The TBS Religious School, now known as Baneinu, Hebrew for “Our Children”, is an integral part of the synagogue community’s lifelong learning. The mission of the TBS Religious School is to create an engaging learning community in which students develop Jewish identity and the means by which to integrate tikkun olam (“repairing the world”) into their lives by studying Jewish culture, history, values, traditions, and the textual and spiritual foundations of Judaism.
Our dedicated teaching staff promotes positive Jewish identity, self-image, and commitment among our students. It emphasizes growth and development in each child and strives to form a strong identification with the Jewish people. We serve children from birth through teens, including an active post-b’nai mitzvah group. Beginning in 2nd grade, students are given the opportunity to begin Hebrew classes and to advance to more difficult levels as they gain new skills.
We hope that you will visit any of our youth education programs and reach out to our Youth Education Director to learn more about how your child can make new friends and begin to develop their own sense of Jewish identity. Scholarships are available to those in need. Contact Amber, the Operations Manager, for more information, your request will be kept confidential.
2020-21 Registration is now Open
REGISTER NOW
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TBS provides Youth Education classes from preschool through middle school. The Youth Education Committee has approved a new curriculum for the 2018-19 school year. The new curriculum will offer topics that the teachers will choose from based on classroom dynamics as well as developmental appropriateness for each individual classroom. Click here to view the new curriculum. We encourage you to review this information as the new school year approaches.
Baneinu meets on Sunday mornings during the school year from September through mid-May from 10:30am until 12:30pm. The day will start with a short service for all of the children enrolled in the Religious School. The service will include music to help the children learn the prayers for when they attend Shabbat services at TBS or another congregation. After the service, the children will continue their Jewish Education with their teachers.
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The TBS Hebrew School meets on Sunday mornings during the school year from September through mid-May from 9:30am until 10:30am. On the first day of Hebrew School, the children will be assessed to their ability level and placed in the appropriate classroom.
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[wc_tab title=”B’nai Mitzvah Study“]
A Bar Mitzvah, “son of the commandment,” or Bat Mitzvah, “daughter of the commandment,” is a major milestone in the life of a Jewish teen and his/her family. At TBS, we celebrate B’nai Mitzvah as a community. Each Bar/Bat Mitzvah takes place during a congregational worship service, and is open to the entire community. Our Bar/Bat Mitzvah curriculum is designed to strengthen Jewish identity and knowledge of Judaism among our teens through ritual, learning, and community involvement. TBS has put together a B’Nai Mitzvah Guide for candidates and their parents to help them navigate the year leading up to the very special Shabbat.
All of our B’nai Mitzvah candidates develop their own “mitzvah project” as part of their study and preparation to become an adult in the Jewish community. These projects range from raising money for the kids’ favorite causes to actually doing volunteer work in the community. As a congregation, we all support the students as they go through this process of learning about caring for the world around them.
Some of the organizations that have benefitted from our students’ mitzvah projects are:
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- Willamette Valley Humane Society
- Marion Polk Food Share
- Nothing But Nets
- Helping Paws
- Swegle Elementary School
- Habitat for Hens
- Instruments for Kids
- E-luminate (formerly Books of Hope)
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Once our children have graduated from the Religious School, they have another opportunity to continue their Jewish education as teenagers. This “Jew Crew” program is geared toward youth, ages 13 through 18, and meets on Sundays from 4pm-6pm.
This program has three components: educational, social, and social action. All three sections are developed with the teens and their advisers.
This program meets the requirements for the Oregon Board of Rabbis scholarship that offers a $4,000 scholarship to be part of a summer program in Israel. Many of our young people have received this amazing gift, and have had wonderful experiences that have provided them with memories that will last a lifetime.
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[wc_tab title=”Family Education“]
Family involvement is an essential part of your child’s ability to find his or her own Jewish identity. We invite you and encourage you to attend the variety of holiday celebrations, religious services, and family-centered community and social events that TBS offers throughout the year. Not only will your child feel more a part of the community and develop a greater sense of his or her place in the community, but so will you!
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