After-School Programs

Nothing comforts parents like a warm, loving oasis for their little ones. Though tailored to young children, Haktanim is not a babysitting service, but a thought-out, level-appropriate program. Circle time, game time, and music time do double duty, nurturing imagination and developing skills. 

Sundays — our full-day program — are creatively themed to teach the kids about the world around them. Each week also has its own theme, for example, “shopping week,” or “fire week,” which makes for exciting trips and activities. Walk through the halls of Haktanim and there’s so much you’ll see and hear. You’ll see kids proudly decorating their baked concoctions, you’ll hear children learning to ask polite questions like, “Are you finished with the book?” But beyond that, you’ll feel the love of each handpicked counselor and the joy of the children as they explore and discover. You’ll feel the beautiful spirit created by cheering, laughter, warmth, and connection.

Playhouse. Where the little ones are playful, homey, comfy, and cheerful. It begins with an early program in the sensory room, and the regular program starts at 4:30 pm with a welcome circle, where each child gets a joyous welcome. That’s followed by the dance circle (where each volunteer dances with “her” child), a nutritious supper, and delightful, themed activities that teach age-appropriate skills.

The Shabbos and Sunday Playhouse programs have their own special flavor — singing and davening with beautiful innocence. Heartwarming scenes are daily fare at Playhouse: a girl dropping a coin in the pushke, a boy hugging a plush velvet Sefer Torah, another boy making Kiddush on Shabbos, wearing a shtreimel and beketshe and feeling on top of the world. On weekdays, you can find the kids deeply engrossed in a story, dressing up, or having a grand time exploring the sandbox.

Playhouse is a personal program — a family — where we seek to help parents in any way we can. We know we’re succeeding when we see the huge smiles on those precious faces.

At Buneini, boys and young men can express their often hard-to-contain energy in a healthy, enjoyable way. Following a delicious dinner after they arrive, they participate in special activities that speak to their hobbies and talents, like exercise, cooking, music, and woodworking.

Buneini is always open when yeshivah isn’t — even on Purim! Every Shabbos, the boys are treated to a full schedule of activities in keeping with the spirit of Shabbos — parshah, Tehillim, games, Minchah, and of course a special Shabbos party. In the winter, programming continues after Havdalah, where boys are kept busy and stimulated until they are dropped off at home tired but content — another day well spent at Bunieini!

These days you’d be hard-pressed to find a day on the calendar when Buneini isn’t running, but it wasn’t always this way. Moishy, an enthusiastic Buneini member, called the director in a tizzy one rare day in the earlier years when the program was closed.

After expressing disappointment that Buneini wasn't open, he innocently asked, “Maybe you can run the program today just for me? I love it so, so much!”