Our Tent 2023 Third Trimester Class Descriptions

Class Description:

Mindfulness Movement:  This class will use Yoga with breath work, meditation, and the Jewish spiritual practice of Mussar as gateway to mindfulness to transform body and soul.

This class is offered in-person only. THIS CLASS WILL OFFER DIFFERENT LESSONS FROM PREVIOUS TRIMESTERS, SO YOU CAN SIGN UP WHETHER YOU’VE PREVIOUSLY ENROLLED OR NOT.

Instructor: Tessa Gable

Tessa Gable has been a member of STKA since 2019.  She is a registered yoga teacher completing a 200-hour Hatha yoga training in May.  She loves cycling, painting, learning about anything spiritual, and spending time with family.  The spiritual hippy lives in Concord Township with her dog and love, Harley.

Class Description:

A Myriad of Perception: We each have our own way of looking at the world. Our human senses are quite different from those of our pets and the other animals that surround us. In this class we will explore various senses. Through these different ways of perceiving, we will gain a better understanding of each other and the world.

This class is offered on Zoom or in-person, please indicate how you will be taking the class when you register.

Instructor: David Nathenson

David Nathenson’s childhood love of outer space led him to a career as a rocket scientist. He is the father of three boys and a dog.  In his spare time, he enjoys creating board games to play with his wife and sons.

Class Description:

Game On: In this class, Nappel will bring you the best of American games while Tomer brings the best of Israeli games. Your will laugh, have fun, and in the end, you can decide who’s the real winner!

This class is offered in-person only.

Instructor: Noah "Nappel" Appel & Tomer Blise

Noah Appel, or Nappel as he is known, will be finishing his bachelor’s degree in social work at Cleveland State University, after beginning at Kent State University. He has spent 11 summers at Camp Wise, including this past summer as the Sports Supervisor.  He will bring his love of sports, his love of fun and his love for life to this class!

Tomer Blise, our shinshin, is from Beit Shean which is Cleveland's sister city. Growing up in Beit Shean she always heard about Cleveland and participated in the partnership programs. Her family has hosted an American for Shabbat dinner for the last 7 years. She is part of Scientific Leadership which is a STEM program, and she has been a guide in the program for the last 4 years and is now responsible for most of the national trips and seminars. She is head of Beit Shean’s youth council and a representative in the regional and national councils.

Class Description:

Torah Tots: This program is for our youngest learners. It will be available all morning and will include childcare and age-appropriate fun Jewish learning. 

Please sign up for each session your child will be in Torah Tots. This class is offered in-person only.

Instructor: Liam Jacobs

After four years of working as a toddler teacher at the JCC, Liam returned to school to earn a Bachelor's degree in Psychology at Cleveland State University and will now be in a full-time graduate program at CSU to become a School Psychologist. When he is not studying or babysitting, he likes to stay physically active at the gym and in nature. He is very excited to return as the Torah Tots teacher this year and to connect with the STKA community.

Class Description:

Shake Hands with Your Uncle Max: Interviewing People with Interesting Jobs about their Connection to Religion and Spirituality. Join us for these fun and interesting interviews with fun and interesting Clevelanders. We'll talk work, life, religion, and spirituality. This interactive class will help us not only hear about these topics from others but also explore them in ourselves.

This class is offered on Zoom or in-person, please indicate how you will be taking the class when you register.

Instructor: Deena Nyer Mendlowitz

Deena Nyer Mendlowitz is a teacher and improviser.  She and her son, Rafi, are active members of STKA and actively involved in Our Tent.  If you need a good laugh, a good pun, or a good way to connect pop culture, especially from the 80s, to Judaism, Deena is your person!

Class Description:

Hooked on a Feeling: Disney Pixar is known for their ability to evoke emotion from viewers of all ages.  In this class, we will view some Pixar shorts and scene from some Pixar movies, and in them we will uncover their emotions, discover their connection to Judaism, and understand what makes them so beloved.

This class is offered on Zoom or in-person, please indicate how you will be taking the class when you register.

Instructor: Rabbi Shana Nyer

Rabbi Shana Nyer was ordained from Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion in 2003 and received her Master of Arts in Religious Education from there in 2016. She loves teaching students of all ages and is passionate about advocating for the inclusion of all learners.  Rabbi Shana is a gifted storyteller who loves to teach Jewish values through this medium, and also gets excited when her lessons combine her knowledge of and passion for Judaism and her interest in all things pop culture.

Class Description:

If I Am Not for Myself, Who Will Be for Me? Judaism commands us to “Love our neighbors as we love ourselves.”  We are to care for others, but we are also to care for ourselves.  In this class we are going to explore what Judaism has to say on mental health and self-care, and then we will create a resource page on our website.

This class is offered in-person only.

Instructor: Maya Cohen

Maya Cohen is a fifth-grade language arts, math, and social studies teacher at Mandel Jewish Day School. She recently graduated from The Ohio State University and is happy to be back in her hometown, Cleveland. This is her second year teaching at Suburban Temple-Kol Ami and is happy to finally be able to do it in person and meet everyone! She's looking forward to a great school year. 

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words: As we approach our 75^th anniversary, we want to create a lasting visual of this milestone.  With the help of professional photographer and member, Jodi Richardson, we will capture in pictures what STKA means to us, and then create a work of art that will be displayed in the school wing for years to come.

This class is offered in-person only. 

Instructor: Jodi Richardson

Jodi Richardson is from Cleveland and has been a photographer since 2002. She grew up attending Camp Wise and still returns for alumni weekends.  Jodi loves being a member of ST-KA!