What is Mishpacha!

"If you truly wish your children to study Torah, study it yourself in their presence. They will follow your example. Otherwise, they will not themselves study Torah but will simply instruct their children to do so."
(Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Kotzk)

Background: Mishpacha! is Temple Micah's Family Education program.  It is a commitment to a spiritual and intellectual growth opportunity for Jewish families who want to explore Jewish wisdom, values and insight as a family in an interactive, dynamic and relevant manner. Mishpacha! offers families the chance to learn about the abundant life resources of Jewish tradition and how to utilize them to cultivate meaning in the life of the family.

Basics: The Mishpacha! program includes these components:

• Family Sessions: (2.5 hours each) that will meet on Sunday afternoons during the 2016-2017 school year.  Rabbi Mo and a small team of teachers and madrichim will facilitate informal, experiential sessions.  As a part of these sessions parents and children will have time to learn together with contemporaries. Families will also join together for Chug time - time for families to engage in Jewish creative activities together.   
• Family Retreat: All Mishpacha! families will gather for a weekend outside of Denver for a mixture of group learning time, social activities and individual family time.
• Family-Time Learning (FTL):  Each family will be provided with resources, information and guidance to spend one hour on their own at home to continue the learning from that month’s Family Session.  This FTL may be done by each family on their or and/or as part of the Mishpacha! Supper Clubs.
• Supper Clubs: Families will be paired monthly with another family for self-arranged times at one family's home.  These Supper Clubs are an opportunity for parents and children to join together in the Family Time Learning and to spend some social time together.

Participation:  Your family is a fit for the Mishpacha! Pilot Program if ...

1. You have children who will be in grades K-7 in the 2016-17 school year.
2. You are willing to make a serious commitment to attending EVERY Family Session, the Family Retreat, Supper Clubs and to completing the Family-Time Learning.
3. Everyone in your family is open-minded and willing to actively participate in a form of Religious Education that strongly differs from the traditional model.

FAQ’s/Considerations:

• How much will Mishpacha! cost? The tuition for Mishpacha! is $260 for each person who will be participating in each family unit. (Tuition includes the cost of room and board for the Family Retreat at the Estes Park YMCA.)
• What about Sunday morning Religious School? Mishpacha! will serve as alternative to Temple Micah Religious School for those families who participate, not requiring families to participate in both programs.
• What about Hebrew? Mishpacha! will not contain a formal Hebrew component. When children reach 4th or 5th grade, families wishing for their children to study Hebrew will have suggestion options for consideration - ranging from a Mishpacha! Hebrew class offering to individual or small group tutoring. 
• Does our family have to be part of the Temple Micah community to participate?  While there are many ways that we sincerely think of people as part of our community, the Mishpacha! program is only open to families who are members of the Micah community.  Micah is able to offer a creative alternative like Mishpacha! because of the numerous families who partner in sustaining the synagogue through their membership.