Source: KC Jewish Chroncle
The Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy, a pluralistic community day school in Kansas City, is developing a program that will serve the needs of the Orthodox Jewish community. The Matmidim program was created two years ago to give the school’s youngest students a more in-depth Jewish education.
The Academy has been pluralistic from its inception 45 years ago as the Kansas City Jewish community couldn’t possibly support Jewish schools for different movements. However, this didn't always satisfy the needs of the Orthodox Jewish community, who sometimes looked for other solutions. Two years ago, after being approached by members in the community, school officials decided to try to find a way to provide the type of Jewish education these families requested.
This resulted in the establishment of the Matmidim program two years ago. It began for kindergartners and adds a new grade each year. This year it is in grades kindergarten through second. These students attend general studies and specials with their entire grade. They break off into a separate class for Hebrew, prayer and Judaic studies. Currently there are about eight students enrolled in each of the three grades.
Plans are currently being made to continue growing the program through eighth grade in the future.