Atara Bienenfeld has plenty of experience in chinuch. But one thing she never explored was podcasting for kids, until now.
Last month, Bienenfeld started the “Reaching Higher” Jewish Kids Podcast, a fun, educational podcast for Jewish children. Already with episodes on Shavuot, Yerushalayim, safrut and “Books and Beyond,” featuring interviews of adults, soundbites from kids and exciting trivia questions, it promises to be a great listen for children and a welcome addition to chinuch.
Originally from Teaneck, Bienenfeld lived in Riverdale before making aliyah eight years ago, is now living with her husband and five children in Carmei Gat. She has been in the Jewish education scene, teaching Judaic studies in Westchester Day School and working at a midrasha in Israel, in addition to communal chinuch work. Discussing her background and path to “Reaching Higher,” Bienenfeld related, “When I listen to podcasts with my kids on the way to school, on trips, when we drive to Yerushalayim, everything, I felt there was really a lack of appropriate, relevant content for Jewish kids, and that’s kind of where I had this idea that this is something I could create and fill this void, so that’s how it began.” As someone who had a passion for podcasts and education, it was the perfect idea.
Reflecting on the experience, Bienenfeld noted how this podcast combines something new with something she has been doing for years. “It’s the first podcast I’ve ever done. It’s a lot of new things for me, but I have done a lot of the teaching pieces of it because that’s ultimately what it is, because it’s very educational, and thinking about the most relatable and best way to portray the information in a way—bite-sized pieces—that kids with short attention spans can understand.”
Asked what the podcast offers, Bienenfeld said, “I think when kids have downtime or time in the car … it’s a lot of fun, and it’s really engaging, and it’s educational.” And there’s something in it for the parents as well, giving them some time off in a pinch. “I’m a free babysitter,” Bienenfeld said of herself. Thus, the podcast is a plus for the whole family.
The “Reaching Higher” podcast can be found on Spotify, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and other platforms. Find her on Facebook and Instagram as well.
Daniel Brauner is a summer intern at The Jewish Link. He is an incoming student at Yeshiva University and lives in Teaneck.
