Mirochnick Religious School & Youth Department Parent/Student calendar & handbook

2016-17 5777 Mirochnick Religious School & Youth Department Parent/Student calendar & handbook

Mirochnick Religious School & Youth Department B nai Torah Congregation 6261 SW 18th Street, Boca Raton, Fl 33433 (561) 392-8005 www.btcboca.org

Mirochnick Religious School & Youth Department 2016-2017/5776-5777 Maruka Mirochnick Cathy Berkowitz Education Director Beth Herman Executive Assistant of Education Yardena Barzilay Adam Berkowitz Fred Berkowitz Jodi Berman Justin Bodfield Sharon Chazan Rachel Cummings Roneet Edrich Rabbi David Englander Dina Fishman Debbie Fried Rachel Gardyn Perle Gass Myriam Hochman Cantor Kara Hitner Cantor Paul Goldstein Jack Ismalon Lauren Malter Sheryl Menaged Dalia Michaeli Elana Ostroff Dinath Rose Lauren Saldsman Rabbi David Steinhardt Zachary Smith Andrei Sujka Lani Vahnish

B nai Torah Congregation The Mirochnick Religious School Bernard & Maruka Mirochnick, Founders 6261 SW 18th Street Boca Raton, FL 33433 Phone: (561) 392-8005 Fax: (561) 362-0990 www.btcboca.org A Conservative Congregation Synagogue of Excellence Affiliated with the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism Cathy Berkowitz / Education Director, MRS E-mail: Cathy.Berkowitz@bnai-torah.org Beth Herman / Executive Assistant of Education E-mail: Beth.Herman@bnai-torah.org Professional Staff David Steinhardt / Senior Rabbi David Englander / Rabbi Ehud (Udi) Spielman / Senior Cantor Boaz Davidoff / Cantor Rabbi Rikki Arad / Executive Director Nancy Goldstein / Early Childhood Center Director Cantor Paul Goldstein / B nai Mitzvah Program Director Sam Hitner / Director of Finance AviGail Whiting / Membership Coordinator Rachel Kaplan / Communications & Programming Director Claudia Sternberg / Art Director Lauren Berger / Program Coordinator Elysa Stark / Concert & Cultural Arts Coordinator Summer Faerman / Director of Tzedakah, Learning & Chesed Education / Youth Commission Chair Tammy Szerencsy, Marvin Finkelstein Administrative Staff Judy Schneider / Receptionist Elaine Siegell / Rabbi Steinhardt s Executive Assistant Loulou Amiel / Accounting Leesa Parker / ECC Director of Operations Erica Gordon / ECC Administrator Randi Good / ECC Receptionist Sharon Chazan / Assistant to the Cantor Zena Gruda / B nai Mitzvah Coordinator B nai Torah Officers Toby Levi* / President Steve Ginsburg / Executive Vice President Marvin Finkelstein / Vice President Jerry Budney / Vice President Richard Birdie / Vice President Eric Klein* / Vice President Stan Kutlin / Treasurer Marcy Kammerman / Secretary Rick Schuster / Financial Secretary Women s League President Joanne Shulman Men s Club President Larry Faerman *Ner Tamid Society Member Please patronize our Women s League Judaica Shop, as our Religious School receives generous financial assistance from them.

