Building Relationships and Community Through Jewish Explorers with Dr. Lynn Hellerstein and Cindy Coons

Cindy CoonsDr. Lynn Hellerstein of Vision Beyond Sight speaks with Cindy Coons, director of Jewish Explorers. Cindy talks about her program that welcomes Jewish and Interfaith families with preschool and elementary school-aged children.

Click here and tune in to the show now to explore:

  • The vision of Jewish Explorers to engage, educate, and empower families to find meaningful and relevant ways to practice Judaism in their homes and with community
  • The importance of building relationships and creating a community
  • Creating opportunities to explore Judaism together that are fun, meaningful, relevant, and impactful
  • Empowering families to find meaningful and relevant ways to celebrate Judaism at home and out in the community 

Cindy Coons joined the Colorado Agency for Jewish Education (CAJE) in 2013, as the Founder & Director of Jewish Explorers, and has continued in this capacity following the merger of CAJE and JEWISHcolorado in 2016. Cindy has loved the opportunity to create and develop this innovative program, which provides opportunities for children and their families to explore Judaism together in fun and meaningful ways. Now in its tenth year, Jewish Explorers welcomes Jewish and Interfaith families with preschool and elementary school-aged children and offers monthly Family Programs for 2-5 year olds who participate along with parents and grandparents, weekly and monthly drop-off program for K-5th graders, and Shabbat and holiday celebrations throughout the year. In addition to program and curriculum development for Jewish Explorers, Cindy also serves as the Director of Family Engagement at JEWISHcolorado and is the lead educator for our intergenerational G2 Program as well as supports ouPJ Library and YAD Family programs. 

Cindy earned her Master of Science in Occupational Therapy with a specialty in Pediatrics from Columbia University and her Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education from the University of Delaware. She has almost 40 years of experience working with children and their families as a Pediatric Occupational Therapist, a Jewish Educator, and a volunteer in New York and Colorado. Cindy and her husband, Rich, have two wonderful adult children, Carly and David. In addition to sharing her love of and passion for Judaism and teaching with our community, Cindy loves spending time with family and friends as well as cooking, baking, hiking, cycling, camping, ice skating, reading, volunteering, and traveling.

Connect with Cindy Coons and Jewish Explorers:

Families are welcome to try a complimentary Jewish Explorers class to see if this program is a good fit for them. To learn more about Jewish Explorers, PJ Library or YAD Family (part of YAD – Young Adult Division), visit us at https://www.jewishcolorado.org/programs/

JEWISHcolorado: Website | Facebook

Jewish Explorers: Website | Facebook

PJ Library: Website | Facebook

Email: ccoons@jewishcolorado.org 

...Everyone wants to feel seen and heard. They want to be celebrated for who they are, where they are in their journey and where they’re going, and to find a way to live fully and authentically, to find beauty and joy in how they choose to live and to feel connected to a community and shared experiences.” – Cindy Coons

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Jewish Explorers, JEWISHcolorado


Dr. Lynn Hellerstein, Developmental Optometrist, co-owner of Hellerstein & Brenner Vision Center, P.C., award-winning author and international speaker, holds powerful and inspiring conversations with her guests in the areas of health, wellness, education, sports and psychology. They share their inspirational stories of healing and transformation through their vision expansion. Vision Beyond Sight Podcast will help you see with clarity, gain courage and confidence. Welcome to Vision Beyond Sight!

Dr. Lynn’s books are available at Amazon.com and www.lynnhellerstein.com/shop.

Dr. Lynn is available for speaking engagements and consulting. For more information, visit www.lynnhellerstein.com.

To learn more about vision therapy or to find a doctor providing vision therapy in your area, visit: COVD.org.

To learn more about vision and the impact in concussion/brain injury, visit: Neuro-Optometric Rehabilitation Association.

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About Dr. Lynn

A pioneer in vision therapy and developmental optometry, for more than 30 years, Dr. Lynn Hellerstein has helped thousands of children and adults improve their vision and transform their lives — at home, in the classroom, and most recently on the playing field. Her breakthrough methods unlock barriers to learning and “rewire” around brain injuries, and vision perception or processing deficits. But you don’t have to have a vision problem to benefit: her brain training strategies may be the missing magic if you’re an athlete trying to nail a tricky shot or stay cool in competition. If it’s a skill you can visualize, Dr. Hellerstein can help train your eyes — and mind’s eye — on success.

Award-winning and #1 bestselling author, Dr. Lynn has published numerous professional peer reviewed articles, chapters and four books.

See It. Say It. Do It! (2009) - How to see/recognize your goal, declare your intention, and taking action to achieve your vision.

See It. Say It. Do It! Organize It! (2011) - How to create a step by step process to make achieving your goal a reality.

50 Tips To Improve Your Sports Performance (2013) - How to improve your sports performance today by enhancing eye-mind-body coordination skills, achieving the mental edge, and preventing injuries.

Expand Your Vision (2021) - Discover the power of the seeing brain…the creator of your true vision. Gain Clarity, Courage, and Confidence. In this #1 Amazon best-selling innovative newest book, the power of visualizing and believing in the process to break through internal barriers and create new possibilities for achieving your goal is explored. Visualization can be used to increase creativity, to reduce stress and anxiety, and to build confidence in all of the things that they do.