Religious School

June, 2009 - Ma'aseem - Jewish Education in Our Schools: It's Been a Very Good Year

6/4/2009
As you read this article the books have been stored for another summer, the rooms lie quiet and our children prepare for summer activities. But in our preschool, religious school and high school it's been a great year of growth and continued positive change.

In our Religious School, having completed the third of four years in our NESS (Nurturing Excellence in Synagogue Schools) program with the Auerbach Central Agency for Jewish Education, I can tell you that evidence of this positive change is beginning to reveal itself in our religious school classrooms. This was the second of three years of in-service training our teachers participated in, and they have now begun to apply what they've learned into their classroom teaching.

Our Junior Congregation and Torah Academy act as strong elements of our educational program outside of "regular" classroom time. Junior Congregation, under our new leader, Stacey Shender, has been a valuable educational tool in helping our third through sixth graders become more familiar and competent in chanting the Shabbat morning service. And many of our fifth and sixth graders are well on the way towards becoming lifelong Torah readers, under the guidance of leaders Rhona Fromm and Edie Harris.

As always there are many people to thank for helping me make our school a place of joy and Jewish experiences:
First and most important, our teachers are the conduits of Jewish learning, where your child interacts with a committed Jewish educator each and every week.
Also a major Todah Rabbah to Rabbi Kalev and Cantor Shammash. To our POD/Education Committee headed by Emily Cutler and Doug Schleicher, thank you for showing the leadership and support of our professionals in planning for the educational future of TBI.
To our executive leadership, Jane Greenberg, Jon Samel and Marty Schaffer.
To Winston, Fatima and Luther, our top notch maintenance crew who helps all year with room setups and logistics.
To our terrific office support staff, Elaine, Nadine, Robbi, Fan and my incomparable assistant Michele!
And finally to our parents and students. We are here for you to help with your family's Jewish educational journey.

I want to leave you with a few ways to extend your child's Jewish learning during the long summer months away from TBI:

Use the summer to explore the outdoors and learn new blessings. Did you know there are brachot for looking at the ocean and other wonders of nature such as towering mountains? I am happy to guide you to a list of blessings we say in these instances.
Continue the tradition of giving tzedakah every week. If you don't have a tzedakah box in your home, you can make one with your child. Any container that can hold coins can be decorated to make your own box. A perfect time to give weekly tzedakah is right before Shabbat (before you light candles).
If your child goes to camp, give him/her stamped postcards to write and keep touch with a favorite Religious School teacher during the summer.
Finally, keep the Hebrew reading skills your child learned during the year sharp for the return to school in the fall. If your child is at home, take 15 minutes a week to listen to her/him read for you. If your child goes away to camp, pack the Hebrew textbook used this past year for practice.

Have a safe and relaxing summer and we'll see you in September!

Donald Cohen
Education Director
eddirector@tbibluebell.org


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