Religious School
Mrs.Judith Synammon, Religious School Administrator
(adapted from the TOS Religious School Parents manual)

Mission Statement

"You Shall teach them [the commandments] to your children.." This quote, found in the Torah and in our prayer book, commands us to teach our children. Temple Oheb Sholom values the education of our children. Our school's goals are to create pride in our heritage and strengthen Jewish identity so that our children will practice Judaism throughout their lives.

Reform Congregation Oheb Sholom provides a rounded liberal Jewish education. It offers a balanced program of instruction in Jewish religious concepts, Hebrew and basic Reform religious practices.

Religious School Objectives

· To provide our Religious School students with a comprehensive Jewish education, in accordance with the teachings of Reform Judaism.

· To instill a love of and pride for Judaism through our Religious School curriculum and instruction in the areas of history, theology, liturgy and cultural arts.

· To teach values, ideals and ethics that are the foundation of a Jewish way of life.

· To provide Hebrew language instruction to our students with the goal of proficiency in reading, writing, speaking and comprehending basic Hebrew for life as an educated adult Jew.

Religious School Staff

The religious school is staffed with a cadre of dedicated and knowledgeable teachers. They demonstrate an understanding of our Jewish heritage and disseminate this information to the youth of our congregation. See the List of the Religious School Staff. We gratefully acknowledge the contribution these people make in the teaching of our youth.

Bar/Bat Mitzvah

Temple Oheb Sholom believes that education is a necessary part of the Bar or Bat Mitzvah process. The earlier a student starts learning about their religious background; the more meaningful the Bar/Bat Mitzvah. Therefore, a minimum of three years, not including the year of the Bar or Bat Mitzvah, of Jewish education (Religious School and Hebrew School) is required of all Bar and Bat Mitzvah candidates. Any synagogue Religious School or full-time Jewish day school education can be applied to this requirement.

Hebrew knowledge is a vital part of the preparation process for Bar/Bat Mitzvah. Hebrew education begins, in our program, starting in second grade. The earlier a student is taught Hebrew the easier, and more enjoyable, the preparations for their Bar/Bat Mitzvah will be.

During the fifth grade, the rabbi will meet with all potential Bar/Bat Mitzvah families to introduce the Bar/Bat Mitzvah process. Currently, all students, in the nine or ten months leading up to the Bar/Bat Mitzvah, work with the rabbi, outside Religious School hours, to prepare for their big day. See this year’s List of Bar/Bat Mitzvah candidates.

Confirmation

See the List of Names in the Current Confirmation Class.

Related Links: List of the Religious School Staff, List of Bar/Bat Mitzvah candidates, List of Names in the Current Confirmation Class

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