Our Philosophy

Temple Emeth Religious School continues to be a vibrant Jewish community within the congregation. Together, we work to create a rich learning environment that flows with the Jewish calendar. The school's educational goals are based on three pillars of Jewish tradition: Torah —knowldge and appreciation of sacred text; Avodah — rituals, worship, and customs that draw us closer to God and to each other; and G'milut Chasadim — ethics, values, and acts of living kindness as basic responsibilities to make the world a better place.

In our educational program, we:

• Teach in accordance with the truths of Torah, the principles of Reform Judaism, and the customs of our congregational community.
• Provide the knowledge necessary to make informed choices regarding Jewish life.
• Guide children in discovering the richness and meaning of Jewish holidays and life cycle ceremonies through active learning and celebration.
• Help students develop an emotional and spiritual connection to God, Torah, and the Jewish people.
• Enable students to know Hebrew as a dynamic and living language.
• Build an active knowledge of t'fillah (prayer) in our students so that they will be able to read/chant specified prayers.
• Provide understanding and appreciation of the values and behaviors inherent in Jewish life, including tzedakah (justice), G'milut Chasadim (acts of kindness), and kavod (honor).
• Help students to appreciate and define the place of Jewish texts and traditions in Jewish life.
• Impress that the synagogue is a place of study, prayer, and communal gathering, and that we all have a responsibility to our synagogue community.
• Develop in children an understanding of the flow of Jewish history.
• Enhance awareness of the central role of family in Jewish life.
• Foster a love for Jewish art, ritual objects, music, and all areas of Jewish culture.
• Forge a special relationship with Eretz Yisrael, the land of Israel while enabling students to discuss critical issues affecting the land and people.
• Nourish K'lal Yisrael, the connection between our lives and the lives of Jews throughout the world.

Please contact us for a personal tour by calling the Religious School office at 201-833-8466 or by emailing us.