Judaism has to be taught as an alive and active force. Our Religious School aims to instill pride and value in being a Jew. We have teachers who create excitement in the classroom and assist our children in identifying as Jews in today's society.

Our School program begins at Kindergarten and continues through Grade Twelve.

We are also proud to offer one of the only Special Education classes in the vicinity.

We use the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) CHAI Curriculum for Grades 2-7 which focuses classroom learning on Torah, Avodah (prayer) and G'milut Chasadim (acts of loving kindness) and expands beyond these topics in other educational programs. CHAI lessons are based on the "Understanding By Design" curriculum development model, which is widely used in the field of general education. (http://urj.org/chai/)

THE GOALS OF OUR PROGRAMS ARE:

• Impart knowledge of Jewish history and traditions
• Build Hebrew language skills that will enable our children to comprehend and participate in worship services
• Develop an understanding of Torah
• Teach the application of Jewish ethics, values and social justice
• Create an interest in Jewish current affairs in Israel and the worldwide Jewish community
• Develop a positive identification and commitment to Judaism within our children

OUR RELIGIOUS SCHOOL ACTIVITIES ALSO INCLUDE:

• Celebration of holidays, services and rituals
• Purim Carnival
• Participation in Friday night services by different grades
• Jewish music and art
• Tzedakah projects
• Family Education programs

To be eligible for Bar/Bat Mitzvah, students must have successfully completed consecutive study in 3^rd through 7^th grade at Temple Emanu-El or be otherwise qualified.

SCHOOL SCHEDULE

 

K-3^rd grade                Tuesday                                4:10-6:00

 

4^{th –} 7^thgrade             Monday/Wednesday                 4:10-6:00

 

8^th/9^th grade              Tuesday evenings                   7:00-8:30

  

10^th grade                 Tuesday evenings                    7:00-8:30

  

11/12^th grade             Tuesday evening                     7:00-8:30

 

Special Education        Wednesday                            4:10-6:00

 

 

2010-2011 Religious School Calendar

 

**ALL classes are in session unless otherwise noted**

 

August

27^th – Friday - Religious School Open House 7:00pm

 

September

8^th – Wednesday - Erev Rosh Hashanah Service 7:30pm

9^th – Thursday - Rosh Hashanah

17^th – Friday – Kol Nidre service 7:30pm

18^th- Saturday – Yom Kippur

20^th- Monday- First day of Religious School for grades 4 - 7

21^st- Tuesday- First day of Religious School for grades K – 3

22^nd - Wednesday- No Religious School – Erev Sukkot

24^th – Friday - Family Sukkot Service 7:00pm

27^th – Monday - All classes in session and Meet the Teachers/Pizza in the Hut for 4^th – 6^th grade families 5:00-6:45pm

29^th – Wednesday – No Religious School – Consecration/Simchat Torah Service 7:00pm and Pizza in the Hut 6:00pm

 

October

5^th – Tuesday – First day of Chai School and Confirmation Slass and Meet the Teachers/Pizza Night for 8^th – 12^th grade 7:00-7:30pm

12^th – Tuesday – All classes in session and Meet the Teachers/Pizza Night for K-3^rd grade families 5:00-6:45pm

22^nd - Friday – Family Service featuring 7^th grade 7:00pm

24^th – Sunday – Religious School Trip to Camp Harlam

25^th – Monday - All classes in session and Meet the Teachers/B’nai Mitzvah meeting for 7th grade families 5:30-6:45pm

 

November

**November 1^st – November 3^rd – No Religious School; NJEA Week** 

18^th – Thursday - Applebees fundraiser dinner

23^rd – Tuesday- Chai School and Confirmation Class begins at 6:30pm for dinner followed by Community Interfaith Service

24^th – Wednesday - No Religious School – Thanksgiving

26^th – Friday – Family Service 7:00pm

 

December

3^rd - Friday - Chanukah Family Service featuring K-2^nd grades 7:00 and 6:00pm dinner

Week of 3^rd -11^th- Bookfair- The bookfair will be open during Religious School and in the evenings

11^th – Saturday – Family Education program featuring author Micol Ostrow following Shabbat B’Shir Services 10:00am

19^th - Sunday- Mitzvah Day

**December 27^th- December 29^th – No Religious School; Winter Recess** 

 

January

** Religious School resumes on Monday January 3^rd **

17^th - Monday- No Religious School; MLK Day

18^th – Tuesday - Parent / Teacher conferences for K-3^rd grades and Tu B’Shvat Seder

19^th – Wednesday - Parent / Teacher conferences for 4^th-7^th grades and Tu B’Shvat Seder

28^th - Friday- Family Shabbat Service 7:00pm featuring 6^th grade

 

February

16^th – Wednesday – 6th grade parent Yad project 5:45-6:45pm

21^st - Monday- No Religious School; President’s Day

25^th - Friday- Family Shabbat Service 7:00pm featuring 5^th grade

28^th – Monday- Meeting for Bar/Bat Mitzvah families (4^th grade required. 5^th –7^th

grades invited.) 6:00-7:00pm

 

March

16^th – Wednesday – 5th grade parent Mezuzah project 5:45-6:45pm

18^th - Friday- Family Shabbat Service 7:00pm featuring 4^th grade

20^th – Sunday – Purim Service/Megillah Reading and Carnival

 

April

12^th - Tuesday- Model Seder Chocolate Grades K-3

13^th - Wednesday- Model Chocolate Seder Grades 4-7

**April 18^th- 25^th- No Religious School; Passover**

**Religious School resumes on Tuesday April 26^th**

29^th - Friday- Family Shabbat Service 7:00pm featuring 3^rd grade

 

May

3^rd - Tuesday- Religious School Open House for prospective members 4:15 –6:00pm

7^th – Saturday – Family Education 50^th Anniversary Program following Shabbat B’Shir Services 10:00am

15^th – Sunday – Religious School Trip

17^th- Tuesday- Last day of Religious School for grades K - 3 and 8 - 12

18^th - Wednesday- Last day of Religious School for grades 4 - 7

 

June

7^th - Tuesday- Confirmation and Shavuot Service 7:30pm and Dinner 6:00pm

 

 

To contact the Religious School Principal, Jill Santoni, please call 732-549-4442 Ext. 5 or

email her at principal@edisontemple.org

 

Viewing the Bar/Bat Mitzvah as the beginning of a lifetime of Jewish learning, all post Bar/Bat Mitzvah students are encouraged to enroll in the Hebrew High program. In our Chai School (8-12th grades) older students act as peer leaders for younger students. Curriculum for Grades 8 and 9 includes such subjects as “Comparative Judaism/Comparative Religions”, “Israel”, “Me, Myself, and My Community” which involves discussion and activities on improving the world as Jewish individuals and “Life Issues from the Jewish Perspective” which explores important teenage issues as well as social problems. Students learn how to make healthy and helpful choices through discussions, speakers, and movies. Modern Hebrew is also taught.

Students in 10th grade spend that year in Confirmation class with the Rabbi. The curriculum covers Jewish texts, Torah and God. The class will have three components: seminars, independent study and service to the community and the Temple. Successful completion of 8th –10th grade is required to participate in Confirmation in which the 10th grade students lead the Shavuot service. Our students round out their studies with a trip to Israel.

11th and 12th grade students participate in the peer leadership program in which they act as mentors and teachers for the 8th and 9th graders by leading discussion groups. The program makes use of opportunities for socializing, structured learning and group activities. Through these the students learn how Jewish values can play an important role in their lives.