The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

Meet the team leading Shaarei-Beth El at open house A personal partnership between Rabbi Stephen Wise of Oakville's Shaarei-Beth El Congregation and his wife Cheryl Wise, has led to a dynamic team of leaders in the Jewish community in Oakville. Shaarei-Beth El welcomes new families from anywhere in Halton Region to its annual Open House on Sunday, Sept. 13 at 11 a.m. At the same time, it has a new director of eduction in Cheryl, who is working in a part-time capacity. Cheryl has a bachelor of arts in Jewish studies from York University, a master's degree in Jewish education and a family education certificate from Hebrew College in Brookline, Massachusetts. As well, she is certified by the Reform movement as a Reform Jewish educator (RJE). A former co-director of education at a religious school in Florida (20062007); a director of education and assistant principal at a Manhattan religious school (2001-2005); and a family educator at a congregation in Massachusetts (1999-2000), she also was educational coordinator for Birthright Israel at Hebrew University of Jerusalem in 2000-2001. Although Cheryl's background in Jewish education, and particularly family education, made her a natural candidate for the job at ShaareiBeth El, she encouraged the synagogue to undertake a national search before she was hired. "Stephen and I see the school and synagogue as being one," said Wise, referring to her husband. Their goal is to create a congregation of learners, where "everybody feels that Jewish education can be fun, engaging and lively for all ages." Wise, like his wife, also has a background in education and teaches the high schoolers. A Toronto native who met her husband when they were counsellors at Camp Shalom, Cheryl said they always dreamed of working together, as they did in New York, when he was a rabbinic intern at her school. The young couple -- Wise, 35, and Cheryl, 33, have a fiveyear-old, a three-year-old, and a two-year-old -- are working together to create a new family education program at the Reform congregation, which has 120 member families. Cheryl, who has worked part-time for almost two years at Hamilton's McMaster University writing online curriculum for midwifery, said that she always wanted to go back into Jewish education. "It's amazing how the synagogue truly becomes the centre of Jewish life." In the last decade or so in Canada, the importance of family education has been increasingly recognized by Jewish schools, Cheryl said. "A lot of the values kids get are from the home," she said. As well, she added, referring to studies she has read, many parents have had negative Jewish educational experiences. Cheryl said she would like to move to more "inclusive" programming that would involve both parents and children. 19 · OAKVILLE BEAVER Friday, September 11, 2009 AIM to Care for Your Heart! Gentle exercise for Adults in Motion www.ymcaofoakville.com Love RUNNING and WALKING more. SCRATCH & DENT SUPER SALE SAVE $100 'S New Power Walking Clinics starting now. wowpowerwalking.com LEARN TO RUN For more information or to register visit Don't P For Gaay Again s ! FR heel Security W Lock . Value $40 EE ELECTRIC SCOOTERS Eco Friendly, Green Renewable Energy! No Plates No Insurance No Drivers Licence Rain Po E n & Helm cho et Va lue $10 0. FRE Starts Sept.19 - 8:30 a.m. newbalance.com 2 Year Just Motor Freedom Replacement Warranty THE FUTURE IS NOW s r r TM 905.815.1952 as Street, Oakville Test Drive One Now! www.e-go-tronics.com