JRC Religious School

August 21, 2021

Dear Religious School Families,

We’re writing to share with you our vision and plan for Religious School this year and make the link available to register your child(ren) for Religious School. As you may imagine, we have devoted our summer to re-envisioning a pathway to Jewish learning and engagement for our students and families, and we’re confident our program for this year is not only more accessible and viable, but also successful at “making life better,” through the Jewish values, learning, and connections within our uniquely designed Religious School program this year. 

Yes, we believe Judaism makes life better. We are committed to making this felt and real for our students and families. In our partnership with parents in the essential mitzvah of teaching our children, it falls upon us to ensure that their connection to Judaism, especially in these trying times, is one that indeed “makes life better”; that helps bring blessings into your home and family; that advances Jewish growth in positive and realistic ways.

Learning Model

As we announced in July, our building will remain closed through December, but our congregation remains wide open and as active as ever. Our Religious School will gather online, live, connecting our students to each other, their teachers, Zemer Allan, and us (Rabbi Soffer and Rena). Our Zoom gatherings will be intentionally designed to foster relationships and our lessons designed to ensure our students continue learning and growing Jewishly. 

One Hour, One Community, One T.R.E.E.

It is a TREE of life to those who hold fast to it Proverbs 3:18

We will all spend one hour together each week (with an option for more!). As one school and one community, we will see ourselves as one living Torah-- a “tree of life,” which we will nourish and remain connected to, week after week.

Togetherness: the Roots. We begin all together with songs and prayers, so our students can feel connected to each other, the community, and their tradition. In this way we’ll “wake up” together, before breaking out into our classes in the form of Zoom Breakout Rooms.   

Real Judaism for Real Life: the Water. Our revitalized curriculum, which speaks to our reality will utilize the Morning Meeting model for teachers and peers to check in with each other and discuss "real life."A major innovation to this year's curriculum will be discussions and lessons about Racial Justice and how this is a Jewish value.

Exit-Ticket: the Fruit. Each week our students will walk away with a concrete action, activity or learning that enables them and their families to enhance their lives through Judaism in the home (not on screen).

Extending our Learning: Branches. Our school program will integrate into the ongoing Weekly Shabbat and Holiday experiences & special programs of the greater congregation; an engaging Hebrew program, in its own weeknight “space,” which families of 3rd-6th grade students can choose to opt into 

Classtimes 

Gesher - (6 months - 3 years old) monthly Sundays, Time and Dates TBD

PreK-7th grade - Sundays, 9:30am -10:30am

Additional opportunities for learning and growth:

3rd - 6th grade Hebrew - weeknights, day and times vary

Shabbat 1-2-3 - Suitable for families with children aged 0-6.

Congregational Shabbat services - Fridays, 6pm online

High Holy Days - Rosh Hashanah 9/19, Yom Kippur 9/28, Sukkot 10/2, Simchat Torah 10/9

So why does Religious School matter now more than ever?

With all that is “disconnected” in these difficult times, by sustaining a connection to Judaism through the synagogue community our students will understand that Jewish engagement is a constant, always here for them. Ahad Ha’am famously said, “More than the Jews have kept Shabbat, Shabbat has kept the Jews.” The same goes for our Religious School, and through song, learning, and mitzvot, together we will help our students develop a lifelong relationship with this beautiful tradition. Because Judaism makes life better.

To register your child(ren) for the coming Religious School year, click here. Registered families will receive details and instructions, including how to log-in to our Opening Session on the week before the first session (October 4).

We’re looking forward to another year with your family,

Rena Fraade & Rabbi Soffer