got keif? The B nai Israel Way 5779/ Congregation B nai Israel Education Center Essential Information About Your Family s Jewish Education

Transcription

1 Congregation B nai Israel Education Center 5779/ The B nai Israel Way Essential Information About Your Family s Jewish Education got keif? See page 4

2 Welcome (Back)! We are so excited to be on a journey with your entire family! Our Jewish Journey is part of a mass migration that has continued for 3,818 years, give or take. It began when Abram and Sarai left Haran in search of the place we now call Israel. It has covered thousands of miles and taken Jewish people deep inside themselves. It has brought us and kept us together as a community, as B nai Israel. Our classrooms are communities within that larger community. It is all of our job to engage with, learn from and enrich one another. We pride ourselves on being an inclusive community, where everyone learns and where everyone has a chance to have fun. We want our students of all ages and abilities to feel that B nai Israel is a safe place, where they are free to explore what being Jewish will mean for them. We have many goals, but they can all be distilled to three ideas: 1. We want every learner to develop into a Jewishly literate adult. Each year, we seek to move the dial in terms of cognitive, social, emotional and spiritual learning. 2. We want every member of B nai Israel of every age to see themselves as lifelong learners, on a Jewish journey with the rest of us. 3. We seek to build relationships among children AND among adults because we believe that community comes from strong relationships. We ask for your active engagement in our school as an adult learner, as a fellow worshipper and as someone building a stronger congregation engaged in repairing the world. We each may find a different piece of that puzzle to embrace, and we ask you to let us help you find yours! Ira J. Wise, D.J.R.E. Director of Education Page 3

3 Morim: Our Teachers Our Faculty Our Morim are warm, loving and professional. Nearly all of them are members of B nai Israel, so they bring their long personal commitment to our congregation and our Jewish community as well as a vast array of skills and talents. In our classroom, our Morim create a positive learning environment that is both engaging and enjoyable. Outside of the classroom, our Morim regularly attend workshops and conferences that enhance their skills to help our students create personal meaning of their Jewish heritage within their daily lives and the world outside. Their goals are to: Help students view their learning as relevant and meaningful in their own lives so they make informed Jewish choices. Provide stimuli and approaches that reach all different types of learners. Create experiences that when processed lead to radical amazement. Team Hadrakhah: Teaching Assistants Many of our high school students work with our teachers to help make learning happen and deepen our students experiences. Hadrakhah means leadership and comes from the root that means those who show the way. Their goals are: To be role models for our younger students through their own behavior and by showing how time spent at Temple learning and doing Jewish things is cool. To serve as junior teaching partners to our Morim. To aspire to someday become Morim themselves. Our Morim serve as mentors to Hadrakhah team members, sharing their skills and insights into the teaching and classroom planning process. Page 5

4 Our Curriculum A word about Ivrit (Hebrew) Ivrit (Hebrew) has been THE language of the Jewish people for thousands of years. We have learned and lived in the local language wherever we have lived, and even developed our own versions merging Ivrit with that local tongue (Yiddish or Ladino, for example). Ivrit remains a language of prayer and song for us here in the United States. It connects us to Israel where it is the language of everyday living. It also connects us to Jews around the world, who may speak a language other than English but have learned Ivrit as well. As you will see in the next few pages, Ivrit learning is important at B nai Israel. We know that in the one or two sessions per week we see our students, we will not be able to teach them to converse on the streets of Tel Aviv. We WILL be able to help them develop enough skills to become familiar and comfortable with the language. We will sing songs in Ivrit. We will learn how to pray together not just to recite or chant prayers, but understand what they mean and what we might mean when we choose to pray. You no doubt have noticed we use Ivrit names for our grades. This is to drive home the importance of Ivrit. Here is a chart to help you learn them! Hebrew English Hebrew English Gan Kindergarten Kitah Zayin 7 th Grade Kitah Alef 1 st Grade Kitah Chet 8 th grade Kitah Bet 2 nd Grade Kitah Tet 9 th Grade Kitah Gimel 3 rd Grade Kitah Yud 10 th Grade Kitah Daled 4 th Grade Kitah Yud Alef 11 th Grade Kitah Hey 5 th Grade Kitah Yud Bet 12 th Grade Kitah Vav 6 th Grade Merkaz Center Page 7

