Welcome to Congregation of Reform Judaism

Education
It is quite interesting that the typical toast in Judaism is - L’Chaim. Have you ever thought about the actual word L’Chaim—meaning “to life”? Notice that this toast doesn’t say, “To a good life.” It just says to life. Why is that? I believe that we need to celebrate life as it is—the wonderful myriad of ups and downs. If we take ourselves too seriously, if we don’t really take the chance to smell the roses, then the journey itself may be missed. This is the essence of School of Chai, a wonderful new concept in education. Here we will be teaching our children the lessons of life—not always good, definitely not always bad, but simply--life. Take this opportunity to experience life and share your wonderful knowledge of life with your children as we travel this journey together.

Please take a minute to look below at our wonderful new programs which the school will be implementing this year. I look forward to celebrating the success of our new concept in school as we all experience life together. Once Again---Welcome to the Steinmetz Family School of Chai!!!
L’Chaim and L’Shalom,
Josh Gamson, Director of Education, tel: 407-645-0444 ext. 112

Welcome to the Steinmetz Family School of Chai!
We offer a unique educational experience for Kindergarten through Sixth Grades. Our classes run on Sundays (for K-6) from 9:30 AM-12:30 PM, and Wednesdays (for 3-6) from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM. Our Pre-Bar-Mitzvah class, known as Chevrutah meets under the supervision of Rabbi Engel and Cantor Rawiszer every Wednesday, as well. For more information about the School of Chai, please contact Joshua Gamson, Director of Education at 407-645-0444 ext. 112.

The Steinmetz Family School of Chai is proud to introduce the following Curricula for the 2007-2008 School Year:
Chai Curriculum
Our Judaics Curriculum this year will be based on the Union for Reform Judaism’s program known as the Chai Curriculum. For fifty minutes every Sunday, students in Grades 2-6 will have the opportunity to learn in an interactive and fun environment. This curriculum offers teachers 27 lessons broken into three categories: Torah, Avodah (Prayer), and G’milut Hasidim (Acts of Loving Kindness). While the lessons themselves will be offered from the Union, our talented teachers will be supplementing this curriculum with fun activities that many of them have used in the past, thus adding even more creative ways for children to learn during the Judaics component of the School of Chai. This program will also be introduced to our 1st Graders this fall. While we look forward to eventually including Kindergarten, as well, we will continue to offer a special curriculum designed for our youngest learners.

Ivrit
Our Ivrit (Hebrew) Curriculum this year is designed to allow our students the opportunity to learn Hebrew in a Prayer-Based curriculum. While it is essential for students to learn the basics of Hebrew, from alphabet to vocabulary, this new curriculum will enable them to utilize this knowledge right here at CRJ. This program will actually start in Kindergarten, where students will learn Hebrew letters and sounds, taking advantage of studies which show that foreign languages are absorbed easier at a young age. For our 3rd-6th Graders, Hebrew is offered on both Sundays and Wednesdays. Our Hebrew Coordinator, Sheryl Sacharoff will oversee this program by working closely alongside our teachers in the classroom.

Camp Chai
This year, the School of Chai is proud to again offer our unique concept in specialties within the school, we call it Camp Chai. We will be offering 5 different specialty style classes: Arts and Crafts, Computers, Drama, Music, and even Sports! All of these activities will be infused with a special Judaics component, and should be enjoyed by all who participate. This year, all students will be participating in these activities as a class, assuring the opportunity to experience all of our Camp Chai programs.

Prayer Studies
In addition to our normal Hebrew program, this year we have developed a Prayer Studies curriculum, which allows students to learn the history, choreography, tunes, and words of our Shabbat Services—ensuring progress which will culminate in the Bar and Bat Mitzvah programs.Holiday Days Off of Religious School
Celebration/Observance

As stated in the School Calendar, there will be NO SCHOOL on the following days at the Steinmetz Family School of Chai.
• Sun. Sept. 2 Labor Day
• Wed. Sept 12 /Sun. Sept.16 Rosh Hashana
• Wed. Sept. 19/Sun. Sept. 23 Yom Kippur
• Sun. Oct 28 Public School Holiday
• November 18, 21, 25 Thanksgiving Week
• December 23, 26, 30 /Jan. 2, 6 Winter Break
• Sun. January 20 MLK Birthday
• Sun. February 17 President’s Day
• March 30, April 2, 6 Spring Break
• Sun. April 20/ Wed. April 23 Passover
• Sun. May 25 Memorial Day

Parent Participation Days
Parent Participation Days are scheduled throughout the year for each grade. These programs give parents and children the opportunity to study together with the Rabbi, Cantor, and Director of Education. Please see the enclosed calendar for information on when your class participation days will take place. On these days, parents will also be encouraged to participate in the Camp Chai activities with their children. The hope is that parents will enjoy Camp Chai as much as their children!

