Religious School (ages 4-13)

School Philosophy and Overview

“The most sacred duty of parents was to teach their children. Judaism became the religion whose heroes were teachers and whose passion was study and the life of the mind. The Egyptians built pyramids. The Greeks built the Parthenon. The Romans built the Coliseum. Jews built schools. That is why they alone, of all the civilizations of the ancient world are still alive and strong, still continuing their ancestors’ vocation, their heritage intact and undiminished.”
— Rabbi Jonathon Sacks.

This teaching from Sir Lord Rabbi Sacks captures the philosophy of our religious school. Education is a core tenant of Judaism – so important to pass on our heritage and Torah to our children.  We live in the modern, questioning world and yet it is key to impart these ancient stories, wisdoms and traditions.  The WRJC curriculum introduces students to both the ancient words and the modern world and offers tools for making lifelong choices guided by Judaism’s core values.  

We offer Sunday school and Bar and Bat Mitzvah prep in our religious school.  WRJC religious school is roughly 18 sessions, two sessions a month September through May.

Sessions are designed to meet the varied needs of our community. Different than many communities who hold classes in the mornings, we purposefully wait until the mountain has closed in the winter season.

Our classes are in the following age “pods” and times will be shared upon application completion:

Students Ages 5-7

For the students just beginning WRJC religious school, subjects include encountering Shabbat, holidays, and Jewish values shared through songs, crafts, foods, storytelling, and more.

Students Ages 8-10

Pre-B’Nai Mitzvah students (not every student must have a Bar or Bat Mitzvah although we greatly encourage this rite of passage). The key components to these classes are enjoyment and engagement, and our primary goal is to foster a positive Jewish identity through Jewish learning, songs, crafts, foods, and traditions. Students are introduced to Hebrew through song and prayers and basic learning of the Hebrew aleph bet. The Jewish life cycle and calendar provide regular benchmarks for students to visit and revisit each year. Additional topics include Torah stories, Jewish values, and Israeli culture.

Bar/Bat Mitzvah Prep (BBMP): Students Ages 11-13

Our Bar and Bat Mitzvah students (known as B’Nai Mitzvah) are welcomed into the Brit, or covenant, of the Jewish people. Our WRJC tweens/teens who want to a become Bat or Bar Mitzvah (at age 13 for both girls and boys) begin to study intensive Hebrew to prepare for this passage of rite. Torah stories that may already be familiar take on new meaning as students delve deeper into commentary and apply the lessons to their own lives. Holiday celebrations continue with an added layer of history and underlying meanings. Jewish ethics, prayer, Israel, and the Holocaust are all introduced at a more sophisticated level. Students also begin group study sessions that focus specifically on the prayers, blessings, Torah reading, and Shabbat service that they will lead from the bima, as this group begins to help lead Friday night Shabbat services.

Religious Education Program Director

All of these activities are led by WRJC’s Rabbi-Educator Dana Berntson. Dana was ordained as a Rabbi in December 2023 and has led the WRJC Sunday School and youth activities for many years. Currently, Dana is part of fellowship with like-minded Religious Education Directors across the country through Pardes University . She studied in Israel this summer and is dedicated to doing a Mitzvah project with the youth. She is much loved and we encourage you to reach out to her directly for more information about our robust youth programming.

Rabbi Educator Dana Berntson
dana@wrjc.org
208.720.7595