Temple Israel Religious School

School Type: Supplementary Religious School

Ages/Grades: Pre-K through 10th Grade

School Setting: Reform Congregational School

School Size: 150

Classroom Size: Average is 10

Student/Teacher Ratio: 10/1

Tuition: 2007-2008 Tuition Pre-K $175 K-2, 8-10 $310 3-6 $640 7th $375

Financial Aid: Available

Support Services: Special Needs Specialist; Hebrew Tutoring

Camp Programs: Yes

After School Programs: Yes

Computer Capabilities:

We are a Wi-Fi facility and we have a Learning Resource Center with 5 computers

School Clubs:

46 Club; JYG; TIDY (Temple Israel Dayton Youth)

Parking Spaces/Availability: Yes

Admissions Requirements:

Our school is open to any Jewish family in the Dayton community

Mission Statement: Our Religious School provides an integrated program to enable the student to reach the following objectives: 1. To help each student develop his/her spiritual path towards a relationship with God. 2. To achieve an understanding of Torah and Jewish history, belief, observances and literature. 3. To learn the historical development of the Jewish people from Biblical times to the present day so the student will see his/her relationship to an ancient and encompassing tradition. 4. To understand basic Jewish values and beliefs and their ethical and moral relevance and application to modern life. 5. To appreciate the distinctiveness of Jewish beliefs and traditions as a part of a multi-cultural, democratic society. 6. To understand, value, and participate in Shabbat, Jewish life-cycle events, holy days and festivals. 7. To develop an understanding of liturgy that will permit meaningful participation in religious observances. 8. To learn Hebrew which links the students with the Jewish people, past and present and enables them to actively participate in the Reform liturgy. 9. To develop an appreciation for Jewish literature, music and art. 10. To develop a commitment to and sense of responsibility for all Jewish communities - local, national, and worldwide. 11. To recognize the importance of the State of Israel through its history, cultures, and geography. 12. To realize that life is constantly changing and to develop Jewish responses to those changes. 13. To understand that Religious School must be only the beginning of lifelong Jewish learning. 14. To understand and appreciate the uniqueness of Reform Judaism and integrate it into his/her life. 15. To promote participation in tikkun olam through tzedakah and social action. 16. To promote a sense of community within the classroom, Religious School, and the temple as a whole.

Philosophy/Belief Statement:

The fundamental objective of our Religious School is to foster within our children an abiding commitment to, and love for, Reform Judaism and the Jewish people, thus creating a sacred community within the school and the Temple.

We believe that Reform Judaism is a living, evolving faith based on eternal values and beliefs and bound to many traditional practices, but developing through increasing understanding and adjusting to new circumstances.

We believe that Jews must know, understand and live by Jewish values. The survival of the Jewish people depends on an understanding of our heritage and the basic concepts that identify Judaism and the various trends within it, to the end that each Jew will choose to be part of that history and tradition.

We believe that Jewish education must be the shared responsibility of the student, family, community and Religious School. However, in order to learn, each student must be treated as an individual, be allowed to become an active participant in the learning process, and know that his/her ideas will be treated with respect. We believe that all Jewish children should receive a Jewish education to the best of their ability, including those students with special needs.

We believe that Jewish education should provide a mixture of facts, concepts, values, and experiences enabling students and their families to approach Judaism, Jewish history and culture through a variety of means. A goal of this education is to provide each student with the basis for developing his/her own philosophy and practices in order to better cope with life's challenges.

We believe that our students and their families should understand that there are other sincere and valuable approaches to Judaism and that Reform Judaism provides a unique and meaningful way for modern Jews to express religious beliefs and practices.

Notes/School Information:

We offer several family holiday programs throughout the school year