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K-7 EDUCATION

OUR MISSION

Temple Sinai Religious School engages students and their families in Jewish learning and meaningful experiences that inspire them to appreciate and proudly celebrate being Jewish in our community and in today’s world.

OUR VISION FOR LEARNING

We love our students.

Teaching Jewish children is sacred work.  We recognize our students for who they are today and who they may yet become.  Our students know their feelings and experiences are valued and that we care about them as individuals.  As each child brings unique interests and skills to the classroom, we embrace these differences and create learning that is engaging and challenging.  In the Reform Jewish tradition, we create an atmosphere that encourages students to reflect on and question new ideas and to find meaning in the answers.   

We believe Jewish learning “sticks” when it’s meaningful.

There is so much we want our students to know about Judaism and Jewish life.  By helping students find personal meaning in Jewish learning, we open up the study of traditions, sacred texts, values and ethics, spirituality, history, Israel and Hebrew in ways that speak to them today.  Through active learning we guide our students to discover the richness of Judaism and to develop a passion for lifelong Jewish learning and living.  Our developmentally-appropriate curriculum encourages our students to apply the Jewish lessons of the past to their current lives and into the future. 

We partner with families in raising Jewish children.

Whether in a classroom or at the beach, meaningful learning takes place when students and adults mutually respect and learn from each other.  We encourage students to work together, as our tradition encourages us to find both a teacher from whom to learn and a partner with whom to learn.  Our teachers are regularly expanding their repertoire of teaching techniques and our teenage teaching assistants serve as important role models.  Because we believe parents are their children’s primary Jewish teachers, we seek to support parents in creating Jewish family time.  Additionally, parents are invited to be an active and visible and part of school life through volunteering, helping teachers, working behind the scenes and attending school programs. 

We best experience Judaism together.

Our students’ sense of community begins in the classroom with their peers and teacher and grows as they participate in school-wide activities, worship services, and celebrations. Through participation in temple life they learn to value the importance of the synagogue.  We strive to build a foundation for our students to live their lives beyond our doors as involved members of the Jewish community both locally and globally.  Likewise, our students learn to navigate being Jewish in a secular community and they acquire the necessary knowledge, skills and support to live proudly as a minority in American society. 

Bethany Leinweber | Director Of Youth Education And Family Engagement, Student Rabbi

Bethany Leinweber has been a dynamic Temple Sinai religious school teacher since 2006 and is well-known as the founding director of The Gan at Temple Sinai. Bethany has held a wide range of teaching positions and has taught various grades and Hebrew classes at Temple Sinai. Her strong educational background, with a degree in Judaic Studies and Elementary Education and a master's degree in Special Education add to her outstanding qualifications. Bethany's enthusiasm can be felt in her outlook, "Temple Sinai has always held a special place in my heart." Bethany and her husband, Joshua, have three children, sons Noah and Sage and daughter Alix. Josh is Temple Sinai's Youth Group Advisor. Bethany has recently began her rabbinical studies at Aleph Ordination Program. 

Click here to contact Bethany

Sun, December 8 2024 7 Kislev 5785