Grade 6 students each made a square that will become part of their class Tallit, which will be used at each of their B’nei Mitzvah in the following year for the Shabbat School Aliyah.

Our cooperative Shabbat School is one component of the Havurah Shalom community and of Jewish living. Over time, our experiences in Shabbat School are complemented by celebrating holidays and life-cycle milestones, tikkun olam (repair of the world), tefillah (prayer/reflection), and by bringing Jewish values into our daily life.

Havurah Shalom Shabbat School is for member families with children in grades K-6 and meets approximately 17 Saturday afternoons throughout the school year from 3:00 to 5:15 pm.

Read more about Shabbat School's history here. Watch our 40th Anniversary Shabbat School video detailing: the history of the program, experiences of members, teachers, and students, and the far-reaching communal effects it has on Havurah overall.

Please contact Deborah Eisenbach-Budner, our Education Director, to discuss your family’s potential participation in Shabbat School.

Family Cooperative Jewish Education Model

With the help of our education staff, parents work together in teams to plan and implement the curriculum and community-building activities for their child’s grade.

Each teaching team is responsible for planning and implementing four sessions. In addition to giving our children a basis for Jewish learning, Shabbat School fosters a strong sense of community among families. Many parents feel that they, too, enhance their knowledge about and connection to Judaism through the Shabbat School experience. All levels of experience and knowledge are welcome in our Shabbat School.

Please see the Havurah Shalom Shabbat School Parent Handbook  and Curriculum Overview for detailed information about the Shabbat School structure, parent teaching and curriculum.
 

Goals of Shabbat School

The goals of the Havurah Shalom's Shabbat School are to:

• Develop and/or deepen our enthusiasm for Jewish learning and living.
• Embrace the Jewish values of study, social justice, celebration in home and synagogue, and participation in life cycle events.
• Appreciate and rely upon Jewish values as a guide to moral and responsible decision making for ourselves and our community.
• Engage substantively with Jewish tradition and deepen our attachment to our community.

It is our hope that the Shabbat School experience, in concert with home and community and Jewish involvement, will facilitate these long-term outcomes:

• Children will build the beginning of a foundation for lifelong Jewish learning and engagement.
• Parents and children will be drawn into a warm and caring Jewish community that will enhance our Jewish living.

In the two smaller photos above, a Shabbat School student is being clothed as the Kohen HaGadol during a Torah story enactment. In the lower photo, Shabbat School students prepare for a skit about a Torah story.
 

Enrollment

In order for our family cooperative model of Grades K-6 Jewish education to continue to meet the diverse needs of families, their children and the larger Havurah community, we have the following policy for Shabbat School enrollment:

Families must be Havurah Shalom members by April 18 and enroll their children in Shabbat School by May 1 to ensure a spot for the upcoming year. From May 1 to August 1, enrollment in a particular grade is subject to space availability, in consultation with and at the discretion of the Education Director. You can contact Deborah, our Education Director, at deborah@havurahshalom.org to see if there is room. Enrollment in Shabbat School is not available after August 1 for the upcoming year. Despite this, families are welcome to join Havurah Shalom and fully participate in holidays, Shabbat celebrations, and all other family activities.

We are happy to speak with you about your family and Havurah Shalom at any time of the year. All potential new families must be in touch with Deborah Eisenbach-Budner, Education Director, to discuss the unique model of Shabbat School, a family cooperative, before enrolling in Shabbat School. We kick off the 2021-22 school year with the Shabbat School Summit on May 22, 3:00pm - 5:00pm. At that point in time, the whole Shabbat School community of parent-teachers organize themselves and classes officially begin in September.

Enrollment information for 2021-2022 is available by visiting this page. Please read all of the information below first.

For tuition assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact Deborah Eisenbach-Budner, Education Director. View general information on the enrollment form.
 

Shabbat School families meet in a park (May 2021).
 

Shabbat School Quick Links

Shabbat School Parent Handbook 2021-22

Family Calendar 2021-2022

Curriculum Overview

Reimbursement Form for Shabbat School Expenses

Youth Hebrew Classes: Enrollment and Terms of Participation

Youth Safety Policy

Shabbat School History

History of Shabbat School

40th Anniversary Shabbat School Video