Religious School
Religious School
Beth Israel Religious School: Experience the Joy of Jewish Community
Our Philosophy
It can seem like there is a lot to know in order to be a Jew; Judaism is a religion, a people, and a shared set of cultural touchstones. Feeling a sense of ownership of one’s Jewish identity begins by finding meaning, purpose, and joy within these paths to Jewish identity.
BIRS aims to guide students so they can have the skills necessary to understand and participate in religious observances and rituals; provide ample opportunities to build a joyful community; and explore and connect with Jewish cultures.
Our goal is to enable students to connect with the world through their own Jewish lens. At BIRS, students will study Jewish texts and traditions for relevance and meaning, learn to understand and lead holiday rituals, read (decode) Hebrew, and actively and meaningfully participate in religious services.
Elementary-school students learn Torah stories, encounter Jewish life-cycle events, participate in tefillot (prayers) services, learn songs, study about Middot (Jewish values), celebrate holidays, and create meaningful Jewish friendships.
Our 6th and 7th grade students will work on honing their Hebrew decoding skills. In these grades, students will be in Hebrew groups based on their level. They will practice tefillot (prayers) with the goal of participating in or leading a Saturday morning service, prepare for their bar/bat mitzvah journey with our Moving Traditions coursework, study Antisemitism and the Holocaust, learn about Israel, and discuss Jewish life cycle events.
Our 8th-12th graders have choices. They can join our high school program that focuses on issues that teens are dealing with and looking at them through a Jewish lens. There is some text study, chevruta (small group) work, and a lot of open discussion. They can also opt to join the Madrichim (guide) program, where they will learn about teaching others and being role models. Madrichim will participate in monthly learning opportunities that focus on leadership skills, how students learn, and what it means to be a role model.
At BIRS, we learn through doing: our calendar includes Family Mitzvah Day, holiday family celebrations, services, and dinners. Our mission is to foster joyful, proud, Jewishly-knowledgeable kids.
For more information about Beth Israel Religious School, please contact Heather Gale at hgale@bethisrael-aa.org.
Sat, May 28 2022
27 Iyyar 5782
Our YouTube Channel
Click here to view live and past services and events.
Today's Sefirah Count Is 42
היום שנים וארבעים יום שהם ששה שבועות לעמר |
Today's Calendar
Shabbat Mevarchim |
Shabbat Service - In-person and on Zoom : 9:30am |
Havdalah : 9:43pm |
Friday Night
Friday Evening Services - In-Person and Zoom : 6:00pm |
Candle Lighting : 8:52pm |
Shabbat Day
Shabbat Service - In-person and on Zoom : 9:30am |
Tot Shabbat : 10:30am |
Elementary Enrichment Program : 10:30am |
Tikkun Leil Shavuot : 8:00pm |
Candle Lighting : 9:49pm |
Upcoming Programs & Events
May 29 |
May 30 BIC Office Closed Monday, May 30 |
Jun 1 |
Jun 4 Tot Shabbat Shabbat, Jun 4 10:30am |
Jun 4 Elementary Enrichment Program Shabbat, Jun 4 10:30am |
This week's Torah portion is Parshat Bechukotai
Candle Lighting
Shabbat, May 28, 8:47pm |
Havdalah
Motzei Shabbat, May 28, 9:43pm |
Shabbat Mevarchim
Shabbat, May 28 |