5 Kitot Daled Vav: 4 th 6 th Grades Our Curriculum Continuing the learning rubrics, these students develop the fundamentals essential for becoming Jewishly literate adults. The curriculum for these grades raises the bar on our experiential, social, emotional and spiritual learning goals and methods. Classes are held on Sunday mornings and Thursday afternoons. One teacher integrates both Hebrew and Jewish Studies for each class. Frequently the classes in a single grade will come together for a project. K vutzat Keif (Fun Team) Each Sunday, students come together by grade for a variety of activities designed to get them to know one another. Learning facts will not be the focus. Making friends is. We will have a snack as well! Each week this comes at a different hour for each grade. Chugim (interest groups or electives) Students in both groups have electives to learn through fun. These have included sign language, arts and crafts, cooking, blogging, drama and dance to name a few. Junior Choir Any student can join the choir and sing at a variety of services and events. No auditions needed. Ivrit (Hebrew) Our Hebrew curriculum is focused on the living language spoken in Israel, rather than the liturgy (see below). We find that students are much more engaged with this approach! Tefillot (worship experience) Our innovative Tefillah curriculum brings worship alive. Led by our clergy and educators, students learn not only how to read or chant prayers, but also what prayer can mean for them. Engaging Israel Kitah Hey (5 th grade) participate in the Yachdav program, an ongoing cooperative learning activity with children at a school in Israel. Page 9

6 Our Curriculum Merkaz: our High School of Jewish Studies In Merkaz the community High School for Jewish Studies our students attend classes with teens from other synagogues in our area and choose four classes from more than thirty course electives each year. Registration forms are sent directly to students in early September with classes beginning in October at B nai Israel. For more information contact Merkaz Director Shelley Kreiger or Program Manager Margery Verlezza at (203) or visit them at Confirmation: 10 th Grade High School sophomores come together for class with Rabbi Prosnit and Ira Wise. Confirmation is a time to talk about timeless matters that challenge every generation. It s an exciting forum where young people can address issues that come with intellectual and spiritual maturity. Seminar at the Religious Action Center in Washington, DC With teens from Reform congregations from all over North America, the students will explore Jewish ethical values which can intersect with public policy and the political process. They will take that knowledge onto Capitol Hill as students lobby Congressional staff on real issues pending before the House and Senate. The year ends with a Confirmation Service in the Spring. Students write much of the service, leading the singing and conveying a unique excitement for Jewish learning. All the students feel a sense of connection to B nai Israel and to each other. Page 11

7 Beyond School Adult Jewish Learning Learning is a lifelong endeavor. The questions and interests may change as we mature but according to the wisdom of our tradition, the process remains the same. Whether you want a refresher, or are interested in expanding your knowledge, there is something for everyone. Continuing your learning is a great way to teach your children through example. BIFTY B nai Israel Federation of Temple Youth provides an opportunity for our high school students. Through BIFTY they create a safe, accepting, welcoming community for Jewish teens with support and guidance from their youth advisor. The students plan their calendar of social, spiritual and educational activities and actions. Together they help to shape their Jewish identity, make a difference in the lives of others and have fun in the process! BIFTY is open to all Jewish high schoolers, and B'nai Israel 8th graders can join BIFTY in the winter. Teens of CBI This is another program for B'nai Israel high school students. The events are purely social and meet a few times a year, typically on Saturday evenings or Sundays. The goal of Teens of CBI is for high schoolers to connect in a fun, social setting with friends they may not see very often. Summer Camp, Israel and Mitzvah Corps These are natural extensions of our curriculum. As a member of the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ), we encourage our students to attend URJ camps which include Crane Lake and Eisner in the Berkshires and the 6 Points SciTech Academy outside Boston. Please speak to Ira Wise or go to for a video about all three. Our movement also offers Israel trips and Mitzvah Corps a social justice program that takes participants on the road. Visit nftyisrael.org or mitzvahcorps.org and speak to Ira Wise for more on these programs. Page 13

