Words of Wisdom from our Director of Education Sharon Wasserberg

The question has been asked about what is available for students to purchase for a pre-Religious School snack here at our Monday and Wednesday afternoon Canteen. Over the years I have been here at Adath Israel, we have carefully progressed from offering an “over-the-top” selection of not-necessarily-the-best-for-you-but it-sure-tastes-good candy and soda to a much more appropriate and satisfying assortment of goodies. Early changes included elimination of caffeine-laden soda. With the installation of carpeting in our hallways, colored pop had to go and we decided bottled water and flavored bottled water were a great alternative. In fact, both are quite popular and clearly much better for our students. Most folks visiting the synagogue campus on a Monday or Wednesday afternoon feel an urge to go to the movies. This is due to a fluke of sorts. One afternoon, Marlene Beraha, the Canteen Lady Extraordinaire, popped a bag of microwave popcorn for those of us in the Religious School office. It’s hard to limit oneself to just one pistachio nut and it’s incredibly difficult to not give in to temptation and have a (small) bag of freshly popped popcorn. The best part is that it’s a healthy snack and fun to munch. The challenge is not to leave a trail behind you while heading to class.

In the beginning, there were full-sized candy bars. Now, when I was a kid, candy bars were either five cents or ten cents and they were little. We all know that size-inflation has taken on the candy bar world and there is only so much sugar that any one Religious School-aged child ought to ingest and be able to learn anything in class. After MUCH discussion, it was decided to phase out the full-sized candy bars in favor of the trick-or-treat sized treats. All I can say is that the students have an easier time focusing on what is going on in class.

From time to time, there are ‘freebie’ alternatives available including Clementine’s and carrots with dip. There are almost never leftovers from these special options.

As a kid, there was the penny-candy store that allowed us children the ability to take a portion of our allowances and learn how to use money. Those school stores don’t exist anymore and so our Canteen has additional benefits in that parents can give their child(ren) the money to make their own small snack purchase. Prices are posted next to the Canteen and the range is fifty cents for water down to five cents for a small candy. Popcorn is a quarter and cheese sticks are fifty-five cents. In most cases, a dollar will provide a healthy after-school munch. By the way, popcorn is just as big a seller to parents who walk their kids into school.

The Canteen is open on Monday and Wednesday afternoons from 3:30 until 4:15.

L’shalom,

Mrs. ‘W’