School-Related Activities

Enrichment Program

We believe that Jewish Arts & Crafts, and Jewish Music are an integral part of a well-rounded religious school education, and we are pleased that we are able to offer our students experiences in both of these areas on a regular basis.

All students in the primary and elementary departments have music once a week. The music curriculum includes mainly Shabbat and holiday songs. Daled & Hey students will participate in the annual regional Zimriyyah, hosted by Beth El, on the first Sunday in February.

In addition to the weekly music session, every student has a one-hour art class once or twice a month. Projects are integrated with the students' classroom work and are based on the Jewish calendar, Jewish life cycle, Jewish history, and Jewish tradition.

The synagogue library provides additional enrichment to the school curriculum. The grade teachers assist the students with assignments and reports, and introduce them to the world of Jewish literature. 
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Program for Children with Special Needs

The Beth El community strongly believes that every Jewish child should receive Jewish education. To that end, the Religious School will endeavor to provide suitable classes for children with special needs.

At the recommendation of the grade teacher, a student who is experiencing some difficulty in Hebrew reading may be tutored by one of our High School graduates during regular school hours.

When the degree of disability is such that a child can participate in a regular classroom, but needs a more individualized instruction, he/she will be placed in small group sessions with our special education teacher. These students are carefully screened to ascertain specifically how they can be helped. Parents are closely consulted, and with their permission, a public school teacher and/or a counselor may be contacted as well.

Computer lab

Thanks to the generosity of the Scheinfeld family, who helped us open a computer lab two years ago, the Religious School continues to expand its use and utilize it for different classes and various projects. Under the supervision of their teachers, students use educational software to enhance their learning experience. They also use the lab for research purposes. The computer lab is in addition to the Computer Center, in memory of Jeremy Scheinfeld, z”l, which is located in the library and is available to all Beth El members.

Junior Congregation and Torah for Tots

One of the fundamental goals of our curriculum is to familiarize the student with the Siddur as a whole, and most specifically with the Shabbat morning service. This goal is impossible to achieve without the first-hand experience of communal worship. Junior Congregation is held every Shabbat and Yom Tov from 10:30 am to noon. Services are generally held in the Levenson Chapel, next to the Library.

 Once a month we have "Birthday Shabbat." On Birthday Shabbat, students celebrating their birthday during that month are honored. A special kiddush luncheon for Junior Congregation is held on Birthday Shabbat. Please check the school calendar for the dates of the Birthday Shabbat, mark your calendar now, and be sure to share this special honor and simcha with your child.

One Shabbat in almost every month is designated as Class Shabbat. The students of each class are assigned one Class Shabbat during the school year in which they are responsible for leading the entire service in Junior Congregation. Class Shabbatot are held in the Kasakove Youth Auditorium from 10:30 am until noon. Please check the school calendar and mark your child(ren)'s Class Shabbat to be sure that he/she will attend it along with his/her family.

As part of our school requirements, all students in the elementary department (3rd through 6th grade) are required to attend Shabbat morning Junior Congregation services at least once a month. Students are also expected to attend services at the various Jewish holidays. Teachers will keep accurate Junior Congregation attendance records, and parents of students who fail to meet this requirement will be so notified. Students may not be promoted if they do not fulfill the Junior Congregation requirement. Awards will be given to students who have attended Junior Congregation a substantial number of times beyond what is required during the school year.

In addition to the Junior Congregation service, a special service, Torah for Tots, for younger children, is conducted every Shabbat and Yom Tov from 11:00 am until noon in the Youth Lounge. This service is conducted at the age level of children in the primary grades, and it serves as an important introduction to Junior Congregation participation in the following years.

Bar/Bat Mitzvah Year

The importance of the Bar/Bat Mitzvah year to the children of our school year is recognized by the school board.

To qualify for Bar/Bat Mitzvah ceremony in our synagogue, students are required to attend classes for four years in our elementary department, and one year in the Hebrew High School. In addition, students are expected to attend Shabbat services regularly in the year prior to their Bar/Bat Mitzvah. Attendance at services will reinforce the students' knowledge of Shabbat prayers and the principles and practices of Judaism.

Bar/Bat Mitzvah lessons start four to five months prior to the scheduled Bar/Bat Mitzvah date. At the recommendation of the child's teacher, lessons may start earlier. Lessons will be held at times other than those in which a child is in religious school. The lessons are devoted to teaching the Haftarah, the Maftir, and if possible, additional Torah readings, depending upon the ability and interests of the student. Bar/Bat Mitzvah students should hopefully start their lessons with prior knowledge of basic prayers and blessings which are being taught in classes and practiced in Junior Congregation.

We will continue this year with the Bar/Bat Mitzvah institute which is designed to help parents in the process of preparing for this important milestone in their child's life. Children whose bar/bat mitzvah date is February 1st, 2011 through January 31st, 2012 will be invited. We would like to remind parents not to schedule parties during Religious School hours and be sensitive when inviting classmates. When it is not possible to invite the entire class, please avoid leaving out just a few.