Youth Home Page at Temple Chai

Katanty (Grades 3 and 4)
Bonim (Grades 5 and 6 )

Chai Kids Corner!

*Dates and events are subject to change based on weather, availability, etc.

Contact Joan Neer, advisor for Chai Kids, at Jneer@templechai.com or 602-971-1234

Month	Katanty Events (3^rd & 4^th grades)	Bonim Events (5^th & 6^th grades)
February	Sunday, 21 - Bouncing, boxing, jumping and sliding your way to fun at Pump It Up!	Saturday, 20 – Night time comedy at Jester’Z Comedy Improv Club (shows are family sensitive – appropriate for all ages and there is no swearing or vulgarity)
March	Sunday, 21 – Let’s go to the theater - Peter Pan at Desert Stages Theater	Saturday, 6 - Hayride & cookout in the desert at MacDonald’s Ranch
April	Sunday, 25 – Let’s do a Mitzvah - Shopping at the dollar store for a children’s shelter & lunch out	Sunday, 18 – Group will decide on a mitzvah project
May	Sunday, 2 – Float along the lazy river, zip down the water slide, swim & lunch at McDowell Mountain Ranch Park-bring the whole family!	Sunday, 2 - Float along the lazy river, zip down the water slide, swim & lunch at McDowell Mountain Ranch Park – bring the whole family!

Joan Neer

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What is Chai Kids?
Chai Kids is the junior youth group of Temple Chai that includes grades 3 through 6. We refer to our 3rd and 4th grade group as Katanty and 5th and 6th grades as Bonim.

Katanty - Meet new friends in a safe and comfortable environment outside of religious school and participate in great activities such as a visit to a pumpkin patch, a swim party, cosmic bowling, and even a mitzvah project or two.

Bonim - Begin building on those existing friendships to form lasting relationships while enjoying events such as scavenger hunt at the zoo, a hayride and BBQ, a visit to a comedy club and more great mitzvah projects.

What are the goals of Chai Kids?
Our goal is simple. It is to allow our children to have fun and to be in a safe, supervised environment and to “connect” with and create friendships with other children in the religious school. Occasionally we well also meet up with youth groups from other temples.

When do Chai Kids meet and how do I get information and sign up for events?
We meet once a month, usually on a Sunday, right after religious school. Some events may take place on a Saturday evening. A flyer called the Chai Kids Monthly with an RSVP form appears each month in the “Chai Lights” and can be found on this website and in the temple and religious school offices to let you know the activities for the month. Flyers are also circulated during religious school to the children and emails are sent out.

Who runs Chai Kids?
Joan Neer is the Chai Kids director for Katanty and Bonim. She can be reached at 602-971-1234 or jneer@templechai.com.

How much do events cost?
Each month there will be a different charge, according to the event. Sometimes it may be a minimal charge to cover an inexpensive event and the transportation, and other times it may be more, depending on where the children are going, whether lunch is included in the price, etc. However, scholarships are available. We never want a child not participating due to cost. Please contact Joan Neer for scholarship information at jneer@templechai.com.

Chai Kids Staff

Joan Neer has been with Temple Chai in an administrative position since 1995 and provides administrative support for the rabbis and cantor in addition to coordinating the b'nai mitzvah programming. She was also a Hebrew and Judaica teacher for 14 years. In addition to her already busy schedule, she is also the Judaica Shop coordinator and can be contacted at jneer@templechai.com or by calling the temple office at 602-971-1234.

Erin Purvin is our Club 78 (7th & 8th grades) advisor. She is also the TCTY (high school youth group) advisor. This is Erin’s first year at Temple Chai, and has become actively involved as a youth advisor and a 7th and 8th grade leadership teacher on Tuesday nights. Erin was born in El Paso, Texas and moved to Arizona, after graduate school, summer of 2005. Erin is also a school social worker at a Trevor G. Browne High School, where she helps prevent students from dropping out of school. Erin can be contacted at epurvin@templechai.com. or by calling the temple office.

Chai Kids, Club 78 and Katanty forms
(all forms in PDF format)

Chai Kids Information

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