Wednesday 2 April 2014/ 3 Nissan 5774

Over 100 non-Jewish students learn about Jewish life in one week Immanuel College and JCoSS gave 120 visiting students from Bishops Hatfield Girls school a whirlwind tour of Jewish Life. Last Tuesday’s visits were part of the Board of Deputies’ Jewish Life Tours in which more than 2000 non Jewish children in the UK annually learn about Jewish culture and life at specially customized days out, which include trips to Jewish shops and restaurants, talks in synagogues and historical visits. Laurie Rosenberg, JCoSS Jewish Educator said:  "We were delighted to welcome 60 girls from Bishops Hatfield Girls School to meet with Year 8 JCoSS students, in order to learn more about each other.  Students were able to explore themes such as growing up, faith, religion and their use of social media.  However, what was clear was how little difference there was; with pupils sharing the same anxieties, hopes and dreams.  But above all, they enjoyed having an intimate glimpse into each others’ faith which will allow them to feel more secure about developing these encounters in the future". The Assistant Head Teacher of Bishops Hatfield Schoolcommented that “the Immanuel students were a real credit to the school. They were informative, friendly and spoke clearly and with real enthusiasm.”  The Immanuel students presented the key Jewish rites of passage, explained the fundamentals of Shabbat, and ate their way through the complexities of Kashrut. The programme gave the non-Jewish students a chance to bring their Religious Studies curriculum to life in a positive and exciting learning environment. A spokeswoman for the school said “Immanuel College in conjunction with the Board of Deputies, look forward to welcoming other schools, continuing to play their part in this important role of educating the wider community.”