Religious School

Education for Children

Mission Statement
The mission of Jewish education at Temple Beth Torah is to provide meaningful Jewish learning so that students are engaged in discovery of being Jewish through Torah, values, heritage, Hebrew, prayer, and community. Students of all ages will enter and leave Temple Beth Torah with a sense of fulfillment and joy with where they fit in the world and how to make the world a better place.

Vision Statement
The vision of Jewish education at Temple Beth Torah is to provide a safe, supportive environment wherein Jewish students can find meaning, fulfillment and joy being Jewish through exploration of Torah, values, heritage, Hebrew, prayer, and community.

Our Religious School
Our Temple Beth Torah staff is made up of volunteer teachers, professional administrators and rabbis.
Sunday mornings, students from age four through seventh grade gather from 9:00 a.m. until 11:15 am. The morning includes instruction about God, Jewish culture, history, holidays, values, prayer, music and religious practices. We utilize a curriculum from the Goldring Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life (www.isjl.org), which is designed specifically for small synagogues in the south. Hebrew instruction is also part of the morning’s curriculum. Students in preK through third grade and students not on the B’nai Mitzvah track are dismissed at 11:15 am. All students in fourth grade through seventh grade who are planning to become a Bar/Bat Mitzvah have Hebrew instruction each Sunday from 11:30 am – 12:30 pm. Students in grades eighth through tenth meet twice a month for a special program that may include community service, interfaith experiences, and Judaic explorations as they prepare for their confirmation. Many teenage students also participate in teaching classes at TBT religious school, bringing the knowledge they’ve received to younger students Three times a year, an educational fellow from ISJL visits our community to help enhance our zest for learning.

We also offer a once a month parent/toddler class that meets from 10:00 am to 11:00 am. This class will meet for special programs and holiday activities.

Participation in Friday night services is an important part of the learning. Students who attend Shabbat services regularly are able to integrate their Sunday learning. A few times a year, children lead the Shabbat service with the help of the rabbi and cantor. Once a month, there is a “Tot Shabbat” for young children at 6 pm prior to the 7:15 main service.

The Temple Beth Torah Youth Group, which is for all students sixth grade through twelfth, will meet quarterly for activities that may include community service, Judaic exploration, and team building all in a social fun setting. Many of our graduates have formed lifelong friendships with their fellow students.

Please check the Temple Beth Torah calendar for information regarding Religious School dates and special events.