Religious School

Temple Israel has a well-established religious school that educates (approximately 45 children from kindergarten through grade 7). All students meet once a week for two hours - Wednesdays at 4:00-6:00 pm. There are also family programs that focus around the Jewish holiday calendar, usually on Sundays. Students will also help lead Family Shabbat services class by class. Religious school teachers receive professional supervision and support. The curriculum enhances the traditional studies of history and Judaica with activities designed to make Judaism a meaningful part of our children’s lives today. Our school uses state of the art curriculum from the URJ, including the CHAI curriculum for Jewish studies, which focuses on text and Jewish ethics, and resources from other renowned publishers of Jewish educational materials. We tailor our Hebrew program to each class, finding materials and texts that best fit each class.

Bar/Bat Mitzvah students, in addition to attending the 7th grade class on Wednesdays, meet individually with the rabbi to prepare for leading the service and chanting the Torah and Haftarah portions on their special day. There will be two meetings during the year at which students and parent(s) will join together in the exploration and community building.

Students in 8th grade through senior year of high school are invited to attend the Eitz Chayim/Tree of Life Confirmation program on selected Wednesday evenings at 7:00 pm (see the calendar). These sessions, led by Rabbi Larry Karol, offer a way for students to stay in touch with each other, to remain connected with their Temple community and to learn something new. Every gathering will give students a chance to socialize and share ideas about their lives and current events.

Students who have already become Bar/Bat Mitzvah can help educate younger students in Religious School by serving as Madrichim (classroom aides). Some Madrichim take this opportunity through their senior year in high school.

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