Here is a description of an interesting opportunity presented by the Jewish Federation of Hartford. It is open to all Jewish residents of Connecticut in 10th, 11th, and 12th grades.

Please share it with your teens.

Thank you,

-Sue Weinman

Shalom Chaverim/Hello Friends,

Did I kvell and shep nachas! ☺ A lot has been going on in religious school over this past month. The holiday of Sukkot found our students spending time with me in the temple sukkah having snacks, saying blessings, and shaking the lulav and etrog. I kvelled! In addition, our younger children learned about Sukkot and then made the most beautiful crafts in their classrooms – sukkahs. I know their families will have a special place in their homes to display them. Finally, Rabbi Glickman and his fourth grade students built an all-natural sukkah, using fallen branches and leaves found in our own backyard.

Myself, Rabbi Glickman, our sixth and seventh grade teachers, students, madrichim and parents shared the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see and hear Mr. Elie Wiesel speak on the topic,‘Creating a Moral Society,’ at UCONN in Storrs, CT. We were honored to hear him and moved by his speech. As a renowned Holocaust survivor, writer, speaker, philosopher, peace proponent, and charter member of the group that helped create The Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC. Mr. Wiesel is truly a Jewish hero for young and old. As the daughter of a Holocaust survivor, his personal story touched home for me and his strength in survival made me feel as if I was listening to my father speak. After his speech, we debriefed by discussing what he meant by moral and immoral societies. The following Sunday, we brought our students and teachers together once more to discuss the Holocaust, creating a moral society, and listened to the beginning of one of the books he wrote, ‘Night.’ I am very proud of the thoughtful words the students spoke, and I know that they will be conscientious leaders of our next generation. I kvelled!

Chag Simchat Torah Sameach/Happy Simchat Torah! On Sunday, October 11th, we experienced a wonderful Simchat Torah and Consecration Service with our religious school family and our greater Temple Beth Hillel family. It was a pleasure to see our newest students recite the Shema on the bimah and receive their very own Torah scroll and blessing from Rabbi Glickman. Our youngest grades marched into the sanctuary with their handmade flags, joined in the service with the older students and congregation, and then danced around the Torah. Our fourth graders made sure that the Torah scroll that was to be completely unraveled for the festivities had a safe place to lie upon. They were our ‘movers and shakers.’ Of tables, that is. Our fifth grade students read the V’ahavta from the Torah scroll and our sixth graders chanted the blessings before and after the reading of the Torah. Our madrichim read their bar mitzvah Torah portions! Our teachers chanted the blessings before and after the reading of the Torah. Another day I kvelled!

Coming up in the month of November: School electives programs beginning (for students and adults); ‘Parents As Teachers’ program (parents participate as volunteer teachers in the education of our children one morning as the teachers attend the Annual Professional Development All-Day Mitnick Conference); Madrichim attending a special teen development conference. Classes continue on in their studies in Bible, History, Hebrew, Ethics, and Holidays. Come join us on any Sunday morning (9am-12noon) or Tuesdays (5:30-7:40pm) in our studies. Bruchim HaBaim/(you are) Welcome!

B’Shalom,
Sue Weinman, Religious School Principal

Kindergarten – Mrs. Eileen Clouser (Room 4-Bereshit)
First Grade – Mrs. Ana Pearl (Room 2-Shemot)
Second Grade – Mrs. Rebecca Chaimovitch (Room 3-Yitro)
Third Grade (Sunday) – Mrs. Randy Schindler-Marren (Room 1-Vayetze)
Third Grade (Mid-Week Hebrew) – Mrs. Randy Schindler-Marren (Room 5a-Kedoshim)
Fourth Grade (Sunday) – Rabbi Jeff Glickman (Room Social Hall)
Fourth Grade (Mid-week Hebrew) – Mrs. Sue Weinman, School Principal (Room 9-Lech Lecha)
Fifth Grade (Sunday) – Mrs. Shelley Haslett and Mrs. Sharon Hartstein (Room 8-Beshalach)
Fifth Grade (Mid-week Hebrew) – Mr. Joel Goldfarb (Room 8-Beshalach)
Sixth Grade (Sunday) – Mrs. Phyllis Liebman (Room 6-Shoftim)
Sixth Grade (Mid-Week Hebrew) – Mrs. Stefanie MacGregor (Room 9-Lech Lecha)
Seventh Grade (Sunday) – Miss Jessica Goldfarb (Room 5b-Nitzavim)
Seventh Grade (Mid-week Hebrew) – Rabbi Jeff Glickman (Room 6-Shoftim)
Hebrew K-3 (Sunday) – Ms. Becky McCann (Room 5a-Kedoshim)
Hebrew 4-7 (Sunday) – Mrs. Stefanie MacGregor (Room 9-Lech Lecha)
Music Director Grades K-3 (Sundays @ 11:30) – Mrs. Rebecca Chaimovitch (Room 4-Bereshit)
Music Director Grades 4-7 – Mrs. Mindy Glickman
Head Librarian (Sunday) – Mrs. Edie Chernack
Eighth Grade Confirmation – Miss Jessica Goldfarb
Ninth & Tenth Grade Confirmation – Mrs. Ginny Grossman, Confirmation Principal
TBH Religious School Co-Chairpersons – Ms. Becky McCann, Mr. John Baron

Click here for Mrs. Marren's Third Grade Class Web Site!

The goal of our religious school is to promote within our students a feeling of being part of a larger Jewish Family... to foster a love of Judaism, understanding of our history, joy in sharing our culture, and the growth of a caring community. To promote life-long skills and a strong sense of belonging in temple life, the children will become proficient at reading Hebrew, and reading and chanting prayers from our siddur through our Hebrew curriculum.