The Gateways Jewish Education Programs are meeting remotely in Zoom break-out rooms this year. Each of our students work with two teen volunteers.

On one recent Sunday, I filled in for one of our teens who couldn't be there and I got to sit in on a full session with one of our new and youngest students. I say "sit in", because it was clear that the teen running the session did not need my help in any way! Oh, and did I mention, this session was a Hebrew lesson?

I'm not sure who I was most impressed with – Rebecca Redner for taking our unique Hebrew reading program and converting it to a digital format, complete with motivation emojis and Hebrew letters raining down? This teen, who so confidently and capably, is teaching so effectively in this remote setting? Or this young student, whose smile lights up the whole screen as he is embracing learning Hebrew as just one piece of his Jewish education?

This week marks one year since Gateways moved to a remote format. Yet, as I sat there that Sunday, in awe of what I watched unfolding on my screen, it reaffirmed for me, the importance of what we, at Gateways, are doing as we continue to embrace the value of a Jewish education.