Tuition Form	PreSchool Sunday Program	TOI Religious School Policies
Student Information Form	Discipline Policy Form	B'nai Mitzvah Policy
Wednesday Pizza Form	Family Participation Form	Emergency Waiver Form

Please print out the forms and fill them out. Email them to office@templeofisrael.org or mail them to the Temple of Israel 400 Spring Forest Road Greenville SC 29615 Att: Religious School. First day of Religious School is Sunday, August 29, 2010.

Religious School Policies

Bar and Bat Mitzvah Policies

B'nai Mitzvah Guide

Teaching Responsibility Policy

The Temple of Israel Youth Education Committee is dedicated to empowering parents to assume positions of leadership in their children’s religious education. 

The Youth Education Committee is delegated with the responsibility for the implementation of the teaching policy.  Anything that is not anticipated in the Teaching Responsibility Policy will be dealt with by the Youth Education Committee on a case by case basis.

All parents are to be available to teach Sunday School once every two years as long as they have any children in attendance.  (If your child attends Sunday School from Kindergarten until Confirmation (10^th grade), a parent should have taught 3-4 full years).  A teaching position is defined as one in which there is a commitment to teach on a weekly basis. You must have graduated high school to be considered as a possible Religious School teacher. If the parent chooses to co-teach, (dividing the teaching tasks equally) both parents will receive ½ year credit for teaching.

Student Regulations –

Please take note of these regulations and speak to your children about them. The cooperation of parents, students, and teachers is required to provide a pleasant atmosphere.

1. The most important regulation for our school is respect. Respect for the building, the teachers, their fellow students and themselves. Disrespect will NOT be tolerated.
2. Students are not allowed to operate cell phones, electronic games, ipods or anything resembling these items during class or during assemblies or special programming. We would rather they not bring them at all, but if they do use them during the restricted times, the items will be taken away from the student and returned at the end of the class.
3. In case of emergency (such as illness), the Religious School office will notify the student’s parents by telephone. (Phone number and emergency numbers were provided at Registration.)
4. No student may leave the Temple building during school hours, for any reason, except under the supervision of a teacher.

God is one…but not one idea –

Teachers are reminded that there is no way of speaking about God that is universally accepted as authoritative in the Jewish community. Accordingly, we urge teachers to avoid labeling any one idea of God as “the Jewish God idea.” Especially at the younger level, the temptation is to say such things as “God is a spirit,” “God is nature,” or “God created the world.” But children will eventually encounter pantheism, mysticism, naturalism – all of which have magnificent advocates in the Jewish historical experience.

We therefore expect our teachers’ theological explanations will be prefaced by phrases such as:

a.       “I believe that…”

b.      “Many Jews believe that…”

c.       “One way that Jews have thought about God is…”

This discipline, even in the face of a child’s insistence on “the answer,” will, we believe, ultimately prepare the way for a personal choice of a Jewish theology throughout life.

Religious School Hours –

Religious School begins promptly at 9:30am on Sunday mornings. (consult calendar for exact dates) Assembly is from 10:30 – 11:00am for 3^rd grade through Confirmation most Sundays. Religious School ends at 12:00pm. It is very important for all students to be seated in their classrooms when school begins. Students who are late disrupt the teacher and the class.

Attendance –

In order to create an environment conducive to learning, respect for teachers is a necessity. Regular attendance is very important. The school calendar provides weeks off during secular school vacations and holidays. We specifically plan each class period for your student. Please help your children to understand the importance of every session. A receptive home atmosphere is very important.

Progress Reports –

1. Progress reports are distributed twice a year. A record will be kept of all absences, class participation, and any test grades.
2. Hebrew students will be evaluated twice a year, and their scores will be sent along with their progress reports.

Attendance at Temple Services –

One of the major goals of our Religious School is the preparation of the students for participation in the worship service of the congregation. Throughout our curriculum, we have included the study of Hebrew and liturgy, which will prepare the students for their participation. With this in mind, we believe that every student should be familiar with the worship service both at the Temple of Israel and in other Temples or Synagogues.

Therefore, every student (hopefully with their family) in grades 4 through 7 will be expected to attend a minimum number of Temple services each year. Students may attend Friday evening, Shabbat morning, or Festival services. The minimum number of services that each student is expected to attend is:

            PreK - Fourth Grade … 6   

            Fifth Grade … 8                        

            Sixth Grade …   10

            Seventh Grade … 24

Consecration –

New students in our Kindergarten class are Consecrated in a special Shabbat service. New students to the Religious School in the upper grades, who have not been Consecrated, will also be included. This year’s date is October 29, 2010.

Confirmation –

Confirmation constitutes graduation from Religious School at the end of the tenth grade. All students who have completed the curriculum, and who have attended not less than 75% of the Confirmation classes, will be confirmed. Confirmation classes meet on Sunday mornings. This program culminates in a special Shabbat service, June 10, 2011, designed by the students.

 Web sites that can be used for your classes.

• Jewishpeople
• Snopes Urban Legends
• Famous Jews
• Association of Jewish Libraries
• Atlanta Jewish Heritage Museum
• Babaga Newz
• Puzzlemaker
• Learn Hebrew Prayers
• My Hebrew Dictionary

Progress Report forms. 

• K-1 pdf
  K-1 word
  
  2 pdf
  2 word
  
  3-6 pdf
  3-6 word
  
  7-9 pdf
  7-9 word
  
• Hebrew 3-6 pdf
  Hebrew 3-6 word

The Temple of Israel Religious School provides a positive Jewish educational environment that includes instruction in Hebrew language and familiarity with Jewish worship services, starting in kindergarten. Students who participate in our program will receive the training that will enable them to develop the skills and knowledge to celebrate a Bar or Bat Mitzvah at the age of thirteen. We are confident that the students will show responsibility by taking advantage of the opportunity for learning that the school provides, by applying themselves to their studies. We expect parents to provide support for the program by encouraging their children’s efforts and by bringing them regularly to Religious School and Sabbath services.

Youth Education Committee

General Guidelines:

1. B’nai Mitzvah ceremonies will take place on Friday evenings and/or Saturday mornings or Saturday afternoons.
2. The Rabbi will be available for Friday night and Saturday morning and Saturday afternoon B’nai Mitzvah ceremonies and the Services will be open to the entire Temple family.
3. On property Onegs and reception following worship services will also be open to the entire Temple family.
4. Candidates will meet the criteria of religious education and preparation/readiness as determined by the Youth Education Committee.
1. Students must attend Religious School prior and during the year of their celebration at the Temple.
2. The candidate must achieve a score of at least a 70 (out of 75) on the Hebrew Evaluation one year before the B’nai Mitzvah celebration.
3. Students will reserve Wednesday evenings during the year prior to their celebration to meet with their coach and the rabbi.
4. Students must attend an average of 2 Shabbat Services each month during the year prior to their celebration. To be credited with attendance, the student must fill out the appropriate form in the Temple foyer before leaving the Temple. (Services attended at other congregations or at a Jewish summer camp will be credited toward this goal with proper documentation.)
5. Students will perform a Mitzvah Project consisting of at least 5 hours of community service to be completed before their celebration date.
5. The Temple of Israel Religious School will provide appropriate opportunities for the celebration of Bar or Bat Mitzvah by students who are physically or emotionally challenged.
6. The guidelines for candidacy for Bar and Bat Mitzvah are to be given to all families of the Temple of Israel Religious School. The steps taken to become a Bar or Bat Mitzvah begin when the student enters Religious School in pre school or kindergarten.