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.

Beth Israel Religious School (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.

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 and includes lots of singing, stories and crafts.  

Elementary school students learn Torah stories, encounter Jewish life-cycle events, learn to participate in tefillot (prayers) services, sing songs, learn to decode Hebrew, study 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 preparation for their B' Mitzvah. In these grades, students will be assigned to 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/brit mitzvah journey with our Rabbi-led "Journeys" program, 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.

For more information about Beth Israel Religious School, please contact our Director of Youth Education at school@bethisrael-aa.org.

Tuition and Meeting Schedule by Grade

Gan - $218
Meets Sundays from 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

Kindergarten - 1st Grade - $540
Meets Sundays from 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

2nd Grade - 5th Grade - $918
Meets Sundays from 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. and Wednesday from 4:30 - 6:00 p.m.

6th Grade - 7th Grade - $980
Meets Sundays from 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. and Wednesday from 4:30 - 6:00 p.m.

8th Grade - $518
Meets Sundays from 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. (and Wednesday from 4:30 - 6:00 p.m. for Madrichim)

High School - $518
Meets Sundays from 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.