Welcome to the CBI Religious School
CLICK ON EACH DOCUMENT FOR 2011-2012 REGISTRATION MATERIALS:
Registration Letter
Enrollment Form
Parent Questionnaire
Emergency/Waiver Form
2011-2012 Religious School Calendar
2011-2012 Parent Handbook
CBI Education Committee – December 2011
Overall Mission
At Congregation B’nai Israel, we seek to inspire young people to discover the joy of Jewish life that that will be theirs over a lifetime. Our skilled and passionate teachers empower our young people to find a connection to Hebrew, Jewish ritual, and the wisdom of the Torah. Through experiences in the classroom and on Shabbat, and through connections to our rabbi and community, we welcome each student to probe and question so that they can find themselves in our tradition, and grow into compassionate and committed Jewish citizens of the world.
Sacred Community - Kehila Kedosha
At Congregation B’nai Israel, we believe that a kehila kedosha, a sacred community, is the grounding for a holistic Jewish education. We strive to create an atmosphere of warmth and welcome, infused with the value of kavod, or respect, for each person, and each family. We are especially sensitive to the needs of interfaith families. We believe in helping every child, and every family, find their way in the richness of Jewish tradition. In fact, we find that embracing our diversity of life paths and educational needs makes us a richer and wiser community. As a community, we invite parents to become partners in our educational program. Parents learning and discovering along with their children contribute to the vitality and dynamism of our community.
Involving Parents as Critical Stakeholders
We believe that to teach a child is to teach a family. We seek to provide parents every opportunity to deepen their Jewish lives – as individuals, as members of a family and as members of a community. Our staff is ready to respond personally and creatively to anyone interested in exploring Jewish tradition. But we also need parents’ gifts both to enhance the vibrancy of our community, and to show us new ways of giving voice to Jewish teaching. Together, we teach our children and each other.
Valuing the Individuality of Students
At CBI, our primary imperative in Jewish education is to show young people that they are created in the image of God. We take the time to get to know each student, listening carefully to them in all settings and striving to meet their needs as best we can. Our goal is to create multiple and varied learning environments so that each child, with every imaginable learning style, can connect to Jewish wisdom and the teachers who convey it. Our staff is charged with the mission to show children and parents a love of Judaism and humanity, so that all the young people they meet will be inspired to learn and grow into lives of Jewish connection, compassion and responsibility.
Life-long Inspirational Experience in Jewish Education
We aim to create meaningful experiences for children and families. For children, we hope that vibrant experiences of prayer, performing mitzvot, study, music, interacting with nature and connection to peers and adults will create an enduring imprint that will inspire ongoing Jewish exploration. For parents, we hope that educational experiences will provide part of the impetus to develop a meaningful Jewish life for themselves as well as their families.
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EDUCATION, COMMUNITY AND PARTNERSHIP are the cornerstones of our learning environment. Congregation B’nai Israel offers programming for tots through 12th grade in formal and informal settings. Please explore the options on our on-line synagogue bulletin: Kehila. This “school and teen program” link includes information about the Religious School, 8th grade and high school classes and programs. As an educational institution, we continually evaluate our offerings and rely on feedback to assess our programs. Your voice and participation is essential to our well being. Myriad opportunities exist for you to connect to our vibrant community. This is your invitation to learn more about us and get involved.
THE RELIGIOUS SCHOOL is a place for students to learn in a relaxed atmosphere. As a conservative synagogue, tradition and innovation inform our curriculum preparing students for a Jewish life. We study tefila (prayer), Israel, Hebrew language, Torah, Shabbat, life cycle and tikun olam (repairing the world) while encouraging spiritual growth and critical inquiry. Opportunities for “hands-on” learning through family education, tzedaka, the arts, singing, dancing and discussion enliven the curriculum. Community wide events during the year, Shabbat dinners and cross grade programming are part of the religious school experience. We welcome a diverse community of thinkers and provide a safe space for all students and learners. For specific class curriculum please click on “class descriptions”. Our Rabbi, Justin David, plays an integral part in the lives of our students and is an unwavering source of inspiration and partnership with our Director of Education Rabbi Rachel Rembrandt.
CURRICULUM
GAN/ALEPH: The kindergarten and first grade have a two year rotating curriculum. In year one, the focus of learning is on holidays, Shabbat and Israel. The second year is a study of Bible stories and God. During both years, basic Hebrew letters are taught through fun activities and important cultural concepts. With active learning, art projects, singing and dancing, students integrate concepts and values that reflect an exciting experience.
