"SIMCHA" Center for Children's Creative Development

Walking into the dilapidated room with park tables and wavy floors, it is hard to believe that the 'SIMCHA' Center for Children's Creative Development in Dnepropetrovsk could be such a unique place of creativity and joy. Over 700 children, teenagers and their parents participate in 21 programs including arts and crafts, photography, animation and music. All of the different programs within the center concentrate on Jewish themes, holidays and stories from Jewish texts to introduce different types of arts, music, computer animation, photography, design, and ceramics.

One example of the many professional programs is the 'Jewish Ecology' class, which concentrates on the environment, ecology, and Jewish laws and ethics. As part of the learning process, children create environment-orientated posters, booklets, cards, ecological movies, and exhibit them in ecological fairs and festivals. This program has led them to win several national prizes. In addition these children have the opportunity to participate in environmental summer camps.

Some of the graduates, who first participated 8 years ago when the 'SIMCHA' Center for Children's Creative Development was first opened, today have become counselors, teachers, and role models of the program. What was started as a small professional studio has become an institution of Art and Judaism, which continues to reach out to hundreds of Jewish children in Dnepropetrovsk. As a result of 'SIMCHA's success, a specialized course to train counselors and teachers has been developed.

The 'SIMCHA' Center for Children's Creative Development is just one of the many attractive programs for children, teenagers and families at the JCC in Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine.

'SIMCHA's curriculum includes: