Students Grades K – 7

Temple Beth El Religious School offers a diverse and creative Jewish education. If you have questions about Temple Beth El Religious School, please contact Rabbi Beth Nichols, Director of Lifelong Jewish Learning, at 704-749-3045 or Francine Solomon, Assistant to the Religious School, at 980-445-9870.

We are so glad you are part of our Temple Beth El Community and are enrolling your child/ren in our Religious School! We appreciate the opportunity to partner with you in the sacred task of educating our children. Please read the information below outlining our programs for the 2021-2022 school year and then complete the registration through your account on ShulCloud.

We are proud of how our students and faculty navigated the challenges of the past year and were able to create a positive learning community together. Nonetheless, we are truly looking forward to being together in our buildings on a weekly basis next year. We are also planning to implement lessons learned during the pandemic and, for example, will continue to offer some Hebrew classes online.

Registration is now open through your ShulCloud account! After signing into your account, select “My Account,” followed by “My Enrollments.” We encourage you to complete your registration as soon as possible to help us with planning. Priority will be given to classmate requests and Hebrew Group requests submitted by July 15. Registration in Temple Beth El Religious School is a privilege of Temple Beth El membership. The Religious School Office will only be able to process enrollment forms, including classmate and group requests, once your 2021-2022 My Temple Commitment is confirmed and your 2020-2021 Temple Beth El account is in order. My Temple Commitment information will be available beginning June 7.

We cannot wait to welcome your children into a new year of learning! Please contact us with any questions.

If your child is going to miss Religious School because of a COVID-19 diagnosis or exposure, please complete this short form.

2021 – 2022 Religious School Calendar

 

Temple Beth El is a Reform Jewish Congregation, affiliated with the Union for Reform Judaism.  We embrace the “Goals of Reform Jewish Education” of the URJ.

  • KINDERGARTEN - SECOND GRADE
  • THIRD - SIXTH GRADE
  • SEVENTH GRADE SHEVA
  • SPECIAL NEEDS - TIKVAH CHARLOTTE
  • CHUG HOUR ENRICHMENT PROGRAM
  • YOUTH GROUPS
  • TEACHER/CLASS INFORMATION

    • KINDERGARTEN - SECOND GRADE

    Kindergarten, first, and second grade meet on Sunday mornings from 9:00am-11:15am. Our youngest students are surrounded by caring and devoted teachers who are passionate about teaching and sharing their love of Judaism. Our teachers are assisted by teen madrichim (teacher assistants) who serve as role models for our students. Sunday mornings for Kindergarten through second grade will begin with T’filah and Shira (services and song session) and then continue with time spent in grade-specific classes with our faculty. We will also be introducing a new Hebrew enrichment program that will expose students to the Hebrew language through games, songs and activities. Curriculum covers Torah stories, Jewish holidays, mitzvot and values, prayer and our relationship with God. Every grade will have multiple family engagement opportunities throughout the year.

    THIRD - SIXTH GRADE

    Third through sixth grades meet on Sunday mornings from 9:00am-11:15am. Each Sunday morning will include class time focused on each grade’s Judaic studies curriculum and T’filah and Shira (services and song session) divided as 3rd/4th grade and 5th/6th grade. We will also be introducing a new Hebrew enrichment program that will reinforce their Hebrew small group studies through games and activities.

    Our upper grade students are engaged and challenged by gifted teachers who share their passion and Jewish expertise.  Their dedication to our students and love of all things Jewish help create nurturing environments where our students begin to hone their ideas about Jewish identity, spirituality, God, and community.  Third grade begins the study of Hebrew language and reading.  Each grade studies the meaning and content of Shabbat and weekday prayers that are central to our religious services.

    The Judaic portion of the curriculum covers the Book of Prophets, Jewish life cycle, values and ethics, Jewish history, Holocaust, Israel and Jewish identity, God and spirituality.

    SEVENTH GRADE SHEVA

    Sheva, our program for 7th grade students, reflects that this year marks the beginning of their Jewish young adulthood. Starting this coming year, our Sheva class will include a meal to encourage community building. Sheva will be offered at two different times to accommodate family’s schedules.

    The first time is on Wednesday evenings from 7:00pm-8:30pm. We chose this time specifically to coincide with Hebrew High in order to introduce our 7th graders to opportunities available to them beginning in 8th grade. Dinner on Wednesday evenings, from 7:00pm-7:30pm, will be eaten jointly with the Hebrew High community and is catered by Izzy’s Catering.

    We are excited for Sheva students to see Hebrew High, but we know that Wednesday evenings may not work for all of our students. We will also be offering Sheva on Sundays from 11:15am-12:30pm, including a pizza lunch. This timing coincides with the “Chug Hour” offered for K-6 students.

    Students will explore the evolution of Judaism over thousands of years through the art of argument and debate and discuss the lessons that will impact their Jewish lives today.  Lastly, students spend the year exploring their Jewish identity as they enter Jewish adulthood, so they can make informed choices about how to live a Jewish life.

    SPECIAL NEEDS - TIKVAH CHARLOTTE

    Temple Beth El strives to meet the needs of every Jewish child. Our tradition teaches that each of us is created B’tzelem Elohim, in the image of God, and that each of us is to be valued. Students with special learning and developmental challenges will find weekly Jewish education through Tikvah Charlotte, our community special needs religious school.

    The teachers at Tikvah Charlotte bring Judaism into the lives of their students through a variety of experiences and teaching techniques that are engaging, creative and challenge each student to achieve and develop their own Jewish identity and sense of community. Students may attend Tikvah Charlotte for Hebrew and Judaica education or for those with reading and language challenges, only for Hebrew. Tikvah Charlotte students participate in many Temple Beth El Religious School activities and programs throughout the year and students and their families will have many engagement opportunities throughout the year at TBE.

    Tikvah Charlotte is a cooperative program sponsored by Temple Beth El, Temple Israel, and the Consolidated Hebrew High School of Jewish Studies of Charlotte and receives funding from The Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte. Tikvah Charlotte meets for two hours on Sunday mornings.

    For more information, contact Rabbi Beth Nichols, Director of Lifelong Jewish Learning.

    CHUG HOUR ENRICHMENT PROGRAM

    Chug is the Hebrew word for elective or activity. Our “Chug Hour” on Sunday mornings will be from 11:30am-12:30pm following Religious School. Students in one of the “chug hour” programs will be a provided a small snack from 11:15am-11:30am while the rest of the school is at dismissal.

    • Shir Kids is our youth choir run by Cantor Thomas and Ms. Patty and is open to students in Kindergarten through sixth grade. A more complete description can be found on the registration form.
    • Conversational Hebrew is open to students in fourth through sixth grade who are interested in extending their Hebrew skills to include some modern Hebrew.
    • *For families juggling the schedules of more than one student, please note that options for Hebrew small groups and Sheva (7th grade) are also offered during our “Chug Hour.”

    YOUTH GROUPS

    Our Youth Groups are an important part of Temple Beth El’s commitment to engaging our youth from five year olds all the way up to age 18. This is a wonderful opportunity for TBE kids to get together and forge Jewish friendships that last a lifetime.

    TEACHER/CLASS INFORMATION

    Have you ever wanted to know more about your child’s Religious School teacher?  Click the teacher name below to find out interesting information that our teachers want to share about themselves and their classes.  We will also post important information from teacher emails that are sent monthly.  Please remember to check this page regularly for updates.

    KINDERGARTEN – Dawn Sakai

    FIRST GRADE – Susan Soto

    SECOND GRADE – Linda Lepow/Jennifer Sawyer

    THIRD GRADE – Betsy Olinger/Susan Meyer/Jennifer Sawyer

    FOURTH GRADE – Caleb Seidler/Sara Bryan/Susan Soto/Jennifer Sawyer/Stefan Pienkny/Susan Meyer

    FIFTH GRADE – Tami Bernat/Steven Miller/Amy Montoni/Jennifer Sawyer

    SIXTH GRADE – Morgan Torcellini/Stefan Pienkny/Amy Montoni/Patty Torcellini/Jennifer Sawyer

    SHEVA – Linda Lepow/Caleb Seidler