Youth Education

Dear 3rd through 7th grade BST parents,

   Starting in the 2018-2019 school year, BST partnered with an organization called Shalom Learning, which builds innovative new programs to provide meaningful Jewish education for religious schools. As of 2017, they had expanded to 80 congregations across the country. 

   Shalom Learning's interactive, Jewish values-based curriculum helps children develop a positive Jewish identity. This curriculum divides the year into 7 Jewish values that we all share. Each grade from 3rd-7th will be moving through the year studying age-appropriate texts and lessons about the same value, at the same time. In addition, as students get older, their world gets a little larger. For a 3rd grader, for example, the value will be presented and discussed from a family perspective. 4th grade - through the lens of the self. 5th graders are actively engaging in peer relationships. The 6th grade will be looking at these values from a community view, and then in 7th, a worldview. By relating stories from the Torah and Jewish history to events happening in our student's lives, Shalom Learning helps each student explore his or her personal connection to our heritage. To see an overview of the curriculum CLICK HERE. 

  Our tradition didn't begin in synagogues or community centers or even the neighborhood Jewish deli (I wish we had one here!). Our tradition for thousands of years began in the home with parents sharing lessons, singing songs, teaching Torah and celebrating our holidays with our children. This year, I am asking for your help. Here is how...

  Each week, you and/or your child will receive a pre-lesson activity which may be a short video with a question or perhaps some kick-off questions about the new value with multiple choice answers. Encourage your child to do these and feel free to watch the videos with them and help them with the questions. These will spark some advance thought about the new value prior to beginning it on Sunday. Then, after each lesson, Your student’s teacher will send home a summary of our classroom learning in a parent letter as well as a couple of "car talk" or "table talk" questions for you to optionally discuss with your child. 

  Finally, as we begin a new value each month, we would like to invite you to join your child in the classroom when the value is briefly introduced and then meet with the rest of the parents for refreshments while you participate in a facilitated discussion of the value your child will be exploring all month. Please mark your calendar with the following dates when we would like to encourage you to accompany your children to school: 9/16, 10/21, 12/2, 1/13, 2/10, 3/17, and 4/14. PLEASE NOTE THE FIRST SESSION WILL BE 9/16 (first day of school).  

  Here’s how the morning will go. You will take your children to their classes at 9am and come to the social hall to learn about what this year will look like with the new rabbi, the new curricula, and the new schedule.  After that, you’re encouraged to hang out with your fellow parents until the children come out at 10:10 am for bagel bar.  At 10:30 you will walk your child to his/her Judaic Studies classroom where the value will be introduced and the teacher will introduce him/herself.  You will then convene in the social hall for Apples and Honey and a special blessing for the new year.  This will be followed in the sanctuary by a parent discussion on Teshuvah with Mike Haas.

   We are hoping that studying the same big concepts schoolwide at the same time will foster a greater connection between, and within, the BST student body. Having parents also engaged in these same concepts not only during parent-only discussions at BST but also at home with their children will emphasize their importance and increase the likelihood that our children will consider these values in their daily lives. 

   This will be a big year and I am so very grateful to be learning with your child, and hopefully with you too.

L'shalom,

 Jim Javinsky 

Principal 

Beth Shalom Temple Religious School

To enroll your child or children in Religious School, you must be a member of Beth Sholom Temple. Please click here for membership information. Already a member? Click here for the Religious School form.

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