Special Events
The OJC Religious School
Aims of the Orangetown Jewish Center's
Religious School
Our goal is to help develop each student's knowledge, understanding and experiences to foster a strong, positive, proud Jewish identity.
It is our hope that each student will attain:
- A personal relationship with God and the realization that growing Jewishly is a process.
- A continuous search to understand that God is central to all we do, motivated by a consciousness of Jewish values and commandments.
- An understanding of the importance of Torah through Jewish learning - Limud Torah.
- A shared sense and knowledge of our common history and spiritual legacy with other Jews, and awareness that each individual is part of K'lal Yisrael - the Jewish people as a whole.
- A knowledge of the Hebrew language, written and spoken, using basic vocabulary of the prayer book and simple conversation.
- The ability to master prayers; use the prayer book during Shabbat, holiday and weekday services; understand the structure and conceptual meaning of the services, and develop a personal meaning of the prayers.
- An understanding of the observance and customs associated with Shabbat, holidays, kashrut and life cycle events.
- A knowledge of the bible and the ability to interpret meanings in history, lessons of the Rabbis and to apply them to daily life.
- A love and appreciation for the importance of Israel to the Jewish people.
- The ability to know the meaning and practice of a wide range of Mitzvot.
- To encourage students to continue their Jewish experiences at home and in the community.
Curricular outlines specific to your child(ren)'s classes are available for review in the Religious School office.
G'milut Chesed/Righteous Acts of Giving: Helping others is an essential Jewish value. Each class has its own tzedekah box and each student is asked to contribute from his/her own money each school day. Each class develops its own tzedekah project, and our students decide how their tzedekah money will be allocated. Each class will participate in an age appropriate community mitzvah project during the school year.
SHABBAT PROGRAMS
There are special children's services every Shabbat. Junior Junior Congregation is intended for children in grades K-2 and meets from 10:30-11:30am. Junior Congregation for children in grades 3-5 meets from
10:30am-11: 30am. Children in grades 6 and 7 must attend the main synagogue service.
Each child's MDR-Minimum Davening Requirement. Attendance at the following number of Friday evening or Shabbat morning services is mandatory.
Grades K-3- 6 services, Grade 4- 8 services, Grade 5- 10 services Grade 6- 12 services, Grade 7- 15 services.
Attendance will be taken for Junior Congregation for ALL students in ALL grades during their Religious School classes. It is the child's responsibility to make certain they get credit for their attendance on Shabbat. If a student is absent when Shabbat attendance is taken in class for that week, students must remember to inform their teacher next time they are in school. Students exceeding the MDR will receive rewards.
Our Junior Congregation program is designed to guide our students on their journey of Jewish prayer. Our goal is to enable our children to comfortably learn, lead, and understand our prayers, as well as, the weekly Torah portion. Our Junior Congregation program enhances, transforms and inspires our students as we share joyous Shabbat experiences. Parents are urged to accompany their children to the synagogue and act as role models!
Since the Religious School has four rather than six hours of weekday study, Junior Congregation is an essential component of your child's Jewish education.
SCHOOL-SYNAGOGUE PROGRAMS PACT: Parents And Children Together
Every grade within the synagogue has a special program once a year in order to bring our families together as a learning community and to "explore" interesting and diverse Jewish topics.
BAR/BAT MITZVAH PACT:
This special PACT series is designed to guide families through the entire process of a child becoming a bar/ bat mitzvah. Topics will range from the pragmatic (how to make an aliyah list) to the spiritual (what does this milestone mean to my family). As in all our PACT programs, families will have the opportunity to be creative and learn together and separately, while developing a special bond as their share ideas and experiences.
GRADE WIDE EREV SHABBAT DINNERS & SHABBAT MORNING SERVICES Twice a year, each class will share Shabbat in Shul together with their families. Come and celebrate in our larger community as we pray, sing, eat and relax together.
PARENT INVOLVEMENT
There are a number of ways you can get involved with the Religious School and enhance your child's educational development:
Schlepp and Schmooze: Schlepp and Schmooze is a great way to meet and catch up with old and new friends at the synagogue. Once a month, after you "schlepp" your children to school, come join us for snacks, socializing and programs. What a great opportunity to get to know other OJC Religious School families! Light refreshments will be served, and no RSVP is necessary. Look for the dates !
Parent's Open House: It is important for you to attend our yearly Open House to demonstrate your commitment to your child's Jewish Education, as well as to show your child you are interested.
Parent-Teacher Association (PTA): Our Religious School is a partnership between the synagogue and the home. It is essential that parents be directly involved in the development and running of the school. We have projects and tasks for all tastes and levels of interest. We are sure that, working for the Religious School will be a satisfying experience and, maybe you'll make a few new friends in the process. Please call the school office to volunteer (845) 398-3982.
Class Parents: From time to time, special activities of a class require the help of volunteers. This assistance is particularly important in establishing a telephone network for emergency closings, etc. In some classes, it is almost exclusively to establish this telephone network.
Please volunteer by filling out the enclosed form.
Volunteers: When parents volunteer for year-round school activities such as special holiday events, community mitzvot and cultural enrichment trips, etc. communication between home and school is greatly enhanced.
THE SUCCESS OF OUR SCHOOL depends, finally, upon the effective partnership of all of us: Rabbis, Principal, teachers, students, and you, the OJC Religious School parents. We therefore attach extreme importance to communication between home and school. Please feel free to call with any questions, concerns, suggestions, etc. We look forward to hearing from you and working with your children this school year and in years to come.
