Kvell With Us – Recent Articles
JKG is a fresh approach to Hebrew School. Read more to find out what media outlets, blogger, and national publications are saying about JKG.
Wise Temple’s New [Afternoon] Program Part Of National Experiment.
Cincy Jewfolk, September 26, 2023
JPlay in New Jersey. Atlanta-based accelerator uses new model for Jewish [afternoon] experiences.
New Jersey Jewish News, June 22, 2023
Having an impact on Jewish teens: A new masterclass powered by Jewish federations. Leadership teams from 12 organizations, including Jewish Kids Groups, gathered to learn about scaling impact in the Jewish community.
eJewishPhilanthropy, June 16, 2023
JKG Founder and Executive Director Ana Robbins wins 2023 National Council of Jewish Women Atlanta Section Shero Award. Read More
Census: Hebrew school enrollment plummeted over 40% from 2006 to 2019: Jewish Education Project director calls for major investment to improve schools ‘to give these kids what they deserve’
eJewishPhilanthropy, April 19, 2023
Supplementary Hebrew school enrollment in the United States decreased by over 40% from 2006 to 2019 and the total number of Hebrew schools dropped by more than a quarter during the same period, according to a new study released by The Jewish Education Project. Read more.
New initiative sees [weekday afternoon] programs as key to Jewish education: Atlanta-based Jewish Kids Groups looks to expand nationwide with new grant from Marcus Foundation.
eJewishPhilanthropy, March 31, 2023
The school day ends at 3 p.m., but the workday doesn’t end until 5 p.m. – what’s a parent to do? It’s certainly not a new struggle, but the Jewish Kids Groups is hoping to provide a solution: Jewish [weekday afternoon] programs. Read more.
JKG receives expansion grant to help communities across the U.S. start their own Jewish [weekday afternoon] programs
March 15, 2023. Read the news release.
“So exciting, so rich and right”: Jewish [Weekday Afternoon Programs are] Here to Stay – Funders Please Take Note
eJewish Philanthropy, August 2020
I went into my research with two questions: (1) Does the Jewish [weekday afternoon] model of education offer an effective means of supplementary Jewish education? (2) As an alternative to other forms of supplementary Jewish education, what are the key aspects of the model that contribute to its potential effectiveness? In answering my two research questions, I found that not only is the [weekday afternoon] model indeed an effective one, but also why and how it is effective. Read more.
MJCCA & JKG Offer Bold New Educational Options
Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta, August 2020
JKG’s Executive Director Ana Robbins spoke to the emotional needs her full-day program will meet. “JKG Full Day provides a unique opportunity for children who may not typically connect with other Jewish kids at school to do just that. Our goal is to counter the loneliness many kids felt this spring and summer by providing a warm, nurturing, safe, and fun Jewish environment.” Read more.
Creativity and Change in Part-Time Jewish Education
Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta, May 2020
Jewish Kids Groups created JKG at Home, broadcasting on Facebook Live every weekday afternoon. Favorite sessions have included interactive Jewish Art and Hebrew Yoga online. Some families have enjoyed the experiences live, while others access the recorded content at a time that works best for them. Read more.
Jewish Kids Groups Celebrates Joint B’nai Mitzvah
Atlanta Jewish Times, April 2020
For the third year, Jewish Kids Groups, Atlanta’s independent Sunday and [weekday afternoon] program, held its unique b’nai mitzvah ceremony. Read more.
Learning About Sukkot at a Jewish [Weekday Afternoon Program], Summer-Camp Style
EJewish Philanthropy, October 2019
Imagine if an immersive, home-based holiday like Sukkot could be celebrated at Jewish summer camp. What would it look like? We used this thought experiment to design the Jewish Kids Groups [weekday afternoon] program 8 years ago, and it still guides our structure today. JKG is the first taste of home for our kids at the end of a long school day – when they are exhausted, hungry and need to get out some shpilkes. Read more.
