OUR EDUCATIONAL GOALS

Congregation B’nai Israel strives to provide Jewish education in accordance with the guidelines set by the Reform Movement. The deepening of Jewish knowledge and experience, through education and participation in temple life, strengthens faith in God, love of Torah, connection to Israel, and identification with all Jewish people.

We believe that Judaism contains answers to the challenges and questions confronting us daily, and that an educated Jew can successfully discover these answers. Linked to these goals, our educational programs embrace experiences and learning activities that encourage children and adults to become:

1. Jews who affirm their Jewish identity and bind themselves inseparably to their people by word and deed.
2. Jews who bear witness to the Brit (the Covenant between God and the Jewish People) by embracing Torah, and by the study and observances of Mitzvot (commandments) as interpreted in the light of historic development and contemporary thought.
3. Jews who affirm and celebrate their bond to the Land and State of Israel.
4. Jews who study and cherish Hebrew, the language of Jewish people.
5. Jews who value and practice T’fillah  (prayer).
6. Jews who further the cause of Justice, freedom and peace by pursuing Tzedek (Righteousness), Mishpat (Justice) and Chesed (Loving Deeds).
7. Jews who celebrate Shabbat and Festivals and observe Jewish ceremonies marking significant occasions in their lives.
8. Jews who esteem their own person and the person of others, their own family and the families of others, and their own community and the community of others.
9. Jews who express their kinship with K’lal Yisrael (community of Jewish people) by actively seeking the welfare of Jews throughout the world.
10. Jews who support and participate in synagogue life.

Such Jews will strengthen the fabric of Jewish life, ensure the future of Judaism and of the Jewish people, and approach the realization of their divine potential.

“On Three Things the World Stands: On Torah, on Service and on Loving Deeds” ~ Pirke Avot 1:2

We love Judaism! Our teachers, our curriculum, our Rabbi and Director of Education and Youth Engagement strive to instill this warm commitment in our students. In order to do this most effectively, we depend on

TEAMWORK,                       COMMITMENT                   AND COMMUNICATION.

Teamwork exists when parents, teachers, students and professional staff work together to reach our goals. Each member of the team must be committed to     our educational enterprise to fulfill the goals of the school.

Commitment goes beyond classroom teachers. In addition to a full staff of qualified teachers and assistants we rely on the commitment of parents to help make our programming strong and successful. We need parents who are willing to be called upon.

Communication. The overall success of our program depends on communication at all levels. As parents, you know your children better than anyone, and it is crucial that we remain in contact with you to best meet your children’s needs.  We value your input, suggestions and constructive criticism. Additionally, we will communicate with you through many modes including mailings, texts, constant contact/emails, and phone calls.

Please inform us of any changes to your contact information.

Each of these three pillars is essential in the functioning of our school and we ask you to carefully consider your role in each of them.

BEHAVIORAL EXPECTATIONS

It is the philosophy of the school that a student’s valuable learning time should not be interrupted by a disruptive classmate. All students have a right to a good education. Therefore, the behavior policy is as follows:

1. Teachers are responsible for the management of their students at all times throughout the Religious School morning. Teachers will make every attempt to be fair in their policies and give ample warnings to any students causing a disruption.
2.  When a student’s disruptive behavior* is interrupting the learning of others the student(s) will be referred to the Rabbi or Operations Manager.
3. If it is necessary to send a student out of class repeatedly, the student will meet with the Rabbi or his designee to discuss the problem. A plan of action will be determined that will enable the student to work towards behavioral improvement. Parents may be contacted if the student’s behavior warrants.
4. A continuation of the problem would result in a request for a parent conference, or further action as deemed necessary by the Rabbi.

*What constitutes Kavod and Derech Eretz (manners and good behavior) at Religious School and Temple?

Respecting others, their identities, their space, property and ideas.

Respect materials, furnishing, and synagogue property.

Being prepared to learn and be open to new ideas presented in the class lessons.

Be mindful of keeping hands and feet to yourself.

Be mindful of appropriate dress and language.

SHABBAT AND HOLIDAY OBSERVANCE –   SYNAGOGUE AND HOME

Our curriculum is designed to teach our children all about Shabbat and Jewish holy days, festivals, and observances. We encourage you to engage in these observances in your home, and to join the synagogue family when we celebrate together. Throughout the year, there are opportunities for family worship, and there are many well-publicized programs.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT RELIGIOUS SCHOOL

REGISTRATION AND FEES

Registration forms and a fee schedules are available online. Students already enrolled in our school will receive notice of next year’s registration forms automatically at the end of the school year. Please fill them out online before the due date.  A late fee is added after a pre-determined date.

To register for religious school, families will access the link to a PayQuiq form.  There is no new password to be reset. Religious School fees can be paid through the PayQuiq form with a credit card, by mailing a check, requesting an ACH withdrawal, or requesting scholarship. All need based scholarships can be discussed confidentially with Rabbi Block.

It is the philosophy of the school that a student’s valuable learning time should not be interrupted by a disruptive classmate. All students have a right to a good education. Therefore, the behavior policy is as follows:

1. Teachers are responsible for the management of their students at all times throughout the Religious School morning. Teachers will make every attempt to be fair in their policies and give ample warnings to any students causing a disruption.
2.  When a student’s disruptive behavior* is interrupting the learning of others the student(s) will be referred to the Rabbi or Operations Manager.
3. If it is necessary to send a student out of class repeatedly, the student will meet with the Rabbi or his designee to discuss the problem. A plan of action will be determined that will enable the student to work towards behavioral improvement. Parents may be contacted if the student’s behavior warrants.
4. A continuation of the problem would result in a request for a parent conference, or further action as deemed necessary by the Rabbi.

*What constitutes Kavod and Derech Eretz (manners and good behavior) at Religious School and Temple?

Respecting others, their identities, their space, property and ideas.

Respect materials, furnishing, and synagogue property.

Being prepared to learn and be open to new ideas presented in the class lessons.

Be mindful of keeping hands and feet to yourself.

Be mindful of appropriate dress and language.

HOLIDAY OBSERVANCE –   SYNAGOGUE AND HOME

Our curriculum is designed to teach our children all about holidays and observances that are part of the Jewish tradition. We realize that this tradition cannot be practiced nor transmitted in a vacuum. It is important for families to experience these observances and traditions in an individual, as well as communal setting. We encourage you to engage in these observances in your home, and to join the synagogue family when we celebrate together. Throughout the year, there are opportunities for family worship, and there are many well-publicized programs.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT RELIGIOUS SCHOOL

REGISTRATION AND FEES

Registration forms and a fee schedules are available online. Students already enrolled in our school will receive notice of next year’s registration forms automatically at the end of the school year. Please fill them out online before the due date.  A late fee is added after a pre-determined date.

To register for religious school, families will access the link to a PayQuiq form.  There is no new password to be reset. Religious School fees can be paid through the PayQuiq form with a credit card, by mailing a check, requesting an ACH withdrawal, or requesting scholarship. All need based scholarships can be discussed confidentially with Rabbi Block.

SCHOOL HOURS

Grades K-8 grades meets Sunday mornings from 9:00 am – 11:30 am

Pre-Confirmation (9^th grade) and Confirmation (10^th grade) class meets on selected Wednesday evenings throughout the year:  6 – 8 pm.  Dinner is provided for the class.

Congregation B’nai Israel Policies and Procedures

Congregation B’nai Israel Policies and Procedures
Subject: Religious School Policy
Adopted: April 22, 2014
Effective: June 1, 2014
Amended: October 20, 2015; September 27, 2016; August 27, 2017; November 28, 2023; April 16, 2024
Supersedes: Religious School Policy adopted May 28, 2002
Effective Until: Superseded
Policy