Holidays, Parent Participation Days (PPD), and special events will be celebrated at Religious School on the following dates:
• Sunday, Aug. 26 Parent Open House/Family Fun Day
• Wednesday, Sep. 26 Sukkot Jazz Service & Picnic (early dismissal)
• Sunday, Sep. 30 PPD K, 1st, 2nd
• Sunday, Oct. 7 PPD 5th – 6th
• Sunday, Oct. 14 YEC Skate Party
• Sunday, Nov. 11 3rd Grade Kabbalat Ivrit
• Sunday, Dec. 2 Channukah Bazaar/Book Fair
• Sunday, Dec. 9 PPD 3rd - 4th
• Sunday, Dec. 16 Mitzvah Day
• Sunday, Jan. 27 PPD K, 1st, 2nd
• Friday Feb. 15 - Sun. Feb. 17 Chevrutah Retreat
• Sunday, Mar. 9 PPD 3rd-4th
• Sunday, Mar. 16 Purim Carnival
• Sunday, Apr. 13 PPD 5th – 6th
• Wednesday, Apr. 30 Yom Hashoah-Program
• Wednesday, May 7 Yom Hazikaron Program
• Sunday, May 18 Lag B’Omer-Field Day
• Wednesday, May 28 7th Grade/Siyyum Graduation

For further information about the Steinmetz Family School of Chai, please contact the Director of Education at 407-645-0444 Ext. 112

"REGISTER YOUR SON OR DAUGHTER TODAY. Download the forms and return to the CRJ Office."

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Bar/Bat Mitzvah
At the Congregation of Reform Judaism, we believe that it is a privilege for a student to become a Bar or Bat Mitzvah once they have learned what it means to be a member of the Jewish community and once they have developed the skills necessary to be an active participant in that community. For this reason, it is the policy of the congregation and school that students have a minimum of four years of Jewish and Hebrew education, at our school or another school, before becoming a Bar or Bat Mitzvah.

Our Bar/Bat Mitzvah program begins a year before the child's Bar/Bat Mitzvah. At that time, they enter the Chevrutah class during Hebrew school The curriculum for this class focuses on the meaning and structure of the worship service as well as skills needed for the Bar/Bat Mitzvah. At the same time that the child enters Chevrutah, he or she will also begin working one-on-one with a tutor and have individual meetings with the Rabbi and Cantorial Intern.

This year is an exciting and intensive year for our families, but well worth the effort when after months of hard work and practice, the child is able to confidently lead the congregation in worship.
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Beit Hamidrash
Judaism teaches us that learning is never really over. Every time we reread the Torah, we may learn something new. Our community is very fortunate to have Beit Hamidrash, the community Hebrew High School for Orlando. Here 8th - 12th graders have the opportunity to continue their Jewish education while meeting and socializing with Jewish teens from throughout the community. Beit Hamidrash meets at the JCC campus in Maitland, on Monday evenings from 7:00 - 9:00 PM and is open to any Jewish teenager in Orlando. At Beit Hamidrash students can choose from such electives as Jewish cooking, Hebrew, Jewish current events, art, Talmud, or Midrash. "Beit Hamidrash is THE place to be on Monday night," if you are a Jewish teen.

Visit the Beit Hamidrash of Greater Orlando web site at: http://orlandobeithamidrash.org/home.html
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Scholarships
Scholarships are available to our members for camp, Israel programs, and other UAHC affiliated programs. Here are a few guidelines for applying for available scholarship monies:

Only children of synagogue members in good standing are eligible for scholarships.

A separate application form must be filled out for each child for whom a scholarship is requested.

Application must be for a UAHC affiliated program, camp, trip, etc., or Alexander Muss High School in Israel.

Recipients of the Bronfman Youth Fellowships are chosen from the most outstanding Jewish teenagers in the U.S. and Canada. The Bronfman Fellows will spend five fulfilling weeks of study, dialogue and travel in Israel.

A copy of the program application must accompany the scholarship application.

Scholarships will be based on need. While a paragraph of explanation of need is all that is required on the application, any additional confirmation of need that the applicant feels would be helpful to the committee and feels comfortable sharing would by appreciated by the committee.

Requests for full scholarships will be considered. However, in order to give the opportunity to receive scholarships to the greatest number of deserving candidates, the committee requests that every effort be made by the applicant to request only the amount which means the difference between sending the child to the program or not.

All checks for scholarships will be drawn directly to the program involved.

For camp, the scholarship deadline shall be January 15th of each year. Notification shall normally be by February 1st. If there are scholarship funds remaining after that time, the committee will consider requests as they come up. Scholarship deadlines for other approved programs will be a minimum of two months prior to the start date of the program.

The scholarship selection committee shall consist of the Congregation President, one Vice President, the Treasurer, the Rabbi, and/or any such other members as the President shall direct. In no event shall any member of the committee act on any application up for consideration during any meeting if such member has an application being considered at that meeting.

All discussions and scholarship information will be maintained on a confidential basis.

Click here to DownloadPlease contact the Temple office for more information.
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Kollel (Adult Education)
Great new programs coming in the Spring. For more information, please contact Arlene Blackmore in the Temple Office at 407-645-044

Click here to download Union of Reform Judaism Adult learning web page