ENGLISH LANGUAGE ACQUISITION PROGRAM
The Second Wave
The students come from all around the world. Some speak only a little English, others quite a bit. Some come with children in tow, or a husband or wife; others come alone. Some have been here many years; others are newly arrived. It matters not whether they are Jewish, Christian, or Muslim, male or female, young or old. They are welcome.
They are met by volunteers who will work with them in small groups or individually, depending on their needs and our resources. They will sit at tables and talk, learn English, and learn about living in America. Their new skills will empower them to interact with their new community. Sound like the United Nations? Actually, it’s just a typical evening for Temple Sinai’s ELA (English Language Acquisition) program, the “second wave” of “Mitzvah – A Wave of Life.”
“Mitzvah – A Wave of Life” was conceived in the spring of 2006. Its name reflects a fundamental tenet of the program: the doing of small actions can create big ripples in the lives of others. The program’s first project, or “first wave,” was a year-long partnership with Brown Elementary School in Northwest Denver, in which congregants donated backpacks and school supplies, books, winter clothing, classroom calculators, and other necessities to the school, its students, and their families.
The ELA program, our “second wave,” was conceived and organized by Ken Stern, Linda Stein, and Lisa Friedman in September, 2007, with the goal of providing an opportunity for members of our congregation to develop a personal appreciation of the diversity within our community, one that can be shared reciprocally with our students. Like the partnership with Brown Elementary, it is creating big ripples. “Every Tuesday I am struck by the sweetness of the small interactions taking place in our program,” says Linda Stein. “We are breaking down barriers and building bridges of understanding between people who otherwise would not have a way of getting to know each other. Whether it's the compassion created by truly understanding what a difficult language English is to learn, the simple kindness of caring for the children of our students, or the mutual respect shown between women, whether wearing burqas or jeans, something very special happens at Temple Sinai every Tuesday night.” Ken Stern and Linda Stein, who devote countless hours to the ELA program, have been honored with the 2008 Temple Sinai Volunteer of the Year award.
The ELA program is passionately led by Lois Tardio and Jose Tardio Sanchez, who began their quest to bring English to everyone nine years ago. Lois grew up in Peru, the daughter of an American missionary and linguist. Jose 
is a native Peruvian whose mother’s father, a Turkish Jew, fled with his family to Peru to escape persecution, only to encounter it in his new country. Jose, a non-Jew in halachic terms but a regular worshipper at BMH-BJ and HEA for the past decade, is the organizer of the Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem, which was observed by Jews and others in Denver and around the world on May 31 this year.
Because of their Spanish language skills and the fact that they home-schooled their two children, Lois and Jose were approached by members of their church with the idea of offering English language classes as part of the church’s mission to serve its community. “We didn’t know the first thing about teaching English to adults,” said Lois, “but how could we say no?” What began with one student led to that community serving 1,200 people a month with language classes, computer classes, a donation bank, and a whole host of social services.
Jose and Lois left that program with the broader goal of starting additional language programs so that all who wanted English language instruction could find it in their own communities. Temple Sinai’s ELA program is their fourth. Our volunteers, they say, are the most dedicated, flexible, and willing volunteers they have ever worked with. Indeed, many come with passion. “I came looking for ‘the thing’ that makes me feel I’m doing something important,” explains volunteer Audrey Friedman Marcus. “When I hear my students describe the difficulties of being an immigrant, it really touches a chord.”
Our hope is that eventually Temple Sinai’s ELA program will serve as a model to other synagogues, churches, and other organizations around the community to bring English classes to everyone seeking to improve their skills. To do this, though, we need you to get involved. Teachers, of course, are always needed (only English skills are required and training is provided), but that’s not all. We are also seeking volunteers to reach out into the community to identify and solicit members in need of English language instruction; to greet students at the door at the start of class; to register, assess, and place new students; to provide childcare services; and to provide snacks and/or beverages for students and volunteers. If you can help or would like more information, please contact Ken Stern, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , or Linda Stein, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , or call the Temple office at (303) 759-1827.
BROWN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
The first project undertaken by “Mitzvah – A Wave of Life” was a partnership and cultural exchange with Brown Elementary, a Denver Public School in northwest Denver. It was a multi-faceted program with many opportunities for participation by Temple members throughout the year, and positively impacted both the Brown Elementary and Temple Sinai communities.
Our first project, completed in August, 2006, was providing each student at Brown with a backpack filled with grade-level supplies and a letter from a Temple Sinai congregant. Throughout the year, congregants also donated books, winter clothing, Thanksgiving food baskets, classroom calculators, and other necessities to the school, its students, and their families. Temple Sinai members volunteered in Brown Elementary classrooms on a regular basis. The partnership culminated with the completion of a mural by the school’s “mural club” with the assistance of the school’s art teacher and Temple Sinai volunteers Linda Stein, Max Frieder, and Amanda Borow.
