Over a year ago, The Riverside Language Program and Lab/Shul, an artist-driven experimental Jewish community, joined forces to provide Riverside students with programming and enrichment opportunities. Volunteers from Lab/Shul first started working with the Riverside community as Language Lab volunteers, practicing conversational English with current students. Thanks in no small part to Lab/Shul volunteers Ivan Helfand and Janee Graver, the relationship has grown steadily. This past Rosh Hashanah, Lab/Shul volunteers hosted a field trip on the Circle Line, traveling up and down the Hudson, and introduced students to Tashlich, a Jewish tradition in which pieces of bread are thrown into the water to “symbolically cast off sins of the previous year.” Janee immediately recognized her conversation partners and was thrilled to meet them in person to share this special event. She noted how moving it was to participate in this ceremony with Riverside’s immigrant and refugee students, especially when the ferry sailed in view of the Statue of Liberty.

Ivan is looking forward to more collaboration. “We hope to be doing more with the Riverside Language Program...The mission of Riverside fits perfectly with our values to promote justice and equality.” As Lab/Shul’s Rabbi Amichai said, “...this is not the last time we co-create sacred space and community together.”