over again, says Sheli Man-Steinberg, the educational director of the infant/toddler program in Kiddie Korner.
The indoor YoShaba Shaba program also includes making a blessing over grape juice and challah, and playing with dough and learning to shape it like challah.
Moreover, Rabbi Aaron Raskin makes sure to visit every YoShaba and give the children coins to give for tzedaka.
This is an exceptional program that attracts many families and unites Kiddie Korner preschool with other children from the community. Now that YoShaba is also outdoors it reaches more families in the downtown area that might have not reached the program in any other way.
More kiddie korner programs and upcoming events can be viewed on their website. www.kiddiekorner.org.
Sheli you are really awesome! Amazing work keep it up!!
go sheli you are amazing keep making the Rebbe proud!
Wow Shelli, so proud of you! Yshar Koah
very nicely done. Kol hakavod to the Raskins
Raskins again leading by example implementing the Rebbes teachings bringing the joy to mitzvos!
wish you con’t success for a complete teshuva through the children