Chabad of Greater Boynton Attracts A Young, Booming Community

BOYNTON BEACH, FL — Opening a brand new preschool with an Italian twist, buying a new 3-acre plot for expansion, and planning for more satellite centers, Chabad of Greater Boynton is keeping up with and spurring Florida’s fastest growing Jewish population.

Between 1999 and 2005, Boynton Beach’s Jewish households boomed, soaring by 63 percent. According to demographer Ira Sheskin of University of Miami, Boynton’s Jewish population growth exceeds even that of the popular, well developed Boca Raton. Still dominated by snowbird and early bird special diners, Boynton’s Jewish community is trending younger as it grows. Being close to Chabad, its new $1 million mikvah, Hebrew school, and adult education programs is part of the attraction.

On the first day of school, Gavin Haber, 2, twirls a ribbon together with his flock of toddler cohorts in the new Chabad Lubavitch of Greater Boynton Jewish Early Childhood Center. Their flurry of activity began when the little ones noticed the primary colored bird house dangling outside the classroom’s large windows. With the teacher’s inspiration, they imagined they were birds.

Letting kids’ interests take the lead figures prominently into the Reggio Emilia philosophy, an educational approach named for the Italian region where it originated. “The curriculum is driven by the children’s ideas, and we layer in all the skills with their interests. It develops a higher level of thinking because the children feel valued,” said JECC director Leslie Cooper.

Gavin’s parents, Eric and Danielle Haber, chose JECC because “we felt the program would be fantastic,” said Eric. “We clicked with Leslie, with the way the school was designed, its colors. It’s very warm and open.”

So far, eighteen children are enrolled in the school. JECC opened with a two year old and three year old class, with plans to expand to a pre-kindergarten class next year.

Situated on three acres, one of the most impressive features of the 10,000 sq. foot JECC building is its yard. Winding around the tricycle path stands a Lilliputian village set up for dramatic play with a garage, telephones, a faux-stone cottage and outdoor easels. Every stop is marked with a sign in Hebrew and English. In a few months, master gardeners from University of Florida will be planting gardens so the kids can farm and observe butterflies attracted by the flowers.

Article Continued (Lubavitch.com)