Being a traditional Jewish mother from a traditional Jewish family, it seemed only natural to want to expose my children to a Jewish environment as regularly and often as possible.
Living on the outskirts of Solihull and working four days a week was making this difficult, until with the wonderful developments within the Shul, Dinie was able to establish the Solihull Jewish Mothers and Toddlers Group. I was lucky. The group started to meet on the one day of the week that I didn’t work, and now we spend most of our Wednesday mornings in Shul. The children do a whole range of activities, including arts and crafts, educational videos, free play – but the best (in my opinion) is watching them have the freedom of the Shul.
What I mean, is that after about an hour, whilst we mums sit around and gossip, drink tea and coffee and generally catch up with the events of the last week, we gradually become aware that the children have ventured out of the Cheder room, through the reception hall, and are having the time of their lives in the Shul.
On further investigation, they are normally found sitting underneath the Bimah, playing, chatting and laughing or climbing up in front of the Aron Kodesh, chasing each other. I would hate you to get the wrong idea – they are not being unruly. They genuinely have great fun, whilst becoming familiar and at home with the whole Shul environment.
The group has become so successful that Dinie is now running it on a Monday morning too. We have mums and toddlers from the surrounding areas, and the ages of the children currently range from three months to three and a half years.
But as with anything, don’t just take my word for it come and give it a try!
