- Welcome
BARUCHIM HABA’IM
WELCOME
TO THE LINDA AND RUDY SLUCKER RELIGIOUS SCHOOL
AT TEMPLE SHAREY TEFILO-ISRAEL
Welcome to the Linda and Rudy Slucker Religious School at Temple Sharey Tefilo-Israel. At the Linda and Rudy Slucker Religious School, our mission is to provide a comprehensive, K-12 Reform Jewish education to the Jewish youth in our community. The Religious School gives students the knowledge, perspectives, and tools to engage actively with the Jewish tradition and Jewish approaches to the most profound questions of faith, ethics, life, and meaning. The Religious School pursues this mission through a rigorous and well-constructed curriculum that provides students with a uniquely Jewish set of perspectives and the foundational knowledge for a lifetime of Jewish learning.
The Goals of the Religious School are for its students to become:- Jews who affirm and re-affirm their Jewish identity and their covenant with the Jewish people, and who publicly declare this covenant through the ceremonies of consecration, Bar or Bat Mitzvah, confirmation, and Religious School graduation.
- Jews who know and understand Judaism’s foundational texts (Tanakh, Talmud, Midrash, etc.).
- Jews who know and understand Reform Jewish belief and practice, including theology, ethics and mitzvot, and understand how Reform Jewish belief and practice is similar to and different from other forms of Jewish and non-Jewish religious beliefs and practices.
- Jews who know, understand and participate in the observance of Jewish holidays (Shabbat and festivals).
- Jews who know, understand and participate in the observance of Jewish life cycle events and rituals.
- Jews who know and understand the nature of Jewish worship and prayer, who participate fully in Reform synagogue services, and who can understand and appreciate other types of Jewish worship and prayer.
- Jews who are familiar with the Hebrew language, who understand the importance of the Hebrew language to the Jewish people, who can read and write basic Hebrew as necessary to participate in the Hebrew portions of Reform Jewish services, and who have the foundation for a deeper study of Hebrew.
- Jews who are bound to Eretz Yisrael, the Land of Israel, and who know its history, geography and modern life.
- Jews who are bound to K’lal Yisrael, the community of worldwide Jewry, and who actively seek the welfare of Jews throughout the world.
- Jews who know and understand the history of the Jewish Diaspora, particularly in the United States, the contributions of Jews in the Diaspora, and the struggles faced throughout Jewish History, including anti-Semitism and the Holocaust.
- Jews who further the causes of justice, freedom and peace by pursuing tzedek (righteousness), misphat (justice), and chesed (acts of loving kindness).
- I - II
- III - V
- VI - VII
- VIII
- IX - X
- XI
- XII - XIV
- XV - XVII
- XVIII - XX
- People
RELIGIOUS SCHOOL POLICIES
I. RELIGIOUS SCHOOL SESSIONS
The hours the Religious School is in session depend upon grade level and are as follows:
Sundays: 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. (Grades K-6)
Tuesdays: 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. (Grades 3-6)
6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. (Grade 7 Bar/Bat Mitzvah Tutorial)
7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. (7th & 8th Grade Programs)
7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. (Grades 9-12 (Hebrew High/ “Sharey Ateed”)
II. ATTENDANCE POLICY
Regular attendance at class sessions is as essential to Jewish learning as it is to learning in secular school. While absences are sometimes unavoidable (such as an illness) or are not the fault of the student, our attendance policy is intended to teach students to uphold the commitment they have made to their religious education, and to ensure that students do not fall behind in their studies. Religious School is a serious commitment, and should not be regarded as a “drop-in” extracurricular activity. Good progress can be expected only with consistent attendance.
If a student will be absent or late, parents are expected to call the Religious School in advance. If a student is absent without a parent’s advance notice, the Religious School will call the student’s home. Whenever a student misses a class session, he or she, or a parent, is expected to contact one of his Religious School teachers via e-mail for the missed assignments. All work must be made up within a specified time frame as established by the teacher.
A student may have no more than three unexcused absences per school year. An excused absence is defined as an absence for illness or important family commitments explained to the teacher’s satisfaction in a note or e-mail from a parent, guardian or a doctor. If a student incurs more than three unexcused absences in a school year, he or she will be expected not only to complete missed work, but may be assigned extra work or a special service project related to the curriculum by the Religious School Director. An extra assignment or service project must be completed for every absence in excess of three. Students with more than three unexcused absences who do not complete the assigned make-up work may, at the discretion of the clergy, be deemed ineligible to participate in lifecycle events such as Bar/Bat Mitzvah, Confirmation, and Graduation.
