Congregation Beth Israel Announces Registration for Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten Sunday School Classes

Congregation Beth Israel’s Religious School in Scotch Plains is currently registering children for its pre-kindergarten and kindergarten classes, which will start September 10, 2017. These experiential classes meet on Sunday mornings and emphasize the joy of being Jewish within a nurturing, creative and fun environment.

The pre-K and kindergarten classes utilize multiple disciplines and sensory techniques so that children can immerse themselves in Jewish customs. Students experience the sights, tastes, sounds, textures and movements of holidays and traditions – from the Shofar blasts on Rosh Hashanah to the fruits of Tu B’shvat, and from the feel of the Western Wall in Jerusalem to their first tastes of the Hebrew language.

Congregation Beth Israel’s pre-K and kindergarten classes are small, staffed by professional teachers as well as high school students who serve as aides. Yearly family education workshops give parents and grandparents the opportunity to also participate in learning.

Children who will be ages 3½ and four in the fall are eligible for Congregation Beth Israel’s pre-K Sunday School class, and children who will be entering a public or private kindergarten in September can enroll in the synagogue’s kindergarten program.

“It’s never too early to instill a love for Judaism in children,” said Gail Beckman Buchbinder, Education Director of Congregation Beth Israel. “And by enrolling children in a Sunday School program at a young age, both the children and their parents can get to know our close-knit synagogue family early on and see what makes it so special.”

Synagogue membership is not required for children to attend Congregation Beth Israel’s pre-K or kindergarten classes or any of its Religious School programs through second grade. However, families with children below third grade have the option of joining the synagogue at a reduced rate and enjoying full benefits of synagogue membership, including High Holiday tickets.

Congregation Beth Israel’s Religious School educates students from pre-school through 10th grade through experiential grade-specific programs that encompass the family in its curriculum. Students in pre-K through second grade meet on Sundays; Religious School for grades 3-7 meets two days per week, on Sundays and Wednesdays.

Congregation Beth Israel has been recognized as an ABLE Awarded Congregation by the Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest for its commitment to inclusion and accommodation for all its members. Contact Gail Beckman Buchbinder, Education Director, at (908) 889-1830 to discuss how the Religious School can help your children achieve their Jewish potential.

Congregation Beth Israel is an egalitarian Conservative synagogue, serving the religious, cultural, educational and social needs of congregants from Scotch Plains, Fanwood, Westfield and surrounding towns. It has an active Sisterhood, Men’s Club and youth group, plus a wide array of programs, ranging from adult education courses to social action opportunities.

Congregation Beth Israel is located at 18 Shalom Way, Scotch Plains, NJ (corner of Martine Avenue). For more information, contact Gail Beckman Buchbinder, Education Director, at (908) 889-1830.

Photo: Dressed in pajamas for Pajama Day, kindergarteners at Congregation Beth Israel modeled the crowns they had decorated in preparation for the holiday of Purim (March 2017).