Religious School

Beth Israel Religious School: Learning Paired with Fun! 

Registration for the 2025-2026 school year can be found here.

To see the BIRS calendar for the 2025-2026, click here.

Testimonials from parents and students:

To Lynne Caine, Director of BIRS:

"I truly cannot thank you enough for everything you do at BIRS (Beth Israel Religious School)...You've had such a meaningful impact on my kids lives. Because of you, they feel at home at BIRS, at the synagogue, and even on the bimah. Under your leadership, BIRS has become a place they want to be-they are genuinely upset if they have to miss a day!  Thank you, thank you, thank you-from the bottom of my heart."

"Thank you so much for your efforts and dedication to making BIRS a community where our kids can learn about so many aspects of Judaism and their connections to their own heritage and faith. You have been a wonderful leader and our children are getting so much from their time in BIRS!"

To Rav Nadav (our rabbi and BIRS 6/7 grade teacher) from his students:

"Thank you for connecting me with God in a way no one else could. Thank you for changing my life in the best possible way! " 

"You make class interesting and fun! You're so easy to talk to and it feels like you're always listening. You're one of my favorite teachers (and rabbi)!"

To Rav Nadav from a parent and member of BIC:

"When I asked my kids who I should write thank-you cards for, they both made sure I wouldn't leave you out-and they are absolutely right... From your thoughtful sermons, to the lessons at BIRS, to the many times you've welcomed us on Shabbat-Thank you. The work you and Lynne are doing has truly strengthened our school and turned it into a real pillar of our community. We are so grateful!"

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.

Beth Israel Religious School (BIRS) guides students so they have the skills necessary to understand and confidently participate in religious observances and rituals, including feeling comfortable on the bimah; to contribute to and experience a joyful, supportive community; and to connect with Jewish history, values and cultures.

Our School's Goals:  

BIRS students will become confident, joyful participants in Jewish ritual life, make friends and develop a peer-support system, become knowledgeable ambassadors of the Jewish people and Israel, have deep, non-literal interactions with Torah, and become knowledgeable about the guidance the Jewish tradition provides for addressing modern, real-life challenges.

Additionally, we seek to enable students to connect with the world through their own Jewish lens. To facilitate this, students will study Jewish texts and traditions for relevance and meaning, learn about Israel, study Jewish history, learn to understand and lead holiday rituals, read (decode) Hebrew, and actively and meaningfully participate in religious services.

Our Content: 

Our youngest students, ages 2-4, are invited to join our Gan Katan. This class is designed for our young learners to participate in class with a grown up. Class meets on BIRS Sundays from 10am-11am once or twice a month. Gan Katan students explore and experience the joys of movement, creative, and play-based activities, including singing, story-time, arts and crafts, and have meaningful "Torah encounters" and "field trips" to the chapel, sanctuary, and BIRS classrooms.

Elementary school students learn and discuss Torah stories, learn about and experience the joys of Shabbat and Jewish community, explore Jewish diversity, learn about famous Jewish role models past and present, participate in tefillot (prayer leaders) services, sing songs, learn to decode Hebrew, study middot (Jewish values) and Jewish laws, celebrate holidays, and create meaningful Jewish friendships.

Our 6th and 7th grade students work on prayers directly relevant to leading a Saturday morning service, prepare for their bar/bat/brit mitzvah through our Rabbi-led "journeys" program (which includes sessions with parents), study Antisemitism and the Holocaust, learn about the history of Israel, and master Jewish life-cycle events. In addition, students study closely with Rav Nadav the "deep" vs "literal" meanings of Torah that will shape their own decisions and choices of their own belief system. During this precious time preparing for bar/bat/brit mitzvah together, students form a supportive peer group with a lasting bond. For detailed information regarding our Bnei Mitzvah process, click here.

Opportunities for 8th Grade and High School Students: Learning to Be Leaders

The Madrichim Program (Sundays during BIRS 10am-Noon): The Madrichim (counselor/leader) program teaches leadership, communication, and teaching skills, along with peer-support, reflection, and preparation for being teaching assistants in the BIRS classrooms. Typically students spend the first hour learning and prepping, and the second hour serving as tutors, game and activity leaders, and volunteer teacher aides. 8th graders are expected to join the Madrichim program. High School Interns have the option of joining Madrichim first hour, as explained below.

High School Interns (Time varies*): Designed for grades 9-12 as an opportunity for students to gain valuable experience as they prepare for college and the world of work, interns will gain experience that can be listed on college and scholarship applications and develop a relationship with a mentor who can be asked to serve as a reference or to write letters of recommendation. Students will work with a BIC staff member in a specific area of their interest: School (teaching assistants, special school activities, etc., Lynne Caine), Ritual (supporting services, Rav Nadav), or Programming (special events, carnivals, chaverim help etc. Melanie Gorman). * High school students who have already completed a year of Madrichim and are now High School Interns are encouraged to return to Madrichim for the first hour but are not required to. As a community of practice, each Madrichim year will be a different experience as they practice and share their leadership skills, and prepare to teach and run activities for the second hour. Staying together for this hour also allows for a larger peer support group, as High School Interns support each other and the 8th graders. Nevertheless, an Intern could choose to volunteer first hour instead; and High School Interns in the Ritual or Programming tracks are neither required to join Madrichim nor come on Sunday, though they are encouraged to. 

Fees for and Volunteer/Earning in these programs: The Internship administrative fee is $180. The Madrichim program fee is $518 for the first year. (Interns joining Madrichim still only pay the $180 Internship fee.) Students who are interns and have never been in Madrichim may be asked to attend special training sessions with the Madrichim. High School students accepted in the Internship Program can choose either to be paid $11 per hour or to work in their intern position as a non-paid volunteer. Students who choose to be paid will need to complete and submit a work permit prior to being paid. Information is found here.  All Madrichim and Interns will be added to a “Tap me if you need me list” of synagogue volunteers who will be contacted when additional non-paid synagogue volunteer opportunities arise. Separate from all the above is Gesher and USY, which are continuing under the direction of Allie Abrams, our Youth Director, whose email is found here.

For more information about Beth Israel Religious School and our Madrichim and Internship programs, please contact our BIRS Director at lynnecaine@bethisrael-aa.org.

"Do I Have to be a Member of Beth Israel to Enroll my Child?"

Bringing children into a life of Jewish commitment, identity, and community, is one of the primary missions of our synagogue: to pass on the tradition in an unbroken chain l'dor vador, from generation to generation. For this reason, Beth Israel membership highly subsidizes the cost of educating its children, as the actual cost of BIRS education far exceeds fees for tuition. For this reason, membership and school enrollment are intertwined: when you join Beth Israel, you become a part of the Beth Israel community, and Beth Israel in turn subsidizes your child's education. Membership dues are charitable donations, and Beth Israel adjusts membership costs to meet your circumstances and your agreement. In addition, your membership allows you access to need-based scholarship funds even for the subsidized BIRS tuition fees.

Tuition and Meeting Schedule by Grade

Gan Katan – $218
Meets Sundays for one hour one to two times per month.

Kindergarten-2nd Grade (Lower Elementary) – $540
Meets Sundays for two hours.

3rd-5th Grade (Upper Elementary) – $918
Meets Sundays for two hours and Wednesday for 90 minutes.

6th-7th Grade (Journey to the B-mitzvah Cohort) – $980
Meets Sundays for two hours and Wednesday for 90 minutes.

8th Grade Madrichim (Guide/Leadership Program) – $518
Meets Sundays for two hours

9-12th Grade Internships (Mentorship & Service Program) – $180

*Internships require acceptance and registration, click here.

To read the BIRS policies and procedures, click here.