Dear Religious School Parents,

We are delighted to welcome you and your child to another year of Jewish learning.

The underlying goal of our program is to help our students develop an enduring Jewish Identity and a life-long love of Jewish learning. Through religious school classes and activities, family programs, communal Shabbat experiences, trips, mitzvah projects and more we do our best to help each child become a knowledgeable Jew who finds fulfillment in Judaism and in our community.

We teach our children that Jewish living does not begin or end when we open the door to the temple.  Rather, every decision we make, every action we take can be influenced by the wisdom found in our sacred texts. We walk in the world as Jews. 

Judaism affects every aspect of our lives influencing our decisions, actions and beliefs. At Temple Ner Tamid our students come to understand and appreciate the influence Judaism has on their lives as they prepare to take their places as active, thoughtful adult members of our Jewish community.

The link between religious school, home and synagogue is strong. Our children do not exist in a vacuum; Judaism begins at home. Ever cognizant of our partnership with our religious school families, we strive to reinforce, enhance, and supplement the Jewish values learned at home and to provide a myriad of opportunities for family participation in all aspects of our religious school program. 

Jewish learning is a lifelong endeavor. In our community B’nai Mitzvah, Confirmation, and Religious School graduation in 12th grade are milestones along the way to continued Jewish learning as adults. Our educational program is designed to help students discover their own personally meaningful path through Jewish life which we hope will last a lifetime.

We challenge each of our students to discover their own connection to our sacred texts, to appreciate what it means to live as a Jew and to find personal meaning in the beliefs that have, for generations, held us together as a people.

The journey that lies before each of our students is an important one and an exciting one. We look forward to your active support and participation during the coming year.  Please make sure you stop by the office to say hello so that we can get to know each other!

We welcome your family again to another year of Jewish learning.

Biv’rakha,

Iris Schwartz

Director of Education

The Religious School of Ner Tamid


The Religious School of Temple Ner Tamid, directed by Iris Schwartz, offers exciting and challenging education opportunities for children of Temple members. Hebrew and Judaic studies classes provide each child with the necessary tools to create a meaningful Jewish life as an adult. Each year the curriculum is published in the Religious School Parent Handbook which is mailed to all families of school-age children in the congregation. One of the strengths of religious education at Temple Ner Tamid is the Confirmation program. Weekly courses on Wednesday evenings are offered for students in grades 8-12. Students are encouraged to explore Judaism from a more critical yet informal perspective. The tenth grade or Confirmation year features Rabbi Kushner as the primary instructor as well as an extended weekend trip to Amsterdam. An annual end-of-year trip is planned for our 12th grade students.

Additionally, the Madrichim program offers post-B'nai Mitzvah students the opportunity to work in the Religious School as classroom aides.

All questions regarding the Religious School should be directed to Iris Schwartz.

School Calendar  2008 - 2009

September
7, Sunday	First Day of School, Grades K - 6
10, Wednesday	First Day of School, Grades 7-9
14, Sunday	Parent Orientation, Grades K - 6
17,Wednesday	First Day of School, Grades 10-12
24, Wednesday	Parent Orientation, Grades 7 - 9
28, Sunday	Rosh Hashanah Preparation: NO CLASSES
29, Monday	Erev Rosh Hashanah: NO CLASSES

October
1, Wednesday	Rosh Hashanah : NO CLASSES
8, Wednesday	Erev Yom Kippur : NO CLASSES
12, Sunday	Sukkot Program
13, Monday	Erev Sukkot: NO CLASSES
15, Wednesday	Sukkot: NO CLASSES
20, Monday	Sukkot: NO CLASSES
21, Tuesday	Consecration for New Students - Simchat Torah Celebration
22, Wednesday	Simchat Torah: NO CLASSES

November
1, Saturday	Wake Up Shabbat
2, Sunday	NO CLASSES
9, Sunday	Sip N' Schmooze, K/1/2 parents
14, Friday	Pot Luck Shabbat Dinner, Grades 5/6
16, Sunday	Sip N Schmooze, 3/4 parents
26 - 30	Thanksgiving Break: NO CLASSES

December
7, Sunday	Grade 7 trip, New Jersey Food Bank
14, Sunday	Sip N' Schmooze, grades 5/6 parents
24 - 4, January	Winter Break: NO CLASSES

January
10, Saturday	Wake Up Shabbat
11, Sunday	NO CLASSES
16, Friday	Grade 3 Names Shabbat Program
18 - 19	Martin Luther King Weekend: NO CLASSES
23, Friday	High School Trip: YSOP
25, Sunday	Grade 6 Trip: MItzvot of MetroWest

February
6, Friday	Pot Luck Shabbat Dinner, Grades K/1/2
8, Sunday	Grade 5 Trip: Dorot
11 - 16	Grade 10 Confirmation Trip to Amsterman
15 - 18	Presidents' Day Weekend: NO CLASSES
22, Sunday	Sip N' Schmooze, Grade 6 Parents (b'nai mitzvah sharing)
27 - 2, March	Grade 9 Trip: Religious Action Center

March
1, Sunday	Sip N' Schmooze, Grades 4/5 Parents
1, Sunday	Grades Tots/K/1 Trip: Merkin Hall "Queen Esther" Play
15, Sunday	Abbreviated Class Schedule - Purim Carnival
20, Friday	Pot Luck Shabbat Dinner, Grades 3/4
22, Sunday	Grades 2/3 Trip: Merkin Hall "Yo Jonah" Play
27 - 28	Grade 4 Overnight Trip to Philadelphia Zoo
29, Sunday	Sip N' Schmooze, Grades K/1/2/3 Parents

April
8, Wednesday	Passover: NO CLASSES
11, Saturday	Wake Up Shabbat
12, Sunday	NO CLASSES
15, Wednesday	Passover: NO CLASSES
19 - 26	Spring Break : NO CLASSES

May
13, Wednesday	Grades 7, 8, 9, 11, 12: Last Day of Religious School
17, Sunday	Mitzvah Day and last day of class Grades K thru 6
29, Friday	Confirmation

June
19, Friday	High School Graduation

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