Religious School - Temple Ner Tamid

Mission Statement

We understand that Religious School is a long term investment in the legacy of your Jewish family. This cannot be measured in charts and tables, or prayers memorized and recited, but rather, in the hearts of our students and in the Jewish life of their families.
We aim to use the rich and beautiful history and culture of our people to foster a sense of community and belonging.
We strive to raise young Jewish students who are excited to keep learning and who can’t fathom their lives separately from their Jewish identity.
We hope to instill an understanding that kindness, patience, grace, and service to others is living Jewishly and that they will lead the next era of synagogue life in America.
We work tirelessly to ensure that our school is a safe place for our children, so that when they are in need they will find meaning, hope, trust and love in our holy community.

Click here for resources for our School Year 2024-2025

Curriculum Focus - Grades K-6

Kindergarten

Students learn about holidays, Torah stories and Hebrew through movement. The curriculum will incorporate storytelling, dramatic play, art projects, music and more!

Kindergarten Jewish Family Journeys (JFJ)

Our Kindergarten track also has regular combined family programming that brings students and parents together to form a unique community experience. Whether the family’s aim is to meet new people, they never had the chance to attend religious school, there is a non-Jewish parent, or they feel it’s a good time for a refresher course, JFJ is perfect way to meet these aims.

First Grade

Students begin their ethical journeys by exploring and practicing the Mitzvot (Commandments) and Middot (Jewish Values) that form the core of Jewish living. The classes will be enhanced with games, stories, projects, Hebrew through movement and more!

Second Grade

The 2nd grade curriculum is built around 5 big Jewish ideas. Through project based learning, these big ideas help to develop resilience and strength in the students and help them to see that when things are hard, they have the tools to overcome challenges. Second grade students will also begin exploring the Hebrew alphabet and learning to recognize Hebrew letters and vowels.

Third Grade

The 3rd grade curriculum introduces the Torah stories of Genesis and Exodus. It also incorporates the values and characteristics of our early Jewish role models using drama, art and games. Students experience Jewish holidays through projects during the year. Students also begin Hebrew reading skill development in small group Hebrew sessions.

Fourth Grade

Students explore the land, people and modern State of Israel. They build their own personal relationship with Israel through biblical, geographical, and historical connections. Classes will be paired with an Israeli classroom for project exchanges and online interactive dialogues with Israeli students. Students continue to build Hebrew prayer reading skills in small group Hebrew sessions.

Fifth Grade

Students develop a deeper understanding of Jewish holidays and the Jewish calendar. They will explore the Jewish lifecycle, from birth to death and in between, through project based learning including a mock wedding, and possibly a visit to a Mikvah and a funeral home.
Students continue to build their Hebrew reading and prayer skills in small group Hebrew sessions.

Sixth Grade

Students will explore Torah stories and the character traits of our biblical ancestors to respond to their own questions about what being Jewish means to them today. They will also engage with the story of TNT and the people who made that story happen and continue to make the story happen today. Additionally, they will participate in the B’nei Mitzvah program of Moving Traditions. Our sixth grade students will work in small groups to hone their Hebrew, prayer, and chanting skills in preparation for b’nei mitzvah and will be expected to do 15 minutes of Hebrew homework each week in 5 minute increments 3 times each week. Students will focus on prayer leadership skills gaining the confidence to lead worship.

Upper School

Grades 7-12 Seventh Grade

Seventh Grade

How did we get from here to there?

Seventh grade will Explore modern Jewish history from the late 19th century to today. We will understand the context for how European Jewry of the 1800s shifted because of a rise in Antisemitism and a trend toward Jewish immigration to the US and Israel. We will delve into the history of the Holocaust, early Zionism, The founding of Israel and Modern Israel and it’s context.

Eighth Grade

Eighth Grade is divide into 2 parts:

How to be a Jew on the Street (not just in synagogue or at home)?

How do we navigate a Jewish calendar vs. a secular one? What questions are there about what it means to be a Jewish minority in a vastly Christian or Secular country? Eighth grade will read articles and have discussions about what it means to think Jewish about issues in politics and other current events

Jewish Choices, Jewish Voices

Jewish perspectives on topics pertaining to teens such as modesty, vegetarianism/veganism, drugs, alcohol, eating issues, piercing, dating, goodness of character traits and more. The Eighth grade will benefit from having an opportunity to have discussions on these relevant issues in a safe and welcoming environment.

Ninth Grade

9th graders focus on the ideas in Judaism about Social Action and Social Justice. Why should Jews care about taking action in the world? What issues in today’s society help us to define what we believe and how we can make a difference? 9th grade travels to Washington DC for the Religious Action Center L’taken seminar in February which is a highlight of the year.

Tenth Grade

10th grade is the year of Confirmation. Rabbi Marc Katz teaches each session with an eye on really making Judaism relevant and meaningful to the students. Students will wrestle with big existential questions, like “Is there a God?” “What happens after I die?” “Why do bad things happen to good people?” and much more. 10th grade travels to Amsterdam with Rabbi Katz to learn about the progressive Jewish community there and to look back at European Jewish history.

Eleventh Grade

11th graders guide their year of learning by setting an agenda of important topics with their teacher who creates discussion based lessons with thought provoking questions and strategies for finding common ground in contentious situations.

Twelfth Grade

12th Grade meets monthly on Wednesday evenings. Each month a special guest speaker will share expertise on relevant current events, life on campus, being a Jewish adult, or other topics that seniors are thinking about as they are about to embark on college life and leaving home. The class is facilitated by Rabbi Sharon Litwin.

Tuition (School Year 2024-2025)

Religious School participation requires Temple Ner Tamid membership. For more information please visit our Membership page.
Financial assistance for dues is available.

Pre-K (2.5 hours 1/month): Free for TNT Members $800 for Non-Members

Kindergarten - 2nd Grade (2.5 hours of Judaic education on Sunday mornings): $1,200

3rd Grade - 6th Grade (2.5 hours of Judaic education on Sunday mornings and about an 1 hour of Hebrew instruction on Wednesday afternoons): $1,575

7th Grade (2 hours of Judaic education on Wednesday evenings and family programming): $1,575

8th Grade - 9th Grade (2 hours of Judaic education on Wednesday evenings): $1,200

10th Grade - 12th Grade (90 minutes of Judaic education on Wednesday evenings and group trip options): $1,200

Dinner is provided for Grades 7-12 at a cost on Wednesday evenings - registration will be available in the fall

Jewish Family Journeys

What is Jewish Family Journeys?

Jewish Family Journeys (JFJ) is our family education track at Temple Ner Tamid. Created over ten years ago in response to the expressed needs of some new and young families, JFJ is the perfect route for families to take who are just beginning their trek into Jewish education. The goals of JFJ are simple: to both provide a new and different educational experience, and to create community.

JFJ not only educates our students, but also provides parallel programming for parents that teaches about Judaism and tradition and how to bring both into your homes and everyday lives. Our Kindergarten track also has regular combined family programming that brings students and parents together to form a unique community experience. Whether your aim is to meet new people, you never had the chance to attend religious school yourself, you are a non-Jewish parent, or you simply feel it’s a good time for a refresher-course, JFJ is perfect for you!

JFJ is ideal for parents who want to:

Be part of a small community of peers within the larger temple community
Spend time learning with people with a wide variety of backgrounds
Acquire or enhance their knowledge of the Jewish holidays, history, spirituality, prayer, Israel and other important Jewish topics
Feel more connected to the temple

JFJ Meeting Dates 2023-2024