Beth David Reform Congregation is in the process of opening a new preschool, according to Rabbi Beth Kalisch.
In May, the Gladwyne synagogue completed its conditional use hearing with Lower Merion Township. The township’s board of commissioners listened to synagogue leaders explain why they wanted to expand their educational hours to the school day. Beth David only has approval for religious school hours, which are after the normal school day.
“We just completed those hearings. Now, it’s up to the board of commissioners. We’re hopeful. We had a lot of support,” she said.
If the board approves, the synagogue will try to open the school by fall 2025, according to Kalisch. They are going to call it the Harmony School at Beth David. It will be open to as many as 90 students.
Sarah Gladwin Camp, who has led creative movement classes at the synagogue, will serve as director. Gladwin Camp is not Jewish, but she collaborates with synagogue leaders on the curriculum for her creative movement classes.
The Reform synagogue has grown in recent years. A 2023 Jewish Exponent story reported that its membership recently surpassed 300 households.
“Those early years of a family’s life are formative to the kinds of rhythms that a family creates and the friendships that a family makes and the people they get connected to,” the rabbi said. “We’re excited to see the ways in which being able to connect families to each other at a younger age helps make those relationships and traditions an organic part of the family’s life at an earlier age.”
Synagogue leaders have already met with neighbors and the Gladwyne Civic Association. Both groups are OK with the plan. But there is one holdout: Saint John Vianney Church, Beth David’s neighbor.
The Catholic church is concerned about the traffic impact, according to Kalisch. The two institutions have a longstanding relationship. They host an annual Thanksgiving event and partner on other interfaith efforts throughout the year, according to the rabbi.
Beth David hired an expert to give a traffic report to the township, and it was approved. But Kalisch is still waiting to hear back from the church.
“I’m hopeful we’ll be able to resolve it amicably,” she said.
Gladwin Camp is a dancer and choreographer by training. Her business — ZoomDance — focuses on early childhood development. She incorporates art lessons and movement into her classes.
She will also hire a partner with additional early childhood education credentials, Kalisch said. Kalisch, Cantor Lauren Goodlev and Rabbi Elisa Koppel will collaborate on incorporating Jewish values into the lessons.
“It will be a normal preschool with classes, but our curriculum will be play-based and creative- and arts-inspired in a way that’s a little different from other preschools,” Kalisch said.
Gladwin Camp will also run the new Harmony Summer Camp at Beth David from Aug. 12-30. The camp will include dance and movement classes, art and sensory experiences, playtime in nature, music classes, group games, circle time and free play based on weekly themes, according to a news release.
“Harmony strives to create a space for people of all bodies, abilities, races, ethnicities, and genders to feel welcome and loved and celebrated,” Gladwin Camp said in the news release. “You do not need to be a member of Beth David to attend our camp. Our education model consistently talks about many cultures, races, genders, and abilities, and leaves lots of space for multiple approaches to spirituality. We encourage interfaith and multicultural families to come join us — there is no requirement to be Jewish or religious. The Jewish values that are integrated into our summer program are universal and relevant to all people.”
Many Beth David couples are interfaith, according to Kalisch. But while many parents in the community are not Jewish, they are raising Jewish children.
“We’re excited to help parents find ways of teaching Jewish values and traditions to kids in their earliest years,” Kalisch said.