Heritage Project: Engaging Youth
The Heritage Project is to engage young people in discovering the importance of their Jewish heritage and building a strong connection with the Jewish history of our region. We plan to accomplish this goal through theatre. We will bring to life stories, significant events and portraits of Jews who settled and lived/live in the Upper Midwest.
The pilot for this program will be with the Temple Israel Congregation Religious School. The focus will be on the students in Grade 6. The program will be a residency consisting of two 1-hour sessions with the students during their religious school classes and
3 hours during their annual religious school retreat.
Leading the project is Lenore Blank Kelner, author, arts educator, arts integration specialist, as well as a theatre and teaching artist. Lenore directed and acted in a touring company under the auspices of the regional theatre in Baltimore, Center Stage.
The State of Minnesota Heritage Grant has funded Ms. Kelner’s work in researching, writing and creating a curriculum suitable for 6th graders. We are now raising funds to allow Ms. Kelner to teach other teaching artists and bring the curriculum to other religious schools in the Twin Cities and in smaller towns such as Sioux Falls, Rapid City, Rochester, Duluth, Fargo and Grand Forks.
Lenore founded and directed for 28 years a professional theatre company serving young audiences and their families.
Her work has been presented in schools, school systems and performing art centers in all 50 states and abroad. She has been a presenter with the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts since 1982. Lenore is the author of two books: The Creative Classroom and A Dramatic Approach to Reading Comprehension.
Thank you for considering a gift to
engage young people in our Jewish history.
Our goal is to raise $50,000!
JHSUM is a 501 (c)(3) tax-exempt organization
If you would like to pay by a check,
download this form and mail to:
Jewish Historical Society
4330 S. Cedar Lake Road | Minneapolis, MN 55416
Lenore has been an adjunct instructor at Towson University, Loyola College, Catonsville, and Dundalk Community Colleges. She was awarded the Creative Drama Award from the American Alliance for Theatre and Education. She recently was named Trailblazer in the Washington DC Public Schools by the DC Arts Collaborative.
Producer/Director of:
-
On the Air- An interactive Old-Time Radio production and/or course.
-
Sing and Swing a Story- Interactive online and in person programs for young children and their and their families (over 4000 programs have been delivered to homes and day care centers since 2020)
Consultant:
-
Maryland State Department of Education
-
Maryland State Arts Council
