Maimonides is a Gift

Testimonial – Rebecca Engmann Darst, Parent of Two’s
May 31, 2012

Like many families these days, our family must negotiate the hectic demands of commuter careers with the desire to create a nurturing home life, the pressures of city jobs with the craving for home and the bosom of a local community. We must reconcile the wish for a close, integrated family with the reality that our extended family is small, dispersed and disconnected. While family life, for us, has played out in a series of compromises large and small, in one key area we have found a treasured source of support and uncompromising quality, and that has undoubtedly been in the commitment to Jewish values and traditions, and the atmosphere of learning and loving care at Maimonides Early Education. As parents of young children, we were eager to find an early education program that would offer a gentle, positive introduction to the customs and values of Jewish life in a nurturing, close-knit environment. Our experience at Maimonides has been nothing short of a gift. From our initial visits to the Two’s class and in our subsequent conversations with the teachers and staff, we were touched by the loving care, acknowledgment and attention given to each child, and the atmosphere of respect and community fostered across age cohorts. In every room we visited, the children were happy and secure in the fellowship of their classmates, their teachers, and with the broader student body. As our children’s first school year draws to a close, we are happy to report that the Maimonides community has far and away exceeded our most robust expectations. Each week our kids go to school with tremendous enthusiasm about their teachers and friends, expanding their awareness and involvement in Jewish community through reading, songs and projects. They are increasingly confident in their growing abilities, and each week a little more knowledgeable about the customs and rituals of Jewish life. We have been delighted with the school’s seasonal observances are integrated with a regular preschool academic curriculum. As parents, we have greatly valued the regular personal communications from the teachers, keeping us up-to-date on the children’s activities and upcoming events. We look forward to even greater involvement with the community of Maimonides parents in the years to come. Returning to the topic which began this letter, our life as a young family has at times involved feelings of scatter, of being pulled in competing directions, of living a spiritual life that falls short of our ideals and best intentions. What I can say without hesitation is that the Maimonides experience has been a gift to our entire family in all of those respects, galvanizing our commitment to a fully involved Jewish life, offering a sense of true community and belonging, and solidifying our priorities. The teachers at Maimonides have planted a positive seed of learning and dedication to humanity in our kids that will stand them in good stead for many, many years to come. Our entire family benefits as a result. For that, we are grateful beyond words.