Ana Robbins, Neshama Littman: Judaism Unbound Episode 191: Jewish Kids Groups
Judaism Unbound, October 2019
Ana Robbins and Neshama Littman join Dan Libenson and Lex Rofeberg for a conversation about Jewish Kids Groups, an innovative Atlanta organization where Robbins serves as Executive Director and Littman serves as Families Director. Read more.
Jewish Kids Groups: What the Torah Teaches Us About Trusting Children
Atlanta Jewish Times, September 2018
This year members of the JKG Leadership Team have renewed their commitments to personal and professional learning. In this article, Neshama Littman, JKG Families Director asks, "What would it look like to really trust a child’s knowledge of their own needs? How often do we assert our own expertise as adults to overrule a child? What are we saying when we draw boundaries for children around what a Jewish person is allowed to believe, what a Jewish person is supposed to look like, what conversations are allowed to happen openly in Jewish spaces?" Read more.
Natan's 2018-19 Grants: What We're Learning
eJewish Philanthropy, July 23, 2018
Jewish Kids Groups is a recipient of a 2018-19 Jewish Connection grant from Natan for its innovative approach to family engagement. Natan funds organizations that are addressing unmet needs in Jewish communities in new ways. Read more.
It's Not School, It's Jewish [Weekday Afternoon] School. And it's Awesome!
eJewish Philanthropy, July 12, 2018
Jewish Kids Groups is part of the Nitzan Network, a national community of Jewish [weekday afternoon] programs. The Nitzan Network is reinventing Jewish [weekday afternoon] learning experiences, providing hundreds of young people with the building blocks to grow and explore the world through a Jewish lens. These programs offer students and parents a revolutionary [Jewish educational] option during the week. Combining the services of [weekday afternoon care] with experiential Jewish education, families can relax knowing that their children are having fun while building their Jewish identity. Read more.
8 Brilliant Jewish Organizations Reimagine Jewish Life
eJewish Philanthropy, June 20, 2018
Jewish Kids Groups is graduating from Upstart's Accelerator program, a lab, launchpad, and support system for the Jewish community’s bravest leaders and boldest ideas. Over the next five years, using tools gained in the Upstart Accelerator, JKG intends to follow in the footsteps of Moishe House and One Table in partnering with communities and philanthropists to extend their winning formula for Jewish engagement to families in cities across America. Read more.
JKG Celebrates First B'nai Mitzvah Class
Atlanta Jewish Times, June 6, 2018
Jewish Kids Groups celebrated its first group b’nai mitzvah ceremony Saturday, May 19, at Savoy Events in Chamblee. The ceremony completed a two-year personal journey rich with community service, Jewish learning and personal interest projects for each of the eight b’nai mitzvah students in the initial JKG cohort. Read more.
JKG Gets Guidance To Help It Grow
Atlanta Jewish Times, January 17, 2018
Project Accelerate has accepted Jewish Kids Groups into its 2017-19 cohort to help the program enter a new stage of growth. Read more.
JKG Selected For The 2017-19 Cohort of Project Accelerate
Press Release, January 8, 2018
Jewish Kids Groups is participating in a NY-based capacity building program designed for high performing organizations poised to enter a new growth stage. Read more.
JKG Included In UpStart Report
Working Across and Working Between: A Theory of Innovation in Jewish Education, November 2017
Jewish Kids Groups is named as a part of new Jewish education that has, "had significant effects on the broader landscape of educational institutions." Read more.
JKG Named One of Top 50 Innovative Organizations
Jewish Georgian, July/August 2017
Jewish Kids Groups recognized for third consecutive year by Slingshot Guide. Read more.
Jewish Kids Groups Expands to Alpharetta
North Fulton Herald, July 12, 2017
JKG adds location on Haynes Bridge Road to serve North Fulton students at fifth location in Metro Atlanta. Read more.
JKG Voted Jewish Atlanta's Favorite Innovative Nonprofit
Atlanta Jewish Times, June 23, 2017
Jewish Kids Groups named Favorite Innovative Nonprofit through Atlanta Jewish Times city-wide survey. Read more.