III. BAT/BAR MITZVAH
Bat and Bar Mitzvah is not the culmination of Jewish education, but an important intermediate milestone in the Jewish education of our daughters and sons. Bat/Bar Mitzvah means “son/daughter of the commandment.” The Bar Mitzvah or Bat Mitzvah is the ceremonial occasion that marks the time when a young person is recognized as an adult in the Jewish community who will fully participate in the spiritual life of the community, who will observe the precepts of our Jewish tradition, and will continue with more advanced studies in his or her Jewish education. At the age of thirteen, a Jewish boy or girl has the right to take part in leading religious services, to count in a minyan (the minimum number of people needed to perform certain parts of religious services), to form binding contracts and to testify before religious courts.
Because the Bar/Bat Mitzvah ceremony marks the achievement of a basic level of Jewish education, the Religious School sets the educational requirements for participation in a Bar or Bat Mitzvah ceremony at TSTI. Non-educational requirements may also be established by the clergy or other organizations within TSTI. In order to celebrate a Bar/Bat Mitzvah at TSTI, students must attend and fulfill the requirements for grades 3-7 of the Religious School. For students with special needs, or for students who have enrolled in the Religious School after coming to TSTI from another school, the Religious School Director, in consultation with the clergy, will determine the appropriate educational requirements for celebrating a Bar/Bat Mitzvah at TSTI.
Students enrolled in a Jewish Day School who wish to celebrate their Bar or Bat Mitzvah at TSTI must attend and fulfill the Judaic Studies requirements for grades 3-7 of the Religious School. Such students are excused from attending the Hebrew language components of the program. The Religious School Director will determine, in their sole discretion, which components constitute Judaic Studies and which constitute Hebrew language study. A tuition adjustment may be made for such students at the discretion of the TSTI Finance Committee based upon recommendations from the Religious School Director and the Religious School Budget Task Force.
IV. CONFIRMATION
Confirmation occurs at the end of the 10th Grade and is celebrated at the holiday of Shavuot, when we commemorate the giving of the Torah at Mt. Sinai. Confirmation is a ceremony created by the Reform Movement, in which young people re-affirm their commitment to Judaism. In order to participate in Confirmation at TSTI, students must attend and fulfill the requirements set by the Religious School.
V. GRADUATION
Graduation from the Sharey Ateed Program (Hebrew High School) takes place at the end of 12th Grade. It is the culmination of the Religious School experience at Temple Sharey Tefilo-Israel. In order to participate in Graduation at TSTI, students must attend and fulfill the requirements set by the Religious School.
VI. SHABBAT PARTICIPATION
Students are required to attend Friday night and Saturday morning services according to the following schedule:
Grade # of services Requirement
K-2 2 Tot Shabbat, Family Services, etc.
3rd Grade 3 at least 2 at TSTI
4th Grade 6 at least 2 at TSTI
5th Grade 7 at least 4 at TSTI
6th Grade 13 at least 9 at TSTI, including 3 Saturday AM Services
7th Grade 13 at TSTI and/or other synagogues
8th Grade 13 at TSTI and/or other synagogues
Students may fulfill these requirements by attending any combination of Shabbat Friday night and Shabbat Saturday morning services at Temple Sharey Tefilo-Israel or at other synagogues, subject to the specific requirements set forth above. Attendance at High Holidays or other Festival Services does not fulfill the Shabbat Service attendance requirements. Parents must accompany their children to services. Students must be appropriately dressed when attending services. We encourage families to attend Shabbat Services regularly and suggest our wonderful intergenerational services, which are held at 6:00 the 2nd and 4th Friday night of each month.
Students must report their Shabbat attendance to their Hebrew teachers on Sundays or Tuesdays. When the mid-year and year-end student evaluations are mailed to you, please check the number of services attended on the front of the form. If you believe there is a discrepancy, please notify the Religious School office.
VII. CONSECRATION
All new students in grades Kindergarten through 4th participate in the Consecration Ceremony, which is held early in the school year. The Consecration Ceremony celebrates the students’ start to their formalized Jewish education.
