Welcome Back!

Please note that some portions of this site are password protected.  Please ask Rabbi Hessel or a member of the Senior Education Team for the password/user name for these areas. 

Washington Hebrew Congregation Religious School

      11810 Falls Road, Potomac Maryland 20854

      Phone: 301-354-3223 Fax: 301-354-3200

Dear Families,

Bruchim Habaim! Welcome back to Religious School! I am so looking forward to what I know will be an extraordinary year for our students, parents and faculty. Over the summer, the senior education team (Stephanie Tankel, Suzanne Davidson, Ira Miller and Dan Caplan) and I spent many hours pouring over curricula, materials and programs in order to make the necessary changes for this year. For example, we have new and improved “Family Religious School” programs (formerly known as Parent Learning Days) that address specific areas of concern for both parents and their children, there are added retreat and experiential learning opportunities and so much more!

On behalf of our Senior Ed Team, I am proud to announce the following changes or additions to the following grades:

Primary Department (K-2^nd): Our students and their parents will experience brand new Family Religious School (formerly known as Parent Learning Days) programs for each grade. These programs will be held at both Temple and at the Julia Bindeman Suburban Center and all parents are expected to attend in order to learn alongside their child(ren).

Third Grade: In addition to learning Hebrew in a formal setting for the first time, our Third graders and their parents have a brand new Family Religious School program focused on the concept of “Judaism, 24-7”  that will be offered at both Religious School locations.

Fourth Grade: These students begin their mid-week Hebrew classes and will experience our first ever extended day retreat at the Julia Bindeman Suburban Center for all 4^th graders on November 8! This program will address the concepts learned in our Judaic Studies curriculum on “The Prophets” and our students will focus on how we as Jews should engage in answering the prophetic call for a more just and compassionate world. Moreover, an “Ask the Rabbi” session will take place on this special day.

Fifth Grade: Our fifth graders will sleepover at Temple, where they will start the evening by leading their peers and Religious School families in worship at a Shabbat service (January 22, 2010). Next, they will focus on the concept of “Naming”, drawing from their Judaic Studies classes that focus on Jewish lifecycles. An interactive and fun program on Gematria. In Hebrew, each letter possesses a numerical value. Gematria is the calculation of the numerical equivalence of letters, words, or phrases.

Sixth Grade: Our sixth graders will continue the second annual walking tour of Jewish Washington with their parents (October 18) as well as engage in a newly revised curriculum on Israel where students will discover what are their own personal connections to our homeland in addition to the connections we as a people maintain.

Seventh Grade: Our students will engage in a revised Hebrew program that continues to allow each student to move along at their own individualized pace. Moreover, the flagship program called the “Wax Museum” will be moved to the Ring House in order to welcome more residents to “walk” through Jewish history!

Chavaya/8^th and 9^th Grades: Coordinated by our Director of Informal Education, Ira Miller, these students will continue to attend our retreat weekends at camp for one semester and on the alternating semesters, our students will study ethics and values of Judaism as they relate to teenagers today.

Confirmation (10^th Grade): Rabbi Shankman and Cantor Bortnick coordinate this program, taught by all clergy, and have made significant changes to the program for this year. A special Shabbat program will be held for our confirmands and their parents on Friday, September 11^th and the trip to New York City will take place on Oct 2-4!

Remember, we are “going green” so check your emails for information about Religious School! No more snail mail!

Wishing you a happy, healthy and sweet New Year!

L’Shalom,

--RJH

Simon Says…

Support the Carrie Simon House

at a Washington Hebrew Congregation-wide family event at Temple

and the Julia Bindeman Suburban Center!

Sunday October 11, 9:15am-10:30am

Sponsored by the Religious School

Religious school students will report to their classrooms following the program

In conjunction with the Fannie Mae Help the Homeless Walk, the Religious School is

planning its own mini-walk and a morning of activities to support the Carrie Simon

House, WHC’s transitional home for first-time mothers and their babies.

The entire congregation is invited to participate - there will be activities, snacks, fun,

prizes and the largest game of Simon Says in WHC’s History!

*Cost: $15/child (under 25); $25/adult.

All students will participate regardless of paid registration. Every cent of your

registration fee will be directed to the Carrie Simon House.

To Register: Pick up a form at the front desks to register in advance; registrations will  also be taken the morning of October 11. For more information, please contact Betsy

REGISTRATION FORM