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2008-2009

We are excited to embark on our 5th year of Religious School at Congregation Etz Chaim. We hope that the following information will be helpful to you.

About the Curriculum:

We utilize the rich educational services of the Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life (ISJL). The ISJL is a non-denominational umbrella institution serving Southern Jewish Communities, many without Rabbis or professional Jewish educators. The curriculum is designed for communities like our own, where our teachers are committed lay leaders. We are full of enthusiasm and drive to instill a strong sense of Jewish identity, knowledge and skill in our children.

Content areas which will be studied include; Hebrew, prayer, celebration of Jewish Holidays, G-D, Torah, Israel, Jewish values, history and culture. Each week has a prepared lesson for the grade being taught. The curriculum is "spiraled," in that students will revisit content areas in various degrees at different age levels.

Parent Involvement & "Parent on Duty":

In order for our Religious School to thrive, we count on the volunteer participation of our parents and congregants. This year, we will continue to involve parents who are not teaching by assigning them class time to serve snacks and be an extra set of hands in class and around the building. This is our "Parent on Duty" program. On your assigned week, please plan to arrive at 9:45 a.m. and then stay until approximately 12:30 to help clean up. "Parent on Duty" only includes families with students that attend religious school weekly, not families who only have children in our Torah Tots group.

There will also be other areas to show your support – from planning family events to substitute teaching to planning school wide celebrations.

In order to reinforce the skills your children are learning and help prepare for their B’nai Mitzvah, we are asking that as families, you attend all Shabbat services that are held at Etz Chaim. We also encourage you to attend a Shabbat Service when you are visiting relatives out of town. This is a great opportunity to share a religious experience with your children and have them see different ways that Judaism can be celebrated.

Please help reinforce what your children learn in class. Teachers will be sending periodic notes home. Additionally, Take 5 for Hebrew is a simple way for your children to practice five minutes of Hebrew or Jewish Content. We will have our "Take 5 for Hebrew" Raffle each week as an incentive. 

Torah Tots preschool group:

This is a monthly program (please see religious school calendar for monthly dates) for children in preschool.   A parent is required to attend with your child. Program meets from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm in the synagogue.  This is a great way for your children to start their Judaic studies, have fun and be around other Jewish children.  It’s also a great way for parents to connect with each other.  The torah Tots group will be singing songs, doing crafts, learning about the Holidays, etc.

Student Expectations:

We want the Etz Chaim Religious School experience to be a positive one for your family. This should be a place of learning, friendship and fun. We expect that your children will respect the teachers, fellow students and the synagogue itself.

Students will be provided with books and other materials. We ask that all books that are sent home for homework be returned each week. Lost books are the responsibility of the student and parents. We would ask that you buy the replacement on your own. It is imperative that your child reviews what was learned in class, especially the Hebrew, so that they are not lost at the next class.  Students need to come to each class prepared to learn.  It is important that all books and study material is brought to school every Sunday.

Arrival and Departure:

Arrival time will begin at 9:45 am.  If you arrive early, please do not leave your child alone outside the building.  We will begin class at 10:00 am so have your child to the building by 9:55 am.  This year, we will have a class in the sanctuary portion of the building.  It is important that your child does not arrive to school late and disrupt a class already in progress.  Please walk your child in and say hello to the teacher. Unless it is your week to stay, we ask that you please exit so our students can begin learning. Due to our limited space we want to keep things quiet.  We will have a short all-school gathering at the end of each week. Please plan to arrive at 11:45 am. No children will be dismissed outside on their own due to safety and liability.

Contact numbers:

Etz Chaim phone number is 464-8001 if you need to reach us on Sunday morning, primarily while class is in session.  If no one answers the Etz Chaim phone on Sunday and it is an emergency, please call Robyn’s cell phone.  For any inquiries during the week, contact Robyn Douglass at home at 273-5713 or email at robyntom91@cox.net.