Community gives back by reading aloud at LYA


Debbie Cohen of the Jewish Community Center reads "Mrs. Moskowitz and the Sabbath Candlesticks" to a kindergarten class at LYA on March 11. She was one of seven community members who visited the academy to read to students. Reminder Publications photo by Courtney Llewellyn

By Courtney Llewellyn

Reminder Assistant Editor

LONGMEADOW Last week was a busy week for the Lubavitcher Yeshiva Academy on Converse Street. It was described as "Registration Mania Week" by teacher Rochel Leah Kosofsky a week the school pushes students to register again for the next school year.

Tuesday was "Basket of Plenty Day," which was followed by "Wacky Wednesday" and an educational fair on Thursday. Students participated in a variety of events including relay races and other games. The hustle and bustle ebbed for a little while Tuesday afternoon, however, when members of the community were invited to read aloud to preschoolers through eighth graders.

Dubbed "Community Connections," the reading day brought in enough giving community members so that each class in the academy could be read aloud to. Scott Kaplan of the Jewish Endowment Foundation, Debbi Rubenstein of Rachel's Table and Reminder Publications' Managing Editor G. Michael Dobbs were some of the guest readers.

Debbie Cohen, Early Childhood Associate Director at the Jewish Community Center, visited Devon Walterscheid's kindergarten class to read "Mrs. Moskowitz and the Sabbath Candlesticks" by Amy Schwartz and "Peter Rabbit" by Beatrix Potter.

All the books read were chosen by the school's librarian, Joanne Meyer.

"It's a wonderful feeling to see community members come in like this," Walterscheid said. "The children are all excited to see someone from the community they already know [Cohen]. They're all very eager to learn and very willing to share."

Walterscheid, who also teaches fourth grade, said having Rubenstein read to that grade level has already produced a sharing relationship. The class is working to organize a food collection for Rachel's Table for Passover.

"We've seen a nice cross-section of community members today," Kosofsky said. "It's nice for the kids to see adults giving back."

Cohen agreed. "Any time anyone takes the time to read to kids they learn two things that they're important and being read to is important."

"These children love to read," Walterscheid stated. "We put a big emphasis on reading with families and it's an incredible thing to see. It makes them avid readers ... They're so curious about everything."

Readings like this have taken place in the past, according to Kosofsky, but the academy tries not to do the same events every year.

This year's readers did make an impact, though. "They take education in the classroom and make it interactive," Kosofsky said.

To learn more about the Lubavitcher Yeshiva Academy, visit www.lya.org.