Image: Lufṭ zun ṿaser by Julian Liebermann, ca. 1926 (New York Public Library)
Youth Summer Program for Jewish Arts & Culture
The Peretz Zumershule is a two week summer (zumer) program for youth ages 8-13 to explore forms of artistic expression historically associated with Jewish culture.
From folk theatre and film, klezmer music, comedy and satire, to visual arts, creative writing, cooking, and literature, this program brings together youth with artists, scholars, creators, and elders in the Peretz community to share cultural heritage and skills with a special emphasis on intergenerational learning and understanding.
For ten wild days, Zumershule camp participants engage in independent creative inquiry, structured activities of all kinds, and outdoor play in nearby Tisdale Park, culminating in a youth-led, Secular Humanist shabbes community dinner.
We welcome participants of all backgrounds and abilities. Bring your talents, curiosity, interests, and unique selves! Neurodiverse, BIPOC, and queer/trans/two-spirit youth will be enthusiastically welcomed.
10 Days of Arts-Based Learning & Creativity
Learn & Practice Jewish Folk Arts
Jewish cultural traditions offer a huge range of traditional and dynamic art forms.
If you know the Peretz community, you know that we have a diverse membership who practice and study many of these arts. The Peretz Zumershule invites these Peretzniks to share their knowledge and skills with younger generations.
Half of each day will be dedicated to arts-based learning workshops guided by volunteer community members and supervised by experienced counsellors.
Over the course of two weeks, the Zumershule offers youth the chance to learn about Jewish cultural heritage and practice creative expression within a supportive environment, deepening their connection with community and place.
Freely Explore Curiosity & Imagination
The other half of the day will be open for participants to explore their own interests, individually or in groups.
With assistance from supportive counsellors, youth will have the opportunity to pursue their questions, return to previous activities, work on projects, collaborate with others, and engage in creative play at the level of their choosing.
The Peretz Zumershule is not a typical summer school! The words “school” and “shule” both trace back to the Greek scholé, which also meant “free time” – the kind of freedom you need to truly learn. The Yiddish shule, furthermore, refers more generally to a home for study; in socialist Yiddish circles, the word was used to signify homes for the renewal of Jewish life and culture.
This program goes beyond regular modern schools to recover other traditional forms of education that foster authentic connections and interests, and value the perspectives and agency of young people to be active participants in their own education.
By providing unstructured free time, the Peretz Zumershule offers students precious time and space for digesting new experiences, chasing their imagination, and studying/playing at their own pace.
We love learning from Zumershule participants and witnessing their vibrant creativity!
Learn and Practice Jewish Folk Arts
Jewish cultural traditions offer a huge range of traditional and dynamic art forms, including but not limited to:
Youth-Led Shabbes Finale
Take Part in Community-Building
The program will culminate in a youth-led cultural shabbes dinner at the Peretz Centre, where participants will share their learning and take an active leadership role in community life to foster a sense of belonging and responsibility.
When it comes to education, there is no substitute for doing something yourself. The Peretz community’s monthly Fraytik tsu Nakht (Friday night) potluck dinners are central part of our 80 year history. We begin with our secular humanist shabbes/shabbat service of readings and songs in English, Yiddish, and Hebrew that emphasize and celebrate gratitude, solidarity, and peace. After a potluck meal, we engage together in an after-dinner communal learning, whether with guest speakers, performances, film screenings, and more.
At these events, dedicated Peretznik and early childhood educator Gyda Chud often shares her mother Gallia’s understanding of word “secular”: at Peretz, we believe that it is human beings who are the thinkers of thoughts and the doers of deeds. By supporting young people to initiate and participate in our community events, we uphold educational values that reflect that belief and make space for youth to realize what these practices mean to them.
Leading up to the community shabbes dinner, participants will have the chance to learn and experience:
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The meanings and histories of shabbes practices and symbols, which they will be invited to share with the community throughout the evening;
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Songs from Jewish culture and progressive political traditions;
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The processes of shabbes preparation (such as making challah) and community service, taking part in food prep, set up, and clean up according to age and ability;
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Leading the after-dinner educational activity, contributing to our collective understanding of community and culture.
