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Religious School - Hebrew School & Jewish Education - Manalapan, NJ

Temple Shaari Emeth’s Religious School - Hebrew School & Jewish Education

 

 

On Saturday night May 27th, 2023, our 10th Grade Confirmation students led us in an incredible Havdalah service as a culmination of a wonderful year of studying with Rabbi Panken and learning together. They shared how their Jewish identities impact how they view the world and confirmed their commitment to Judaism. We're so proud of the Confirmation Class of 5783 and Mazel Tov to the students and their families!

Jewish education Manalapan, NJ

 

Hebrew school Manalapan, NJ

 

What a fantastic way to wrap up our Religious School year! On Tuesday, May 16th, Wednesday, May 17th, and Sunday May 21st, 2023, we celebrated the last day of Religious School with a whole-school program for 3rd-6th grade. The students were divided into mixed-grade teams and their groups competed to be the first to complete activities at 9 different stations. They made up hand motions to “Hineh Mah Tov”, put the Jewish holidays in order as they occur throughout the year, answered true/false questions about Israel, formed Jewish symbols with their bodies, recalled teachings from the Torah, located cities on a map of Israel, matched Hebrew vocabulary words with their pictures, constructed words from the letters in ‘Temple Shaari Emeth’, and responded to reflection questions on our interactive bulletin board. At the end of the day, we joined together for our closing assembly, where the groups shared their hand motions and Torah teachings, students related what they learned this year, the Top 5 Songs of the Religious School year were revealed and sung, and we said the Shehecheyanu to give thanks for reaching this moment together. For a sweet end to the year, everyone enjoyed treats from an ice cream truck after dismissal! Thanks to our students and families for a fabulous year and wishing you a wonderful summer!

Kindergarten Family Program

March 12, 2023

Third Grade Naming Ceremony

February 8, 2023

 

Third Grade Naming Ceremony

March 1, 2023

Who We Are

Our Religious School is part of Temple Shaari Emeth, a Reform Jewish synagogue where all are welcome. In our one-day-per-week Hebrew School, we prepare our students for their Bar or Bat Mitzvah and for Confirmation, but a Jewish education is much more than that. We provide the support of a full Jewish community. We instill Jewish values and we provide the preparation for lifelong learning, to ensure a Jewish future. To register your child, please contact the Director of Religious Education, Melissa Pescatore by email or call the Religious School office: 732-462-4245.

  • <span class="slider_description">2nd graders and their parents enjoyed learning about and recreating the Sanctuary during their Shoebox Sanctuary program</span>
  • <span class="slider_description">Our 2nd graders put the finishing touches on their edible sukkot for Sukkot!</span>
  • <span class="slider_description">3rd Grade students receive a special blessing from the Rabbi and Cantor during the 3rd Grade Naming Ceremony in January.</span>
  • <span class="slider_description">Mrs. Waldorf and Mrs. Wycoff’s 3rd grade students participate in multi-sensory station activities, like Alef-Bet Yoga and Play-Doh, to practice their Hebrew letters.</span>
  • <span class="slider_description">Could learning about Israel get any more fun? 4th graders try out some mud from the Dead Sea as they learn about our Jewish homeland.</span>
  • <span class="slider_description">Could learning about Israel get any more fun? 4th graders try out some mud from the Dead Sea as they learn about our Jewish homeland.</span>
  • <span class="slider_description">Whether at the MLK Memorial or just hanging out in the hotel, our 10th Grade Confirmation Class had an amazing time during the RAC Trip in Washington, D.C.</span>
  • <span class="slider_description">Our madrichim are learning by assisting our teachers</span>

 

Family Learning Programs

Family Learning programs, in which parents and children learn and grow together, are an important part of our curriculum. We offer Family Learning for young children up to second grade, whether or not they are students in our Religious School, through our B'yachad program. B'yachad events are run by Rabbi Panken, Melissa Pescatore, and our Early Learning Center Director, Jayne Lieberman, and offer families opportunities to sing, tell stories, do crafts and pray together as a way of learning about Jewish holidays and values.

Family Learning programs are also an integral part of the Religious School program for grades K-6. For instance, there is a special third grade naming program in which students learn about their Hebrew names and how to write them using the Hebrew alphabet while discovering more about the people for whom they were named. Our sixth grade program is an opportunity for families to learn together about the meaning of Bar and Bat Mitzvah. Pumpkins, Pancakes and Prayer is one of our Sukkot programs, which offers a Shabbat morning pancake breakfast followed by a creative learner's minyan (prayer group of ten or more Jewish adults). We offer a number of other Family Learning events throughout the year, including a model family seder and other creative and fun opportunities for families to learn together at Temple Shaari Emeth.

Sat, December 21 2024 20 Kislev 5785