Yoga rising: Jewish preschools in US incorporate yoga in curriculum

By NewsGram Staff Writer

Keeping in trend with the rising popularity of Yoga, throngs of Jewish schools are offering Yoga classes as part of the curriculum in preschools in the United States.

As per available online information, Strauss ECE and Kindergarten of the Temple Emanu-El in Tucson (Arizona), Camp TBJ preschool of Congregation B'Nai Jeshurun in Short Hills (New Jersey), Tribeca Jewish Preschool in Manhattan (New York), Sarfan Early Childhood Center of the United Jewish Community of the Virginia Peninsula in Newport News (Virginia), Jewish Community Center of Greater Orlando Preschool in Maitland (Florida), Chai Jewish Reggio Emilia Preschool of the North Peninsula in Foster City (California), Mander Jewish Community Center Preschool in Beachwood (Ohio), Ganon Gil Preschool of Temple Adat Shalom in Poway (California), Mittleman Jewish Community Center Preschool in Portland (Oregon), B'nai Israel Community Day School in Gainesville (Florida) are just a few names in the long list of preschools offering some sort of yoga classes to the kids.

"Our yoga program designed for three and four year old's is the gift that keeps on giving. Children will benefit from yoga practice in a variety of ways including maintaining flexibility, enhancing concentration, increasing self-esteem, and cultivating a relaxed state of body and mind. Utilizing storytelling, children will learn in a unique environment that will help to spark creativity", says the website of Strauss ECE and Kindergarten.

Tribeca Jewish Preschool's yoga class "encourages self-expression as well as building social skills", children "build self-confidence and self-awareness" in Chai Jewish Reggio Emilia Preschool yoga classes while Ganon Gil Preschool classes "encourage children to practice yoga while they play, sing and imagine".

Commending the Jewish preschools that have included yoga in their instruction, Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada, urged all the preschools of USA to incorporate yoga in the lives of children.

Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, pointed out that yoga, referred to as "a living fossil", was a mental and physical discipline for everybody to share and benefit from.

"Its traces go back to around 2,000 BCE to Indus Valley civilization", added Zen.

Rajan Zed further said that yoga, although introduced and nourished by Hinduism, was a world heritage and liberation powerhouse to be utilized by all. According to Patanjali who codified it in Yoga Sutras, yoga was a methodical effort to attain perfection, through the control of the different elements of human nature, physical and psychical.

According to US National Institute of Health, yoga may help one to feel more relaxed, be more flexible, improve posture, breathe deeply, and get rid of stress. According to an estimate, about 21 million Americans, including many celebrities now practice yoga.

"Yoga is the repository of something basic in the human soul and psyche", Zed added.