Andrew Goldberger and Doug Smoller
As noted in our June Congregation Report, the difference b/t this December and last is profound. Although COVID-19 still looms, its impact on the Religious School has been minimal (kenahora pu-pu-pu). As before, this is a testament to the care and diligence of Cantor and his team, as well as our Religious School parents and students. Of course, now that flu season is upon us, we will continue to monitor the literal and figurative health of the school, and respond accordingly.
As previously noted, our plan heading into Fall was to offer virtual instruction 3 Wednesdays / month, with the 4th Wednesday dedicated to special in-person activities and learning. Sundays remain in-person, for classes covering ages 3-12. As for enrollment, during Budget season last Spring we projected starting the new school year with 24 students in Pre-K through 7th Grade. In fact, we currently have 27 students, organized into 4 separate classes: Shorashim (Preschool/Pre-K), Anafim (Kindergarten-2nd Grade), Aleph-Bet (3rd and 4th Grades), and Dalet-Hei (6th and 7th Grades).
Although enrollment is above projections, we of course want more kids! Thankfully, under the stewardship of Melissa Kessler, Federation’s PJ Library program continues to attract new / younger families from throughout the community. Not surprisingly, the program will remain a top priority for the remainder of the school year. We also plan to resume marketing of the Religious School to current and prospective families, in order to increase both engagement and enrollment. Of course, as is always the case, word of mouth remains the most effective way to grow; as such, we repeat the request made over the Summer: If you know – or know of – an area family with Religious School-age children, please let us know…and make sure they know about us!
While children ages 13-and-under represent the heart of our Religious School, young adults are equally important. Here too we have the benefit of a strong leader, Sydney Sookerman, and a small yet enthusiastic group of teenagers, including those involved with USY on both the chapter and regional level. Unfortunately, NSBUSY and the Hagalil Region are not immune to challenges facing CBT and Conservative Judaism in general. With this in mind, in addition to planning activities for chapter members, Sydney has reached-out to other area chapters to conduct joint events. This dual-approach will continue throughout the year, and will be supplemented by a new outreach-effort designed to get non-participating teens to give us a try.
Speaking of teens, for the past few years Stacey Rockman has successfully ‘brought together’ multiple generations of the CBT family for a variety of events and activities (including a recent trip to Ellis Island). Although the aptly-named Better Together grant is in its final year, we hope and expect to continue the program moving forward, and will keep you informed as more information to this effect becomes available.
In conclusion, we’d like to once again thank everyone who has and continues to contribute their time, energy and expertise to our various School & Youth programs. These programs are an integral part of our community and congregation and would not be possible without the support of B’nai Tikvah’s staff, leadership, and members.