Our Vision at the Mirochnick Religious School: The vision is to create an observant Conservative By creating a positive informal and fun Jewish Jewish learning community with an overarching learning environment for students and their purpose to convey appreciation for the joy and families, they can successfully make connections richness of Jewish life. between tefillah, song, mitzvot and midot incorporating them into their daily lives which we hope will carry over into a lifelong pursuit of Jewish learning. YOUTH DEPARTMENT: Religious School Schedule KINDERGARTEN - 5 (Shabbat or Sunday): GRADES K & 1 SAT: 9:00-12:00 p.m. SUN: 9:30-12:30 p.m. GRADES 2-5 SAT: 9:00-12:00 p.m. SUN: 9:30-12:30 p.m. *GRADES 2-5, one day of week & time slot: MON: 3:30-5:00 p.m. MON: 5:15-6:45 p.m. TUES: 3:30-5:00 p.m. TUES: 5:15-6:45 p.m. WED: 3:30-5:00 p.m. WED: 5:15-6:45 p.m. THURS: 3:30-5:00 p.m. THURS: 5:15-6:45 p.m. What is USY? Grades 9-12 United Synagogue Youth, more commonly known as USY, is a youth group comprised of members from the United States and Canada. USY is dedicated to creating a fun and educational environment in which Jewish teenagers can connect through social action, support for Israel, perform acts of tzedakah (charity) and more - all while having a great time! USY is open to all Jewish teenagers in grades 9th - 12th, and while synagogue membership is not required, it is strongly encouraged. Our USY group here at B nai Torah is known as BRUSY (short for Boca Raton USY). USYers have the opportunity to attend conventions (sub-regionally, regionally, and internationally); participate in city-wide activities; and come to B nai Torah each week for chapter programming. BRUSY meets once a week on Tuesday or Thursday evening from 6:30-8:00 p.m. Programming varies, offering something for every interest level. What is Kadima? Grades 6-8 Kadima is United Synagogue s youth group for 6th - 8th graders. Kadima is a great place to meet and connect with other Jewish middle school students here at B nai Torah, and around the sub-region and region. Kadimanicks can participate in social action, religious education, Israel programming and more, and of course, there is an emphasis on building friendships and having fun! Kadimanicks have the opportunity to attend sub-regional conventions, Yom Disney weekend, and Gesher, a convention for 8th graders. Our B nai Torah Kadima chapter meets once a week on Tuesday or Thursday evening from 6:30-8:00 p.m. What is Bonim? Grades 2-5 What is Chalutzim? Grades K-1 Bonim and Chalutzim offer a variety of activities and meet twice a month on Sunday afternoon from 12:30-2:00 p.m. These groups do both in-house and away events, which provides for social development. MIDDLE SCHOOL: GRADE 6 SHABBAT SAT: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. one day of week & time slot: *See schedule above* TLC-Community Service Hours (Also B nai Mitzvah tutor and prayer classes which are a part of the B nai Mitzvah requirement) GRADE 7 (Pre B nai Mitzvah) SAT: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m, B nai Mitzvah classes and one weekday MON: 3:30-5:00 p.m. MON: 5:15-6:45 p.m. TUES: 3:30-5:00 p.m. TUES: 5:15-6:45 p.m. WED: 3:30-5:00 p.m. WED: 5:15-6:45 p.m. THURS: 3:30-5:00 p.m. THURS: 5:15-6:45 p.m. GRADE 7 (Post B nai Mitzvah) 3rd Shabbat of the month: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. TLC-Kids Care Community service project Ocassional weekday sessions HIGH SCHOOL (GRADES 8-12): 1 st Shabbat of the month: 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. TLC - Kids Care Community service project Occasional weekday sessions

