In response to COVID-19, we have adapted our Religious School and Hebrew Instruction. We are confident that this program will provide ample, as well as safe ways for our children to learn, socialize, and remain connected to our temple family of families. Hebrew School will be meet weekly with instruction about God, Torah, and Israel embedded in these lessons. Family Education will be offered on the first Sunday of the month. These sessions will enable families to prepare and enrich holiday observances and discuss major themes of social justice and Israel together. Moreover, Religious School will move beyond the Sunday School drop off model, and encourage children to participate in monthly programs for Friday nights, Shabbat mornings, and Saturday night Havdalah Hangouts.

For our older students, The B'nei Mitzvah Class will study in their Hebrew School class taught by Rabbi Shinder, each student will have individual Zoom lessons, and the entire B'nei Mitzvah Class and their parents will have sessions with the Rabbi, as well as other some veteran TBS Families who will serve as mentors through this wonderful process. Post B'nei Mitzvah students will be able to study biweekly. This Confirmation Class offers students engaging cooking classes coupled with lectures, videos and even an escape room- all on Zoom!

You have entrusted us with the significant, formidable, influential, and all encompassing tasks of shaping the young minds of your children, enabling them to create their Jewish identities. We have promised to accomplish this by providing them with an invaluable Religious and Hebrew education. For the past seventy years, we have worked to fulfill that promise, and we intend to do so for a long time to come. We are proud of our endeavors and of the accomplished, successful adults who have graduated our school through B'Nai Mitzvah and Confirmation; our task completed.

Our school has always incorporated the best aspects of education. We provide experienced and knowledgeable teachers, who truly care about their students. Small classes enable each child to be known as an individual. We use interesting and motivating texts and materials. School includes hands-on projects, book fairs, Mitzvah Days; and other acts of Tzadakah, class Shabbats and unique services. There are always opportunities to meet with other Jewish students, and visit places relevant to our Jewish culture and history through group activities and trips. We are a small school within a small temple but we accomplish much.

Providing the children of Temple Beth Shalom with an education was one of the first priorities of the Hebrew Community Center when it was organized in 1947. The Florida Fire Department supplied a Sunday School room. Our Synagogue building was dedicated in the fall of 1951. The Chiron-Friedman School wing was added in 1961. As our student population grew, the need for more space became evident to all. Through the generosity of William and Viola Rosenberg and our temple members additional classrooms were dedicated in 2000.

Your Board of Education takes pride in its students and we thank God, our parents and our community for providing us with such a treasure of outstanding young people. We can only pray that our Temple Beth Shalom continue to grow and prosper. We dedicate ourselves to assisting in this majestic endeavor.

Shalom,
Rita Laskin
Chairperson, Board of Education