1. Congregation B’nai Israel offers Religious School for children of Temple members on Sunday mornings in accordance with an academic calendar announced by the Director of Education and Youth Engagement no later than June 1 preceding each academic year. Most sessions meet on Sunday morning for a 2½ hour period with possible changes in time and length of session for holidays and special events. Confirmation meets on Wednesday evenings for a two-hour period on selected weeks.
2. Any Jewish child or child wishing to be Jewish may attend CBI Religious School, provided that child’s parent(s) approve of his or her attendance and all applicable tuition and fees are paid. Children of non-members are not eligible for Temple scholarship assistance.
3. The Religious School curriculum is determined by the Director of Administration, Education and Youth Engagement, guided by the Rabbi. The curriculum shall include Hebrew instruction, with the goal of achieving prayer book literacy, at least in Kindergarten through Grade Six.
4. Religious School registration shall begin no later than July 1 preceding each academic year, with fees set by the Board of Trustees no later than June 1 of each year. Fees shall include additional assessment for registration of a child whose parent(s) are not members of Congregation B’nai Israel and a penalty for registration later than a deadline determined by the Board of Trustees. The financial account of any parent(s) registering (a) child(ren) for Religious School must be current, as determined by the President and Administrator, at the time of school registration. Scholarships are available by contacting the Rabbi. (Throughout this policy, the term “parent(s)” shall include legal guardian(s).)
5. While attendance at all Religious School sessions is encouraged and preferred, we understand that absences may occur. Congregation B’nai Israel and its Religious School are aware that, from time to time, the trials of life preclude the fulfillment of even the best of intentions. In the event of circumstances that prevent a parent and/or student from complying with any aspect of this policy, parent(s) are encouraged to contact the Rabbi, the President, or the Director of Administration, Education and Youth Engagement to request an exception.
   a. Six absences are permitted each year in Kindergarten through Grade Eight, and three absences are permitted in Confirmation (Grades Nine and Ten). Absences include illness, family
   vacations, secular school activities, and family emergencies. Whenever possible, parents are asked to provide advance notice of a planned absence to the Director of Administration, Education and Youth Engagement and the student’s teacher.
   b. If a student will miss Religious School to attend another Jewish event, and such absence is approved in advance by the Director of Administration, Education and Youth Engagement or the Rabbi, that absence shall be excused and not counted toward any aggregate number of absences described above.
   c. If a student exceeds the number of permitted absences in any school year, a required conference will be scheduled with the family, Director of Administration, Education and Youth Engagement, and the Rabbi to discuss the special needs and circumstances of the family that kept the student(s) out of Religious School. At this meeting, additional learning opportunities will be established and set to be completed by an agreed upon deadline/date. Once completed and demonstration of learning requirements has been met, the student may matriculate to the next grade/stage of religious learning.
6. The Religious School Registration process shall ask parent(s) to provide information and grant permissions as follows. Unless otherwise specified, parent(s) are required to provide this information and these consents:
   a. Appropriate demographic and contact information, including mobile telephone contact for responsible adult(s), as requested by the Director of Administration, Education and Youth Engagement.
   b. Consent for Congregation B’nai Israel to transport a registered child in need of medical care, and to obtain emergency medical care when necessary, if the parent(s) cannot be reached.
   c. Information about any and all known allergies.
   d. Consent for participation in field trip(s), which parent(s) may decline to offer, with the understanding that missing a field trip constitutes an absence under this policy.
   e. Consent for photographs of registered students to be used, without name identification, in Temple publications, including but not limited to the Chronicle, the Temple web site, and the Temple Facebook group.
   f. Consent for photographs of registered students to be used more broadly, which parent(s) may decline without penalty.
   g. Consent by the parent(s) and student(s) to the Religious School’s Discipline policy.
   h. Certification of compliance with the immunization policy of an Arkansas Public School District or of an accredited Arkansas private school; or, for children who are home-schooled, proof of immunization that would comply with the immunization policy of a Central Arkansas Public School District.
   i. Information about any special learning needs, as provided in paragraph 6 below.
7. The Religious School is committed to making every reasonable accommodation to meet students’ special learning needs. In order to allow sufficient time for special learning needs to be addressed, they should be disclosed to the Director of Administration, Education and Youth Engagement by July 1 preceding each academic year. Information received after July 1 will be incorporated into the academic year to the extent possible. The registration process shall make it the responsibility of the parents to provide information regarding special learning needs to the Director of Administration, Education and Youth Engagement. Parents may decline to disclose such information, and in such cases, the Religious School shall not be able to meet the student’s special learning needs. Any information about special learning needs shall be treated as confidential information and shared by Director of Administration,
   Education and Youth Engagement on a confidential basis only with the Rabbi, the student’s teacher and any others who are involved in meeting the special needs of the student.”
8. The Director of Administration, Education and Youth Engagement shall maintain a Discipline Policy and provide it to all parent(s) at the time of registration.
9. The Director of Administration, Education and Youth Engagement shall employ and supervise all Religious School teachers, who must be Jewish adults, and all teaching assistants, in accordance with any personnel policies of Congregation B’nai Israel and any relevant state and/or federal law.
10. The Director of Administration, Education and Youth Engagement may employ high school students as Religious School teaching assistants.

GUEST POLICY