Rebecca Kalman-Winston and Orly Lewis, FMAMS Directors, Richmond, VA

Most of the Class of 2008

There are approximately 10,000 Jews in Richmond, with six synagogues, an active JCC, Federation, Day School, Jewish Family Services and many other Jewish organizations.

The Richmond Mini-School began because of a need for a structured Jewish learning program for adults. Many students serve in leadership positions at the JCC, Federation, Jewish Day school boards and synagogues boards. "Having worked at a couple of Jewish agencies in Richmond for a few years, I always thought that a quality adult education program was very much needed," says Orly Lewis, the Richmond Mini-School Director, "and the timing was perfect." She is also Director of Adult Services at the JCC where the classes meet. Orly has a reputation of only doing things she feels passionate about, so when the program she was working for the JCC, a resettlement of former Soviet Union Jews, came an end, she was approached to be a candidate for running the newly formed Mini-School.

They opened the school in 1999 with two full classes and a waiting list. "We're in our tenth year," she adds, "and so far we have been able to fill all our classes." Richmond also sent a group of graduates to Israel in 2000 and hopes to send a few more this summer.

Dramas Instructor, Rabbi Daniel Yolkut; 2007 Graduates Lisa Looney & Rosemary Seltzer studying

"We know many of our Melton students visited and plan to visit Israel, and are involved philanthropically as well as participate in many of our Jewish agencies and synagogues activities," says Executive Director Jordan Shenker of the sponsoring agency. "Melton has also help strengthen our JCC Jewish adult education program."

The student body is very diverse containing a healthy mix of ages with Rabbis and local educators as the faculty. Orly maintains that the greatest thing about Melton other then the learning that takes place, is the friends that people are making. "We have students that if it was not for Melton, would have never have met one another and socialized," she says. "I get great nachat from watching so many members of our community gathering and learning every week, and making Jewish learning a top priority in their busy lives."

The extra curricular activities are varied including trips to the local Mikve, gathering in the Sukkah, giving gifts to the needy during Purim with Jewish Family Services, Shabbat meals and all night learning at a Rabbi's house on Shavuot.

2007 Graduate Irena Perelman presenting a gift to 2006 Graduate Carole Weinstein for establishing the Melton Scholarship Fund in 2006.

Sometimes it's hard to tell the impact a Mini-School has on people, as they are all on their own personal journey. But Orly claims that every once in a while she hears something inspiring. For example, she received an e-mail from a graduate student recently, describing how the student had written a response to a disturbing article in a local newspaper. The student wrote how she couldn't have written the letter before she took the Melton class and was so glad she'd taken the class.

Or another example is of a current student who built a Sukkah this year for the first time in her life.

"And I wonder, how many Melton students are out there that are writing letters, engaging in Jewish conversations, and doing other 'Jewish things' just because they feel more knowledgeable and more confident in their 'Jewishness'," says Orly. "I think the answer to that is "a lot!" and that is great."

> More Community Spotlights