UNION FOR REFORM JUDAISM BIENNIAL 2013 Moving Religious School from Supplemental to Central Innovative Models of Congregational Learning

Participating Congregations Temple Israel of Hollywood, Los Angeles, CA Rabbi Jocee Hudson, RJE Temple Israel of the City of New York, New York, NY Rabbi Melissa Buyer, RJE Shaaray Tefila, New York, NY Mindy B, Davids, RJE

MASA - Family-Oriented Educational Journeys -Parents and children in Grades K-5 learning together -Experiencing Jewish life in real time -Providing flexible scheduling for overburdened families -Binging temple families together to build relationships with one another -Families developing connections to the Shaaray Tefila community. -Meets many Sundays 3:00-5:30pm and some Shabbatot and holidays

Shabbaton Family Program Our Shabbaton Program (for 3 rd -6 th Graders & their families) meets on Saturdays from 3:30 – 6:00 pm Parents and children learn both side-by-side and together in a program designed to build and foster community Each Shabbaton session ends with Havdalah, a ritual to mark the end of Shabbat 3 rd -6 th Grade Students meet once a week in small groups of approximately 3-4 students for Hebrew The year begins with a Family Retreat

Israel of the City of New York TiLearn is an alternative program for Grades 4-6 and requires a two-day commitment: Sundays at a computer/tablet (9:00am-10:15am) Wednesdays at TI 4:15pm-5:45pm Important Features to Program: Using ShalomLearning Curriculum both on-site and in virtual classroom. Classroom time engages students in Hebrew & Judaic Studies Using Fuze as Webinar Platform Technical Support and Teacher Training provided by ShalomLearning Same teacher in virtual and on-site class (Consistency) Engages more than registered student!

TIOH Vision Statement How fair are your tents, O Jacob, Your dwellings, O Israel! --Numbers 24:5 Our school, like Jacob’s tents in the desert, provides a haven for Jewish life in the midst of our bustling city and our busy lives. In our tents, we come together as a community to learn, celebrate and connect. In our tents, we create memories that lead to an enduring connection to Jewish life.

Re-Imagine Core Values for Shaaray Tefila Community. We endeavor in all of our programs to create and sustain our community through learning and experiencing Jewish life together as Shaaray Tefila families. Flexibility. We recognize that families have complex and busy lives and that by providing program choice and flexible scheduling options, families will be able to make more of a consistent commitment to Jewish learning at Shaaray Tefila. Jewish Learning = Jewish Living. We provide learning experiences that include experiencing Judaism in its real time and place whether it is in the synagogue, home, or larger community. Learning is a Lifelong Endeavor. We believe that Jewish learning is something to be valued and enjoyed by children and adults for its own sake and for the richness and meaning that it can bring to one’s life. Excellence. We strive to provide excellent curriculum, staff, materials, and experiences in all of our program offerings.

Vision for Lifelong Lifelong learning at Temple Israel seeks to engage every learner of every age in Jewish Education. We view Jewish learning as a path to come together, to form relationships with teachers, fellow learners and texts, and thereby allow Torah, in the broadest sense, to be our guide. Jewish learning is an opportunity for every individual to feel they are an integral part of our inclusive, creative and active congregation. As a congregation we invest in a serious and sophisticated program of Lifelong learning. Temple Israel aims to provide formal, informal, intergenerational and experiential opportunities for learning. In unique and diverse settings we will foster collaboration and social connectedness among our students of all ages, hoping to provide a warm and nurturing community in which to learn and grow.