Inclement weather closings on weekdays will follow the South Orange/Maplewood Board of Education’s schedule. If the South Orange/Maplewood schools are closed due to inclement weather, the Religious School will be closed. If the South Orange/Maplewood schools have a delayed opening, however, the Religious School may remain open. Closings for inclement weather on Sundays, and for weather that develops after the start of the public school day on weekdays, will be determined by the Religious School Director. All closings will be announced by phone calls to all teachers and students through the Religious School’s automated phone system.
Sunday: In the event that school is closed due to inclement weather you will receive a message from our automated phone. Please do not call the Religious School or Temple for this information, as the phone lines need to remain open so that staff and personnel can be notified.
Tuesday: On Tuesdays, you will receive a message from our automated.
Please make sure the Religious School office has your preferred telephone number and updated email address.
The safety of the Temple Religious School community is a primary concern, and the systems we have devised are all designed to maximize safety. In developing drop-off and pick-up procedures, we seek also to maximize the amount of classroom time for our students and minimize to the greatest extent possible the amount of time spent by parents and caregivers in dropping off and picking up their children.
A. Drop Off: Please drop off students in the fire lane closest to the Temple. Please use the entire length of the Temple during drop-off, from the doors near the sanctuary all the way to the doors near the Religious School. Doors will be open throughout the length of the lane, so that students will not be out in the weather for long. If students do not leave cars until the cars reach the Religious School doors, the time it takes to get all students into classrooms increases dramatically. Staff members will be present to receive students.
B. Pick-up: Volunteer parents and/or Madrachim will direct you to the correct lane when you arrive to pick up your children. Lanes will be organized by the last name of the child[ren] being picked up. Once you are on line for pick up, please turn off your car’s ignition. Restart your engine only after all children are inside the cars and the traffic guide has signaled to proceed. Shortly before 11:30 a.m. on Sunday, and at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesdays, the parking lot will be “locked down” and no additional cars will be permitted to enter. Students will be released from their classes at 11:30 on Sundays and 6:00 on Tuesdays, and will proceed to the parking lot and to their vehicles. Those arriving after 11:30/6:00 must wait until all other cars have exited the parking lot; then they may retrieve their children at Gellis Plaza.
We STRONGLY ENCOURAGE parents to carpool. This reduces the number of cars in the parking lot and will speed dismissal. If you have a carpool with another family or families, pick a single last name to be used for the entire year, and tell the children in that carpool to proceed to the corresponding lane.
More detailed instructions are circulated at the beginning of each school year and may be updated during the school year, as necessary.
X. EARLY DISMISSAL
While the Religious School discourages parents from picking up their children early from class, we understand that there will be circumstances when that is necessary. In these instances, parents and students are expected to adhere to the following procedure:
- The student or his/her parent should bring a note to the Religious School office before the student reports to class.
- For the security of the students, the person picking up the student early will be asked to sign out the child from the Religious School office. A Religious School aid (madrich/a) will escort the child from his/her classroom to the Religious School office.
- There will be no early dismissal after 10:50 on Sundays and 5:20 on Tuesdays
- Do not text your child and ask them to walk out early.
XI. CELL PHONES
Students should not bring cell phones to Religious School. If it is absolutely necessary that your child have a cell phone, the ringer must remain off and the phone must be stored in a backpack, purse, or pocket during class. If a student uses a cell phone during class, he/she will receive a warning and the phone will be confiscated by the teacher, to be returned at the end of class. The second time a student uses a cell phone for any purpose, including calls, text messaging, e-mailing or taking photos, the phone will be confiscated and the parents will be asked to collect the phone in the Religious School office after school.
XII. HOMEWORK
Reinforcement is a necessary part of any educational system. Students may be given homework assignments to reinforce the curriculum of their Judaic studies courses. All students are expected to spend approximately 10 minutes per day practicing their Hebrew reading in order to make satisfactory progress in their Hebrew studies.
XIII. TZEDAKAH
Part of our mission is to instill Jewish values through the act of Tzedakah, or charitable giving. Teachers introduce this Jewish value of Tzedakah at the beginning of the year. During homeroom period each week, contributions are collected. We encourage students to contribute each week, the emphasis being the importance of giving regularly and not on the amount that each student donates. At the end of the year, each class selects a charitable organization to receive the collected funds.
