The Story of the Chaverim School
A Spirit of Possibility
In the early 1990s, Temple Hillel B’nai Torah stood at a moment of transition and renewal. The congregation was rich in imagination and heart, even as resources were stretched thin. There was no shortage of time or talent, but the lack of funds tested both. It called for leadership, creativity, and trust that the community could build something from almost nothing.
Through Project Gesher I and II, Sunday Fundays, and A Taste of Judaism, members created intergenerational programs that brought new families into the fold. The Sisterhood and Brotherhood hosted dinners and civic breakfasts, and even a mayoral candidate breakfast with Tom Menino filled the social hall with purpose. It was within that same spirit of possibility that the Chaverim School began to take shape. What started around a few kitchen tables became a shared expression of commitment and care. The school was never just about classes or schedules; it was about building something that would last, a space where Jewish learning, friendship, and hope could flourish together.
The Founding Circle
The Chaverim School began with a handful of families who believed Jewish learning could be joyful, creative, and deeply rooted in community. Among them were Sam Schneiderman and Christie Wivag, Rob and Beth Elkin, George and Yoli Cohen, and Claudia Harris and her then-spouse, parents who gathered around kitchen tables to imagine a new kind of Jewish education at Temple HBT.
At their first meeting with then-Temple President Marvin Rosenkrantz, the group was told that the Temple could not afford to start a Hebrew school. Marvin noted that HBT had previously partnered with the Milton Hebrew School and suggested continuing that relationship. Undeterred, the parents enrolled their children in Milton for a year while they worked out the details of creating their own program. What began as an act of patience and practicality became an act of faith — a belief that Jewish learning could be personal, joyous, and sustainable within the HBT community itself.
“We just wanted our kids to love being Jewish and to feel part of something that mattered.”
— Sam Schneiderman
A Living Lineage
The Chaverim School stands today as part of a living lineage. The same qualities that shaped its beginnings — imagination, persistence, and love of community — continue to define it. Each generation adds its own layer, giving what it can in time, talent, and heart.
Every generation at HBT has built upon the one before it, shaping the Chaverim School with their dedication and heart. What began as a handful of families around kitchen tables has become a living tradition of Jewish learning and belonging.
The Chaverim School is not only a program of study; it is a community of belonging, carried forward by those who believe that learning, compassion, and joy can shape a Jewish future worth building.
“We want our students to know they belong, to the Jewish people, to this community, and to a life of meaning.”
— The Chaverim School TeamEditor’s Note: This history was compiled in 2025 by Lenny Markowitz, based on conversations with founding families including Sam Schneiderman, Christie Wivag, and Claudia Harris, along with materials from the Temple Hillel B’nai Torah archives.