BET: Bet students continue to learn prayers and begin Hebrew reading with a primer called Journeys through the Aleph-Bet. Units in the bet class include: the student of the people and objects in the synagogue, including the Torah scribe, Jewish values through basic Hebrew words, and an exploration of Bible stories. As always the holidays are examined. A parent student book list and lending library augments the emerging understanding of Jewish thought and community. Gan/Aleph and Bet meet for community enrichment via song and dance.
GIMEL/ DALET: Hebrew reading, decoding and comprehension are the focus of some of the class using a book called Alef Bet Quest which integrates text-based lessons with computer software. Other students continue learning Tefila (prayer), Hebrew reading and comprehension skills through a self-paced prayer-focused Hebrew curriculum called Mitkadem. Students learn to construct their own Hebrew sentences and are introduced to the script alphabet mid-year. This program is a rotating two year curriculum. In year one, is the study of life-cycle, an overview of the five books of the Torah and how to understand Jewish values through being a mensch are the pillars of the Dalet curriculum. In year two, there are Judaic units such as understanding blessings and prayers, the cycle of the Jewish year, and the Ten Commandments add another layer to the emerging base of Judaic knowledge garnered from the students’ early years. Each student in the Gimel grade receives a Siddur with personal inscriptions from their families as part of a mid-year ceremony. These students join the older classes once a month with Rabbi David for a community Tefila experience.
HAY/VAV: The students continue to build their Hebrew reading and comprehension skills with the Shalom Ivrit series and in-class Tefila experiences. This program is a rotating two year curriculum. In year one, they study ancient and modern history, and the geography of Israel, with a multi-faceted curriculum that incorporates art, music, creative writing and role-playing. They also learn about the important concepts of tzedakah and the mitzvot of ethical behavior and holidays through discussions and activities. A recent addition to the curriculum is BabagaNewz, an educational classroom magazine, for Jewish middle school students. Look it up on line to discover a rich world of current events, science, Torah, Israel and more. In year two, they are introduced tothe Tzedek Partner Program that teaches learning, giving and organizing for social justice. Students study Prophets and Pirkei Avot, the ethical teachings of our ancestors. Tefila (prayer) includes the Torah service, and blessings recited before and after the haftarah. On Sundays, these students join other classes once a month with Rabbi David for a community Tefila experience.
VAV SHABBATON: To build community and support families before the B’nai Mitzvah, there is a Shabbaton in the spring of the sixth grade year. CBI members (students and parents) from LGA and the Religious School join for Friday evening services, socializing and dinner followed by a class on the transition from adolescence to adulthood. On Shabbat morning, two classes that investigate the holiness of prayer and the value of mitzvot are led by master teachers. Requirements for the mitzvah project and Shabbat service attendance before the B’nai mitzvah are discussed on Saturday night followed by a movie, popcorn and socializing. This final session of the Shabbaton is just for kids.
ZAYIN: Students explore values and consider their coming of age in an intellectual and creative environment as they continue to prepare for their b’nai mitzvah year and beyond. On Sundays Zayin students study three topics over the course of the school year. During the first trimester, using a curriculum from AVODAarts called The Jewish Lens, students explore values and community through photography. The second and third trimesters are dedicated to immigration to the United States and an overview of the Holocaust. Holocaust studies include a viewing of the movies: The Pigeon and Paperclips, and a visit with a child survivor. The Zayin year like all grades in our school, concludes with a “Siyum” – an opportunity for students to share oral or written work on a topic of their choosing.
ZAYIN AND EIGHTH GRADE (CHET) STUDENTS: On Wednesday evenings seventh graders join eighth grade students as part of the Middle School. A light dinner is served at 5:30 pm, followed by two classes that conclude at 7:30 pm. The first class for seventh grade students is taught by the Rabbi and focuses on the study of Torah text, as it relates to mitzvot. The second class of seventh graders will look at the topics of Genesis and ethics from the perspective of an emerging adolescent. The eighth grade students will have two different experiences as well. One hour will be spent looking at contemporary social and political issues through a Jewish value lens. The other hour they will expand on their own growth as Jewish adolescents learning together about ethics, Jewish values and hot topics. We will also bring in various artists-in-residence to offer Jewish experiences in art, cooking and other creative media.
RABBI CHARNI FLAME SELCH is the Director of Education. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact her at: cbieducation@verizon.net or (413) 584-3593 x203
Thank you and welcome to CBI's Religious School