JKG Adds Alpharetta
Atlanta Jewish Times, June 21, 2017
Jewish Kids Groups is expanding to Alpharetta with its fifth location for the 2017-18 school year. Read more.
JKG One of Top 50 Innovators
Atlanta Jewish Times, June 14, 2017
JKG is the only Atlanta organization to receive the 2017 recognition, announced Tuesday, June 6. Read more.
Jewish Kids Groups Expands to Alpharetta
Press Release, June 14, 2017
JKG to open their fifth site in North Fulton for Fall 2017. Read more.
Jewish Kids Groups Featured in Slingshot Guide for Third Consecutive Year
Press Release, June 6, 2017
JKG has been named one of North America’s top 50 innovative Jewish organizations in the twelfth annual Slingshot Guide. Read more.
Guiding Kids to Judaism Through Cooking
Jewish Food Experience, June 4, 2017
While looking for a [weekday afternoon] program for our daughter, we found our special place at Jewish Kids Groups. Read more.
JKG is Our Family's Kibbutz in Atlanta
Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta, March 21, 2017
JKG Director Nick Contino infuses fun and flavor into lessons on Jewish holidays and culture. Read more.
Jewish Kids Groups Adds JCC Location
Atlanta Jewish Times, January 19, 2017
Jewish Kids Groups, the independent Hebrew school founded by Ana Robbins, is opening its fourth location on Sunday, Jan. 22: the Marcus Jewish Community Center’s Dunwoody campus. Read more.
Jewish Kids Groups Expands to Dunwoody
Press Release, January 4, 2017
JKG, Atlanta's independent and innovative Hebrew school, opens their fourth location in Atlanta at the MJCCA. Read more.
Celebrate Excellence, Embrace Change
Jewish Boston, November 15, 2016
Our real work is building vibrant, meaningful communities that attract all of our Jewish community. Read more.
The Start-Up Nature of Jewish [Weekday Afternoon] Programming
The Covenant Foundation, August 30, 2016
JKG's approach and growth over the last several years mirrors a still nascent, yet hard-to-ignore trend on this end of the Jewish educational spectrum. Read more.
Jewish Kids Groups Provides Experiential Education to Atlanta Students
Candler Park Messenger, August 2016
The exponential growth of metro Atlanta’s population has brought waves of new families planting roots in Atlanta’s intown neighborhoods. Read more.
JKG Personalizes Middle School Program
Atlanta Jewish Times, May 16, 2016
The experiential curriculum covers Hebrew, Jewish values and ethics, holidays, core blessings, and community service projects. It is personalized, including a personal interest project that connects with a Jewish theme. Read more.
Living Wonders, JKG Get Innovative Boost
Atlanta Jewish Times, March 9, 2016
Two of the innovative providers of summer and youth programs in Atlanta are improving their operations and working toward better meeting the community’s needs in part by traveling every few months to San Francisco. Read more.
4 Atlanta Innovators Make Slingshot List
Atlanta Jewish Times, March 7, 2016
Four of the 50 most innovative Jewish organizations in North America are based in Atlanta, according to the 2016 Slingshot Guide. Read more.
JKG Named One of America's Top 50 Innovative Jewish Organizations
Press Release, March 7, 2016
Jewish Kids Groups has been named one of North America’s top 50 innovative Jewish organizations in the eleventh annual Slingshot Guide. Read more.
UpStart Seeks New Applicants
Atlanta Jewish Times, February 5, 2016
The Accelerator program has helped launch more than 30 Jewish organizations since 2006, including Moishe House, G-dcast and A Wider Bridge. Atlanta-based Jewish Kids Groups and Camp Living Wonders entered the program last year. Read more
SOJOURN & Partners Provide Youth Support
by Kevin Madigan, Atlanta Jewish Times, October 6, 2015
More than 40 Jewish organizations, including Jewish Kids Groups, are co-sponsoring SOJOURN’s Jewish Community Tent at the Pride Festival at Piedmont Park. Read more