8 Procedures and Policies Our policies are designed to ensure each and every student can get the most out of their religious education. The number one consideration at all times is the safety of our students. Attendance, Schedules and Early Dismissal Participation in the school community is a crucial element both in Jewish life and in academic progress. Attendance If a student is absent for three consecutive sessions, the family will be contacted and required to complete make-up work in order to progress to the next grade. Seasonal or ongoing scheduling conflicts should be discussed with the Director of Education in advance. Schedules Arriving late and leaving early can be disruptive to class. Tardy students disrupt the learning process and make it difficult for teachers and students to meet our educational goals. We ask all parents to make every effort to be on time for class. Arrival Dismissal Sunday (Gan Kitah Vav): 9:30 a.m. 12:00 p.m. Thursday (Kitot Daled Vav): 4:30 p.m. 6:00 p.m. Monday (Kitot Zayin Chet): 7:00 p.m. 8:30 p.m. Tuesday Merkaz (HS) 6:50 p.m. 8:50 p.m. Early Dismissal -- Should you need to pick up your child early, please come to the office, not your child s class, and a staff member will find and bring your child to you. We do not have enough staff to safely allow them to wait in the office for your arrival. If you are unable to come inside, please call the office at (203) from the parking lot. Also, please provide a note to your child s teacher should you need to pick-up your child prior to dismissal time. Page 15

9 Procedures and Policies Behavior We seek to create a warm, secure and joyful learning environment for our students so they can develop a sense of love and identification with Judaism and Congregation B nai Israel. To maintain this positive atmosphere, we expect mutual respect and understanding among the teachers, students and parents and dignity and clarity of expectations for classroom behavior between teachers and students. Should disruptive or disrespectful behavior occur, they will be handled in the classroom whenever possible. Parent(s) will be notified if a student s behavior becomes inappropriate. Should a student be removed from the classroom due to inappropriate behavior he/she will be taken to the Director of Education to discuss the issue and the incident will be recorded on the student s record. If a student is sent to the office a second time, the parents will be required to pick-up the child immediately and the student cannot return to the class until a conference is held with the parents, teacher and Director of Education. If continued behavior problems persist, a meeting with the Rabbi and Director of Education will occur. In addition, the situation may require removal of the student from the school which can jeopardize a Bar/Bat Mitzvah ceremony or 盰 ӛ participation in Confirmation or Graduation. Dress code We do not have a formal dress code but weather appropriate dress is required. We must insist that when the temperature is below 60 that students have a pair of long sweats or pants with them. If the temperature is below 45 they must also have a warm coat. In the event of an emergency, we may be outside for an extended period and want to prevent further problems. Also we do not permit shoes with wheels (heelies) or athletic cleats to be worn inside the building. Page 17

10 Won t You Be Our Neighbor? Do you remember Mr. Rogers Neighborhood? Fred Rogers remains one of my greatest educational heroes. I have learned so much from him and tried to incorporate many of his ideas into my work and how we educate our children at B nai Israel. Mr. Rogers asked us to be his neighbor because neighbors are more than people living in proximity. They are people who interact with and look out for one another. Although fighting a terminal illness, Fred Rogers returned to television, just for a few minutes, to help us begin to wrap our arms around the events of September 11, Many of us were grateful to hear his voice at that traumatic moment. He said: I m so grateful to you for helping the children in your life to know that you ll do everything you can to keep them safe and to help them express their feelings in ways that will bring healing in many different neighborhoods. He articulated one of the core principles that is part of everything we do in the Education Center. Some of our students finish their time in our school with more or less knowledge than others. Some will have more or fewer friends than others. Some will feel more or less connection with their Jewish identity than others. Much of that depends on what they bring with them and how open they are to those things. Every one of them every one of us is different. At our core, though, is the idea that every one of our children feel safe, protected, welcomed and loved at B nai Israel. And that their parents feel secure in the knowledge that their children are indeed safe. That explains why, when a parent calls or sends a note that they are picking their child up early from class, we insist that they come inside and then we go get their child. We often only have Bethann in the office during class time. If she were to respond to a phone call and bring a student down to wait for their ride, and then she were to get another call for another student, how could we protect the first child? So thank you for 盰 ӛ understanding and coming inside. That explains why we ask so many questions in our enrollment materials. We want to know as much as we can about your children so we can respond to them as individuals. And if your child has some unique learning needs, we want to make sure we are acting in concert with you and with their other teachers and any other professionals in their lives. And finally, that explains why we make the effort to bring your family together with other families in your child s grade. When you begin to think of one another as neighbors, and not just as people whose children participate in the same activities, we change the world for our children. We show them that their synagogue is an extension of their home, filled with neighbors who generally care about them and their well-being. And when something frightens or worries us, we can rely on one another to help us through it. Page 19