Florence Melton School of Adult Jewish Learning to Expand

Chicago - June 7, 2013 - The Board of Jewish Education of Metropolitan Chicago (BJE) announced today an exciting collaboration with the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago, the Chicago Board of Rabbis and the Florence Melton Corporation to expand The Florence Melton School of Adult Learning (Melton) in the Chicago metropolitan area.  

"We are confident that Melton will thrive under the leadership of our long-time partners at BJE and the many congregational and day school partners as well."
 -Judy Kupchan, Chief Executive Office of Melton

A major goal of this expansion is to promote a greater understanding and appreciation of Judaism, and build a thriving Jewish community of life-long learners.  Already, a number of sites for teaching the Melton program have been identified among various areas of Chicago and both the northern and northwest suburbs.  The collaboration currently includes 12 Consortium Partners comprised of local synagogues and the Solomon Schechter Day School, and that number is expected to grow.

"I am so proud that our community is coming together to reinvigorate this program in the Greater Chicago Area."
-Rabbi Paul Cohen, Temple Jeremiah,  incoming President of the Chicago Board of Rabbis 

Founded in 1986 by Florence Melton as a project of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, The Florence Melton School of Adult Jewish Learning is a global Jewish educational franchise network of approximately 60 schools dedicated to transformative adult Jewish learning. Melton provides adults with high-quality, sophisticated Jewish learning that enables them to be more passionate, knowledgeable Jews as well as serve as role models and leaders in their families and community. 

"Melton is much more than gaining knowledge of Jewish texts and practices. It is to become part of a community of learners who bring their own wisdom to enter into a conversation that has spanned centuries."
-Rabbi Michael Balinsky , Executive Vice President, Chicago Board of Rabbis

Melton is the largest pluralistic adult Jewish education network (all denominations are welcome) in the world with approximately 20,000 alumni and current students.  The BJE has provided various Melton programs for the past 18 years.
 
"The BJE is thrilled and excited to significantly expand the Melton program and realize its enormous potential."
-Rolly Cohen, Director of Melton at the BJE

Located in Northbrook, the BJE has been providing quality educational programming to the Chicago Jewish community for nearly 90 years.  Melton Consortium Partners currently include:  Am Shalom, Anshe Emet Synagogue, Beth Hillel Congregation Bnai Emunah, Congregation Beth Am, Congregation Beth Judea, Congregation Beth Shalom, North Shore Congregation Israel Congregation B'nai Tikvah, North Suburban Synagogue Beth El, Moriah Congregation, Solomon Schechter Day School, and Temple Jeremiah.

***For more information on Melton and to register please visit our facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/FlorenceMeltonSchoolOfAdultJewishEducationChicago?ref=hl or contact Rolly Cohen at rolly@bjechicago.org or at (847) 291-7788, Ext. #1304