Our school sessions have shifted from "Drop off Judaism"

Shalom from TBD Religious School

Shabbat newsletter compiled by

Gal Kessler Rohs, Education Director

From "Drop off Judaism"

to family learning

Our 27 religious school sessions are scheduled and aired. We reconvene school again in just over two months, on August 30 ^th .

As we face a pandemic danger, and protect our families by sheltering at home, we are determined to continue our calendrical cycle of learning. True, we are uncertain of what the learning medium may be, but we are committed to Jewish engagement. Yes, we long for the laughter of our students running around in the Kohl playground, chitchatting in the amphitheater, and we crave for cooking hands at Union Station, for the touching of hearts of Holocaust survivor guest speakers, and for the chanting of Hebrew trope in our B’nai Mitzvah classes.

The internet has shifted Religious School learning from “drop off Judaism” ( Rabbi Lachtman ’s paraphrase!) to Jewish family education. From the corners of our homes, our hearts were touched with the dedication of our staff , the singing of Cantor Orly , the story telling of Miss Doris , the dynamics between our students, and the hills and valleys of Israel. Our school included family pet members, like the Cass ’ family pet fish who shared moments of learning joy with Guinea Pig Caramel Stieglitz . We are physically apart, and yet we have profound our knowledge of each other.

Be it through the internet, or otherwise, our curricular year encompasses several highlights, all in an effort to raise students Jewishly, and committed to the legacy of our Rabbi, and temple mission . In addition to the progression of learning through grades , with themes such as Mitzvot, Torah figures, Shabbat and the structure of our synagogue, we have annual family school programs. Our programs include a Purim Carnival, Passover Model Seder, Holocaust program for our older grades, Israel Day, and a nature themed Tu Bishvat engagement for our school. We also partner with the Jewish Federation’s programs like Shabbaton weekend away for our 3 ^rd grade and older students. Every Person Has A Name is a Federation 25 hour Holocaust vigil of names of those who perished in the Shoah. Our students are encouraged to sign up for name reading, as part of their religious school outreach to the community to contribute to the trending #NeverForget.

The shape of our students’ learning is not only determined by the dedication of our educators, or medium of learning. Nor is it solely the programming and scheduling that is administratively determined. Learning is largely credited to parental engagement, and the motivation reflected within the family towards our mission. As we think about the coming school year, together with the needs of our children to build upon their Jewish identity, slots for calendrical ideas are being filled enthusiastically. We ask you thus the following- What would you like to see your child engage in? How would you like to shape the Passover seder? What elements of Israel would you like reflected in our Holy Land day? Do you have a talent you would like to bring to our nature Tu Bishvat learning? Or a Hamantaschen recipe you’d like to share? Let’s chat about it, we are just a Zoom call away!

(Darling bonding image above shows Hannah , Emily and Caramel Stiglitz)

Shabbat Shalom,

- Gal Kessler Rohs , Education Director