August 11, 2008

Dear Religious School families,

I hope that you have had an enjoyable and relaxing summer and are ready to get back to school! It is time to focus our attention on the new Religious School year at Beth Israel. We are excited about some new programming and changes for this year. Our Family Services will incorporate more family involvement, themes, and more participation of students. For example, we will be recognizing birthdays by calling birthday celebrants up to the bimah and singing the Happy Birthday song in Hebrew each month. The theme for our opening Family Service on Friday, September 12 will be “How to prepare for the High Holidays.” We will also be hosting a Shabbat dinner prior to this service for those who have registered (Click here for the Flyer). This year we will be having two Havdalah dinners/services, since so many families enjoyed last year’s experience.  Best of all, we are very excited to have the addition of our new part-time Cantor, Dannah Rubinstein, who will work closely with all our Religious School students in class and will help involve them more in our services. Cantor Rubinstein will be leading our Saturday morning Junior Congregation services this year. Please join us and help make our services more meaningful for your family.

Enclosed, you will find the Religious School calendar for the 2008-2009 school year, and a separate list of Family Service, Junior Congregation, and Havdalah service dates for your convenience. Please immediately put these dates on your calendars to avoid potential conflicts with other activities.

Regarding school supplies, your children will need a tote bag or backpack designated specifically for Religious School. Please have your children keep all of their books, papers, supplies (especially sharpened pencils!) and kippah (if appropriate) in their bags/backpacks, so they’ll have everything they need each week. I also recommend that you purchase a plastic pencil box and some basic supplies such as markers, colored pencils, glue, scissors, a folder and a notebook.

Please join us at our Religious School’s “Welcome Back to School” breakfast on September 7, 2008 from 9:30 – 10:00 A.M. in the Social Hall. All parents and students are to meet in the Social Hall by 10:00 A.M. that morning for our first day of Religious School. Teachers will be introduced, and classes will be dismissed to leave the Social Hall with their teachers. Immediately after the students leave for class, there will be a mandatory parent meeting in the Social Hall. At this time, you will receive a copy of the Religious School Handbook. We will review its policies and answer any questions you may have. You will also have the opportunity to meet Cantor Rubinstein, and hear her plans for involvement with the Religious School this year. Lastly, you will have the chance to sign up and volunteer to lead or help out with the many Religious School programs that are planned for this year. I am counting on increased parental participation this year, especially from those who have not been as involved in past years.

Classes for all students begin at 10:00 A.M. and continue until 12:30 P.M.  Wednesday classes for Gimel (third grade) through Zayin (seventh grade) begin on Wednesday, September 10, from 4:00 - 5:45 P.M. Please remember that all religious school tuition and at least 50% of your annual dues payment must be paid before students may attend classes, unless prior arrangements have been made.

I look forward to helping the Religious School instill in your children a love of Judaism and a solid Judaic foundation that will guide them throughout their lives.

Shalom,

Joan L. Sharp, Education Director