Mirochnick Religious School Curriculum Experiential Our educational process is approached not only from the formal avenue of classroom instruction, but from the experiential and emotional path, better known as informal education. As the great writer Aldous Huxley wrote, Experience is not what happens to you; it is what you do with what happens to you. Experiential or informal education is the lifelong process whereby every individual acquires attitudes, values, skills, and knowledge from daily experiences and the educative influences and resources in his or her environment from family and neighbors, from work and play, from school, and the child s mentors. Through our experiential education programs, students experience the world around them in a variety of ways. These experiences support both classroom learning as well as provide students with unique opportunities that enhance their overall education. There are specific curricular elements that have been carefully planned by the religious school staff to give the students opportunities of experiencing the curriculum while they are learning the material. When entire families, including your youngest and oldest children, can all share learning and experience around the same content, greater connections are made to Judaism and to each other. We believe our learning has greater impact because the entire family is invested together in a common pursuit of knowledge. We believe that the best kind of learning comes from meaningful experiences. Each grade level accesses our curriculum in an age appropriate manner through the principles of experiential education. Through our experiential methods, our students live their learning by participating in student driven projects and experiences. Our students learn by observing, participating, creating & sharing. Our educators break up their time and develop activities based on their theme in conjunction with the attention span, interests, and ability levels of the various grades they teach. T filah T filah is a powerful part of what we do for several reasons. First, our students have the chance to experiment with keva and kavannah (the things you need to know to pray with a group, and the spiritual connection that fills your heart). Secondly, our students have the chance to hear, recite and practice prayers that they need to know for Bar and Bat Mitzvah. Our students gain a sense of familiarity with the order of the service as well as the prayers, and individual students and grade levels have the opportunity to lead the group at various times. Community It is said that you cannot practice Judaism in a vacuum; you need other people. Through our connections with others, we find support, friendship and new ideas. Through our connections with others, we can fulfill mitzvot and build a kehillah (community). Our religious school program builds community in two main ways through our students and through our parents. Family Education Family education is a huge component of our religious school because we believe that parents are a child s first and most influential teachers. When children see that their parents value Jewish learning and participation, it is natural for them to follow suit. During our Family Events, parents role model active Jewish learning as they attend enthusiastically and actively participate in discussions. This gives parents the opportunity to convey their values, insights and more, as they continue their role as their child s first and most important teacher. Hebrew Hebrew Beit Midrash-Our Hebrew program is a model for Differentiated learning. Differentiated learning is defined as the right of each pupil to be taught in a way specifically tailored to their individual learning needs. Because each learner comes to school with a different set of learning needs, examples of which include differing educational, personal, and communal contexts and varying degrees of academic skill development, differentiated instruction advocates a variety of instruction methods so as to best facilitate effective learning experiences which are suited to the various learning needs within the student. Classroom Structure: Students will come in either 3:30-5:00 or 5:15-6:45 Classes will be held in the Education Social Center (ESC) Students will receive their folder with their brit (instructional contract) There will be a total of 25 levels in this Hebrew Program. Students will begin doing the activities that are required of them Teachers will be assigned to certain students and will document their observations. Teachers initial after a child works at a station and masters the skill. When child completes all activities on the brit; he/she will be assessed by Director or Assistant to the Director All students have the capacity to learn. Each student learns at their own pace which is known as differentiated learning Each student is unique and this program respects the individual differences Accommodates family s overloaded schedules Teacher to student ratio will be 1:6 Learning Centers: Independent work File folder activities Games activities Manipulative center Dictionary center Audio/Computer center *Students will be required to choose from four of the six centers. Depending on the level there will be centers that will be required for them to do, i.e. audio-learn the prayer melodies.

Madrichim Program Madrichim is the plural of the Hebrew madrich (for a male) and madricha (for a female) and comes from the word to lead. Madrichim not only aid teachers in the classroom, but are leaders in our synagogue by being role models. Madrichim emphasize their role model commitment to their Jewish community through their continued involvement in our school and by passing on to younger students what they have learned. Our Madrichim program offers Post B nai Mitzvah teens the opportunity to develop communication and leadership skills, to increase self-confidence, express Jewish values, and learn practical teaching and leadership skills by assisting teachers in the classroom. Madrichim are able to earn community service hours or an hourly rate. Contact Cathy Berkowitz for more information. Youth Department - BRUSY As the Senior Youth Advisor for BRUSY, our youth department, as well as a teacher in the Mirochnick Religious School, I feel so honored to work and have fun with such a talented and smart community of kids here at B nai Torah. Every May, some of our young leaders take a step forward in our youth department and run in a heated election for a board member position. Each position has equal value in importance and I am extremely confident in this year s boards. I d like to take this opportunity to introduce to you our leadership - the USY and Kadima boards 2016-2017. Zachary Smith / BRUSY Senior Advisor Sandi and Barry Schwartz Kids Care Program The mission of the Kids Care Program is to teach our children about the importance of mitzvot by sharing meaningful, age-appropriate experiences with their peers and families that make a real, notable difference. Projects are held monthly. how you can help: sign-up to participate in the monthly programs. For more information please contact Summer Faerman, Director of TLC at Summer.faerman@bnai-torah.org USY Board Leo Karp - President Zach Maizes - VP Membership Gabe Turmail - VP Social Action/Tikun Olam Yaffa Englander - VP Religious Education Mikayla Berkowitz - VP Communications Kadima Board Jona Smolka - President Yael Hamaoui - 8th Grade Rep Deborah Faerman - 7th Grade Rep Zev Englander - Member at Large