Religious School

In every generation the future of Judaism is in the hands of our children. Congregation Beth Israel’s outstanding Religious School demonstrates our commitment to the future. 

The students of our Religious School program experience Jewish learning which is joyful and meaningful. Children are exposed to a  broad Judaic background, including Torah stories, prayer, ethics, holy days, history, life cycle ceremonies and the Hebrew language. Weekly T’filla and singing, holy day celebrations and special Shabbat experiences are designed to provide social as well as religious experiences.  Our High School department provides superbly designed core curriculum and elective courses. Our diverse electives range from Jewish history and thought to visual arts, ethics, film, theatre, language, to middle east current events  

Highlights include:  

• Consecration: First Graders participate in a special service and are presented with a mini-Torah and certificate marking the beginning of their religious education. Families create a be autiful wimple together with their child which are displated during the ceremony. The Torah is wrapped in this same beautiful garment during the Bar or Bat mitzvah ceremony. 

• Hebrew: Students develop Hebrew reading skills in preparation for B’nei Mitzvah.  

• Confirmation: The Third-Fifth grade integrated Hebrew program is popular with both students and parents and has tripled in size in recent years. 

• IHP DVD

• Special Shavuot Service conducted by the tenth graders as a culmination of this segment of their Jewish Education. Members of the class travel together to Washington, DC to participate in the L’taken seminar conducted by the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism.  This transformational experience has been the catylyst for continued activism and tikkum olam for our students and families. For more information on the L’taken seminar and the work of the religious action center, click here.  

• High School Graduation: Throughout the school year seniors study with  Rabbi Cahana in the Senior Symposium core class. A special service conducted by members of the class is the culmination of their studies and  includes  inspiring speeches by the graduates.

• Scholarships: Significant funds are made available to students: (1) to attend Regional Camps of the National Federation of Temple Youth and (2) to members of the Confirmation Class for the Washington, DC trip and (3) to High Schoolers for attendance at Regional and National meetings of the North American Federation of Temple Youth.

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• Special Events: Shabbat Dinners, Family Programs, Holiday celebrations, High Holy Day family services, retreats, weekly Mishpacha Minyan (family prayers) prior to Sunday School; weekly supper providing social time for 6th through 12th graders, followed by religious services prior to Wednesday night school.

• Community Service:  Tikkun Olam is an integral part of our educational program. It starts with an emphasis on the concept of Tzedakah and regular collection of food for the Oregon Food Bank and other worthy projects. B’nei Mitzvah students participate in a community service project of their choosing. Students and families participate in Mitzvah day each year. 

• Family Education: Our vibrant family education program includes parents participating in their children’s educational programs through fun, specially designed curricular projects and parallel learning opportunities. Family programming occurs in kindergarten through eigth grade and includes special hikes, art projects, tikkun olam activities, Sacred Choices curriculum and lots more. We partner with Jewish agencies in the community to create meaningful experiences for our families.

• Youth Programming: "Portland Area Reform Temple Youth" (PARTY) is CBI's high school youth group. Participation gives high school students a chance to meet and socialize with other Jewish teenagers. The youth group sponsors programs involving social enrichment, worship and social action events. The program is a part of the National Federation of Temple Youth. Dor Hadash is our youth group for 6th – 8th grade members. Monthly events allow them to share fun and educational activities with their Jewish peers outside the classroom. The youth group is part of the national NFTY organization and provides teens with invaluable leadership opportunities, and fun experiences with Jewish teens on a local, regional, and national level. For more information check out NFTY!