Isaac M. Wise Temple

YoFI is an informal Hebrew word that means "good," "cute," or "way to go!." At Wise Temple, we have an additional meaning. "YoFI" has also become our acronym for "Young Family Involvement."

There is a beautiful midrash (rabbinic story) that imagines the conversation that God might have had with the Israelites upon giving them the Torah at Mount Sinai. "I have a precious gift for you: my Torah - but what proof do I have that you are worthy of it?" The Israelites, so the rabbis say, responded, "Our ancestors prove that we are worthy - for You know how virtuous they were, and we are their descendents." "No," God responded, "they will not suffice." The Israelites tried again, "Then our Prophets can prove that we are worthy - for You know how wise they are." "No," God again responded, "they will not suffice." "Then our children will prove that we are worthy - for we promise to cherish and study the Torah, and teach it diligently to them." God smiled (so to speak) and responded, "That sounds good - since you offer Me your children, I will give you My Torah."

This is a telling tale in our tradition, for it speaks to the value we place on raising our children with an awareness and appreciation of their heritage. We know that in order to maintain and build upon a healthy and vibrant Jewish community, we must involve our children from the earliest age possible. We also know how important it is to introduce families to one another in order to create bonds that will continue to flourish as the children grow older together.

If you are in a family with young children, or if you know someone who has young children, we hope that you will keep your eye out for YoFI events this year.

Wise Tykes Services - Friday evenings at 6:30 PM at Wise Center

Don’t miss out on fun and interactive Shabbat services that feature music, stories, and an age-appropriate prayer book (geared for pre-readers and early readers).  All are welcome!  Unless otherwise noted, Wise Tykes takes place at Wise Center at 6:30 p.m.  Below are the dates for this year’s Wise Tykes services.

• June 25, 2010
• July 23, 2010
• August 20, 2010
• September 9, 2010
• October 1, 2010
• October 22, 2010
• November 12, 2010
• December 17, 2010
• January 14, 2011
• February 4, 2011
• February 25, 2011
• March 11, 2011
• April 8, 2011
• April 29, 2011
• May 20, 2011
• June 10, 2011 (away)

Other 2010-2011 YoFI Programs

8329 Ridge Road | Cincinnati, OH 45236 | 513.793.2556 | welcome@wisetemple.org