From left to right, Anita Levy, Rabbi Ilana Garber and Jordan Oberstein.

WEST HARTFORD – Beth El Temple’s program SULAM, which just celebrated its first year, received three awards at the Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford’s Annual meeting on June 13. (SULAM, “ladder” in Hebrew, stands for Seek, Understand, Learn, Act, Marvel.) The award for 2018 Innovative Family Program was presented to Rabbi Ilana Garber, rabbinic director of Lifelong Learning and Community Engagement, for The Sixth Grade Bar/Bat Mitzvah & Beyond Series, which brought learners and their parents together to deepen the Bar/Bat Mitzvah experience.

The award for 2018 Innovative Program was presented to Anita Levy, SULAM Beth El educator for Sharing the Dream, which connected 7th graders with the teachings of Torah, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, and Rabbi Stanley Kessler (Beth El’s Rabbi Emeritus, who marched with King and Heschel). The award for 2018 Most Effective Teen Aide was presented to Jordan Oberstein, who has served as aide for several years and is an expert in technology.

“We are incredibly proud of the programs, educators and Madrichim (Teen Aides) who have been recognized by CJEL for educational excellence,” said Rabbi Jim Rosen. “The vision and partnership of so many people in our learning community is elevating us on the SULAM (ladder) of Jewish discovery and growth!”