We aim for 100% participation and hope that you will reinforce this important value.
XIV. STUDENT EVALUATIONS
The Religious School sends a progress report for each student to parents twice per year.
We are partners with you in the sacred task of providing students a Jewish education. The door of the Religious School Director is always open to to hear your questions and concerns. Part of that openness comes with your knowing and having direct communication with all of the teachers as well as the Religious School Director. To this end, we hold Back-To-School events for our Kindergarten through 12th grade parents. These are wonderful opportunities for you to meet your children’s teachers and see what will be happening in your Religious School each year.
The staff of the Religious School is available to meet with you regarding your child during office hours. Appointments should be scheduled for a time when Religious School is not in session as the Religious School Director, clergy, and teachers will not be available when class is in session.
Please ensure that the Religious School office has your current email address. This is critical as we rely primarily on email for communication. Updates, bulletins, and notes from teachers will all be sent via email, and Religious School materials will be posted on our website.
XVI. PARENT PARTICIPATION
We welcome your participation at Religious School events throughout the school year, as it sends a powerful message to your children about the importance of their Jewish education. Please consult the list of activities included in your registration packet Teachers will also distribute notices via email and classroom parents will be calling parents in search of volunteers.
XVII. FAMILY EDUCATION
Family education occurs through family experiences. Time shared in an interesting, educational and fun-filled manner will lead to lasting memories. The goal of family education is to transmit the Jewish heritage in a meaningful way to the whole family through learning new skills, songs and engaging in fascinating discussions.
Each grade has a family education program as part of the curriculum. Parents are invited to learn alongside their children in an activity thematically related to what is covered in class.
XVIII. B’LAY’VAV
B’lay’vav (“from the heart”) is a program that enables the Religious School to individualize study, assist students and enable them to work to their full potential. Headed by our Learning Consultant, B’lay’vav has several components:
An academic support center to help students with individualized needs.
An enrichment program serving those students who are farther ahead in their Hebrew studies than their grade level.
XIX. MUSIC PROGRAM
The Music Program in our Religious School complements and enriches other areas of study.
In the primary grades, students are introduced to the Hebrew language through the singing of Hebrew blessings, prayers and simple Israeli melodies. The holidays are brought to life with music reinforcing classroom study.
In the intermediate grades, music enriches our Hebrew curriculum. While learning to read the liturgy of the service, Hebrew study is reinforced with accompanying melodies. During the mid-week classes at our learners’ minyan, all 3rd through 6th graders have the opportunity to learn the prayer melodies of our congregation. Israeli songs and music from the Reform Jewish youth movement (NFTY) are also included.
XX. CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT
The Religious School encourages positive reinforcement of behavior. We expect that students will adhere to behavior policies and class rules established by each teacher. Our expectations are that the students will behave respectfully toward teachers, and teachers will treat the students with respect.
A copy of our classroom management policy is available in the Religious School office.
RELIGIOUS SCHOOL BOARD OF TRUSTEES
We are fortunate at Temple Sharey Tefilo-Israel Religious School to have a Board of Trustees filled with dedicated and hard working lay volunteers who welcome your input and ask that you call upon them at any time. Please note that Board membership can change throughout the school year. Parents should check the Temple website for the most current listing of Religious School Board Members.
OUR TEACHERS
Our Religious School faculty is one of the finest. It is filled with committed teachers who collectively possess a wealth of experience, love for children and our tradition. It is important that the communication between teachers and parents be open. We encourage you to participate by calling the Religious School and leaving a message for your child’s teacher. The following is a list of our teachers for this school year:
I. RELIGIOUS SCHOOL SESSIONS
II. ATTENDANCE POLICY
III. BAT/BAR MITZVAH
IV. CONFIRMATION
V. GRADUATION
VI. SHABBAT PARTICIPATION
VII. CONSECRATION
VIII. INCLEMENT WEATHER
IX. DROP-OFF/PICK-UP
X. EARLY DISMISSAL
XI. CELL PHONES
XII. HOMEWORK
XIII. TZEDAKAH
XIV. STUDENT EVALUATIONS
XV. COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN PARENTS AND THE RELIGIOUS SCHOOL
XVI. PARENT PARTICIPATION
XVII. FAMILY EDUCATION
XVIII. B’LAY’VAV
XIX. MUSIC PROGRAM
XX. CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT