Home > A Lifetime of Learning >Our Religious School

Our Religious School

Or Atid is a community of learners with education programs for all of our members. Our religious school, directed by Rabbi Finestone, takes a progressive approach to Jewish learning. Through our unique school-home partnership, we share Jewish values and heritage with our children. Our curriculum highlights the richness of our traditions, providing our children with the tools to experience Judaism as active participants. Our hope is to instill a love of Judaism as well as an understanding of the responsibilities Jews have to Jews and all others.

The Hebrew School at Or Atid for Beresheet (kindergarten) and Kitah Aleph (first grade) is now open to non-members. Non member children are invited to enroll and try this outstanding program. It is one afternoon a week and allows the children to experience our progressive Hebrew school curriculum along with music, dance and arts and crafts taught by our experienced staff. To learn more about this new opportunity, contact Rabbi Finestone at rabbi@congregationoratid.org.

School Schedule

The religious school programs offers two weekday classes of school for children in grades 2-7 and one class per week for grades K and 1, coupled with a unique family-oriented Shabbat program as the third day of education for grades 2-6. The curriculum gives children the opportunity to develop a strong and proud Jewish identity within themselves, their family and their community. The students become familiar with prayers, blessings, and songs for the worship service, gain the ability to read and write Hebrew, develop the skills necessary to become Bar/Bat Mitzvah, explore Jewish values and traditions within a Conservative framework, learn the history of the Jewish people and Israel, gain an understanding of Jewish ethics in Jewish life, and understand the relationship between the American Jewish community, Israel, and the Jewish world community.

Shabbat B’yahad (“Shabbat Together”)

As an integral part of the religious school program, students in grades 2-6 participate in a special Shabbat educational program as their third day of learning. Shabbat B'yahad meets twice a month. It brings together children and parents in a joint learning experience in which they study and prepare together at home and then help lead one Shabbat class each year. After the class, students have a break and snack followed by student-led Junior congregation services for grades 2-5. Further information about Shabbat B'yahad is available from Rabbi Finestone.

Community Service

In keeping with our philosophy of acts of loving-kindness and repairing the world, the religious school provides community-based service projects for each grade. These have ranged from learning to care for animals through visits and donations to Buddy Dog, a local animal shelter, to respect for elders by sharing and leading Shabbat services for elderly Jewish residents at an assisted living facility, to the mitzvah of feeding the hungry by providing food and meals for local shelters and food pantries.

Hebrew Specialist & Special Education

Finally, in addition to the regular staff of Hebrew schoolteachers, there is a Hebrew Specialist and a Special education specialist to assist both students and their teachers and to provide access to more personalized learning.

-> 2008-2009 School Calendar <-