Released Time Kids Still Learn – Online

The Released Time Program has transferred online, ensuring hundreds of Public School children continue getting their weekly dose of Jewish education.

The Released Time Program (or Jewish Hour) under the N.C.F.J.E has been running for the past 80 years. Groups of 770 bochurim weekly are sent to public schools throughout NYC to teach the Jewish children during the last hour of the School day.

As this pandemic broke out and schooling switched to online, Rabbi S.Z.K Zirkind (Senior Director of Released Time) and Rabbi S. Shneur put together a group of bochurim that will coordinate the Released Time online. That very week they launched the program with hundreds of children from throughout the city tuning in to the live Zoom classroom. The class is designed to replicate the hour on Wednesday they are all familiar with. Songs, davening, stories and interactive games creating a fun energetic atmosphere for these children, bringing out their strong Jewish pride, even during these trying times. The children are grouped together by ages from Kinder to 8th Grade, from 1:15 – 2:15 every Wednesday.

The program is made possible by a team of devoted 770 Bochurim: Teachers – Mendel Ganzbourg, Avremel Raichik, Mendel Sorkin, Shmuli Bronstein, Sholom Ber Korf, Yankel Wilansky, and Naftoli Wilhelm. The Co-coordinator and Curriculum – Izzy Adelist. The Administration and Technical support – Levi Yaffe.

Each week the program grows in number of children and has begun inviting children from anywhere in the world to partake. The Rebbe once responded to a bochur in regard to Released Time, “every neshomah in gan eden, even Nishmas Moshe Rabbeinu A”h, is jealous of what you are doing.” With this in mind, we encourage anyone that may know a Jewish child that could benefit from this program, email us at [email protected] to receive the necessary information.

Through this peuloh may we merit to see the Hisgalus of Moshiach, as it is well know…when Moshiach comes it will the Released time children leading in front!