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3104 West Windsor Road
Champaign, Illinois 61821
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Sinai Temple RELIGIOUS SCHOOL
Adult Education :: Youth Group
Sinai Temple Religious School offers classes in Judaica, including Torah, Jewish history, prayer, theology, Jewish holidays, and Hebrew language. We strive for each child to develop pride in his/her Jewish identity by learning about, experiencing, and relating to the religious, cultural, and historical aspects of Judaism.
Our program includes:
If you have questions, contact Stephanie Pregent, the Education Director, at (217) 352-8654 or send an email to educator@sinaitemplecu.org.
Check out our information online:
Family Handbook.
Sinai Temple Bar & Bat Mitzvah Parent Guide.
Sinai Cafe Volunteer Guide
2010-2011 Religious School Registration Form.
2010-2011 Scholarship Application.
2010-2011 Religious School Calendar.
RELIGIOUS SCHOOL
Hand-in-Hand: Ages 2-3
Sunday 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
- This class meets weekly. It is a joint parent/student program where students participate in crafts, story time, songs, and other activities associated with the Jewish holidays, traditions, and Biblical stories.
- This program is open to all members of the Jewish Community of East Central Illinois. Temple membership is not required.
Grade School: Pre-Kindergarten through Seventh Grade
Sunday 10:00 am – 12:30 pm
- Students meet weekly in their individual classrooms.
- Students have classes with an art, music and library specialist regularly.
- Individual curriculum is designed on the following curriculum strands: Bible & History, Prayer & God, Israel, and Holidays. Themes by grade level are included at the end of this handbook.
- Students are expected to participate in grade level Family Shabbats, where they learn and lead different parts of a Friday night service.
Hebrew High: Eighth & Ninth Grade
Sunday 10:00 am – 12:30 pm
- The first hour students will participate in elective courses. Multiple electives are offered during the year on a trimester schedule. Students will prioritize their choices at the beginning of the year and will be assigned as space allows. Electives are open to all students in grades eight to twelve.
- Students will meet with a grade level teacher from 11:00 am – 12:30 pm. The curriculum includes Jewish history, theology, and Jewish identity.
- Students may participate in Tikkun Olam (Repairing the World), projects as every adult Jew is encouraged to do. Opportunities will be made available to participate in community service projects.
Confirmation: Tenth Grade
Sunday 10:30 pm – 12:00 pm
- The goal of Confirmation is for 10th grade students to realize their personal connection to their Judaism, consider and understand the need for a commitment to Israel, explore their personal understanding of the Holocaust and how it has impacted their identity, and to examine current events in the light of Jewish thought so as to have a life-long connection to Judaism.
- Confirmation is the “final” year of Religious School, and concludes with a “graduation” ceremony.
- Students will be responsible for reading outside of the classroom. Books may include The Narrow Bridge by Rabbi Isaac Neuman and The Case for Israel by Alan Dershowitz. Copies will be made available to the students.
- Every year the confirmation students spend a weekend with the Rabbi experiencing Jewish Chicago. The trip includes a visit to the Spertus and Holocaust museum, a tour of a mikvah, and a variety of services at synagogues of different movements.
- Students are expected to write summaries/essays of the books read, as well as a review of the Chicago trip experience. This will be published in a Confirmation booklet.
- Participants are expected to take part in Sinai Temple’s Yom HaShoah service.
- The Confirmation class will lead the Erev Shavuot service as part of their graduation ceremony. There will be several rehearsals in advance. Students will read Torah and lead the congregation in prayers. Students will share their reflections on the Ten Commandments at this service.
HEBREW SCHOOL
Sunday 9:00 am – 9:50 am
Wednesday 4:30 pm – 5:45 pm
- We offer an Alef, Bet, Gimmel, Dalet, and B’nai Mitzvah class.
- Students begin Hebrew School during their third grade year in the introduction class, Alef. The focus of this class is to recognize each of the Hebrew letters, know their sounds, know the vowels and develop mechanical (decoding) reading skills. Students will learn Hebrew vocabulary as it relates to Judaism, prayers, objects in a classroom, parts of the body and ordinal numbers. They will also begin writing using the script alphabet.
- Bet through B’nai Mitzvah focuses on learning Hebrew through the study of prayer. One goal is to make students feel comfortable in any service. Students learn the prayers, their tunes or melodies, their meanings and history, and midrash or stories about the prayers. They will examine the structure of an evening and morning service to understand how the prayers fit together to form a service. Students will also continue to expand their Hebrew vocabularies, reading fluency skills, and comprehension. Students will be evaluated regularly to assess their progress and determine their advancement.
- Bar & Bat Mitzvah Students:
- Students must attend both Religious and Hebrew School in order to have a Bar or Bat Mitzvah at Sinai Temple.
- Students are expected to begin Hebrew School in the Alef class and continue through to the Bar/Bat Mitzvah class. Students must be able to demonstrate an ability to read Hebrew and follow along in the prayer book. Exceptions must be approved by the rabbi.
- About six months prior to a student’s Bar or Bat Mitzvah date, students will be set up by the Educator with a private tutor to work on the Torah and Haftorah portion for the service. Individual tutors may also assist with specific prayers or other items that need attention prior to the service.
- A complete list of B’nai Mitzvah policies and education requirements can be found in the Sinai Temple Bar & Bat Mitzvah Parent Guide 2009.
SINAI CAFE
Sunday 9:15 am – 1:00 pm
During Sunday morning Religious School, Sinai Café is open selling snacks to our students. This fundraiser provides funds used for art supplies and other classroom materials. Regular items include bagels and toppings, loaf cake, yogurt, coffee, hot chocolate, and juice.
There are two ways people can help support the Religious School and the café:
- Time Commitment - Staff the Café:
Come in Sunday morning from 9:15 am to 1:00 pm. Set up the café, sell & schmooze, and clean up. This is a great opportunity to meet the kids, spend time with parents, and meet some of the adult education students. To volunteer, e-mail the Educator at educator@sinaitemplecu.org.
For details, read the Sinai Cafe Volunteer Guide.
- Financial Contribution - Sponsor the Café:
Send in a check for $36.00 to Sinai Temple specifying the week you would like to sponsor the café. Include any message such as in honor of, memory of, or in recognition of. This is a tax deductible donation and will be advertised in the monthly bulletin, the weekly Religious School e-newsletter, and on a sign at that week's café.
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