When Rabbi Sholom and Mushky Brook moved to Minneapolis to start a Chabad aimed at early-career professionals, they were trying to fill a gap: young professionals aren’t heading back to campus for holidays, but probably aren’t ready to join a synagogue either – especially if they are transplants.
“They’re able to find their friends, their community, their Jewish life. A lot of people are locals and just looking for that Jewish engagement, but it’s a huge array,” said Mushky Brook of the crowd that often attends Chabad Young Jewish Professionals events. “It’s not so much about age; it’s about stage. That’s why we’re here. We’re trying to provide that sense of Jewish community for those people.”
As that constituency moved into their next stages – getting married and having children – the Brooks were looking for a way to continue to engage them: Which is why they started Jewish Beginnings, a Reggio-inspired preschool as an in-home program.
“A few years ago, we noticed there was a little bit of a shift. Sholom did many weddings…and as they start to settle down, they get married, they start having kids, they’re not really coming out for YJP events anymore,” Mushky Brook said. “It didn’t really service what they’re looking for Jewish-wise. It almost seemed like such a natural next step where we want to continue to foster and create that sense of community for these people in the next phase in life, and that’s where the whole preschool idea was born.”
The program is led by veteran early childhood educators Karen Burton, who ran Beth El Synagogue’s Aleph Preschool for 13 years and has 29 years of experience in the space, and Erin Waller – who ran the program at the Minnesota JCC – Sabes Center Minneapolis. Burton said that despite other Jewish preschool options, there is definitely room in the market.
And, in the less-than-two years since Jewish Beginnings opened, interest has quickly forced them to transition to a larger facility on 50th Street in South Minneapolis.
Rabbi Sholom Brook, with guests Colin and Wendy Smith, visit a class before hanging mezuzot in the new building in Spring 2024. (Lonny Goldsmith/TC Jewfolk)
“There is a huge need,” Burton said. “We’re fortunate in the Twin Cities that we do have a nice variety of Jewish preschools. But the need is so great. There’s enough really to spread around, and we’re really fortunate.”
The growth has happened fast. The infant room went from having two kids in April to being at full capacity by June. Burton said that the school went from 19 kids total in March to doubling that in June, to being ready for 60 – which is full capacity – in September.
“It’s like a family: We’ll have the older kids do activities with the younger kids. So they’ll learn to be gentle with the younger kids,” Burton said. “The younger kids will learn from the older kids as well. And because we’re the size we’re going to be, all the teachers know every kid in the school, not just the kids in their class.”
Even at 60 kids, Mushky Brook said that she and Burton have spoken about keeping the in-home feel even in a larger building.
“I think that so far we’ve been able to maintain that sense of connectedness,” she said.
Said Burton: “Everybody knows what each of us doing in the classrooms as well. We all chat about what we’re doing today, sharing those ideas, and modifying them for the different age groups, which is really special.”
Taking a leap of faith
Michael Joseph and his wife were married by Sholom Brook, and their son was one of the first – if not the first – to be registered for the preschool. He acknowledged that it was a bit of a leap of faith to be an early registrant in a new program, but parenthood is often that way.
“Isn’t everything a leap of faith?” Joseph said. “We felt that a Jewish daycare would give us the best path. And I say the best path only because it’s the way that we both grew up.”
Michael Joseph grew up in Manchester, England, and his wife Abby here in Minnesota. But both were highly engaged in their respective Jewish communities, which is why Jewish daycare was so important.
“Was it something new? Did we have our questions? Of course,” he said. “But we would have done that with an established daycare because it’s our child and you want what’s best for your child.”
The relationship the Josephs have with the Brooks helped ease their minds.
“Knowing the passion that Sholom and Mushky have, and the passion that they spoke about creating the Jewish daycare, if you know them, then you know that there’s just that level of trust,” he said. “And I knew that if Mushky was the one behind it, it would turn out to be incredible.”
Julia Dulin was also an early adopter of the school, signing her child up after meeting with Brook.
“A Jewish element was really important; I was thinking Jewish songs, talking about holidays and Shabbat, all those things are very important,” Dulin said. “We wanted to find something that was like going to challenge our child, help them grow, help them learn, become independent.”
Dulin said her older child was at a Montessori school, which he said has a similar philosophy to the Reggio-style that Jewish Beginnings subscribes to.
“[It] lets children kind of explore on their own, lead the way in learning and become more independent,” Dulin said. “We’ve seen that happen.”
Joseph said that the growth is because of the trust families have in the founders.
“If you look at where it is now to where it started 22 months ago, it’s a massive success story,” Joseph said. “It is a testament to the trust – the implicit trust, I think – that the parents put in Mushky and Sholom.”
For the Brookses, it’s the trust they put in Burton and Waller to lead the program they founded.
“We literally pinch ourselves,” Mushky Brook said. “We have no doubt that it has been a huge asset to our program. Very intentional and strategic with our vision. You know, like we want to grow this we want to expand it we want to be a credible name in town, and quick.”
Sholom Brook said that Burton pushed them to hire Waller after she left the Minnesota JCC, at a time with only 16 kids in the program. The Brookses knew that it was an investment in the future and sustainability of the program.
“It takes people, it takes credibility, it takes time,” Sholom Brook said.
Said Musky Brook: “Everyone utilizes their strengths. No one person could do it themselves.”
Mushky Brook said that she’s inspired by Burton.
“She has this drive and energy and excitement, and she’s so passionate about this,” she said. “And that’s what we noticed right when we met Karen. This is the best thing we could have in our preschool.”
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