Religious School

Registration for the 2024-2025 school year is now open! Register Here

Questions? Contact the TBO Office at office@templebethor.org or 425-259-7125

At Temple Beth Or, we provide a warm, welcoming learning environment to explore Judaism and build a strong Jewish identity. Our goal is to excite and engage students, showing them how being Jewish matters in the world today and teaching them how to be responsible members of the k’hilah (Jewish community).

A glimpse into Jewish learning at TBO Religious School:

Small class sizes that enhance the experiential learning environment and help meet different learning styles.
A diverse school community that welcomes everybody, including Interfaith families and Jews by choice.
Joyous holiday celebrations like our Rosh HaShanah Retreat, Hanukkahpalooza, Tu BiShevat Garden Clean-Up, Purim Celebration and Carnival and our Experience Passover Project.
Jewish and Israeli cooking, music and arts, community involvement, mitzvah projects, intergenerational experiences and much more!

Ultimately, we believe that the best Jewish learning happens through creating positive experiences that inspire a personal connection to Judaism, and empower learners to ask and explore deep and purposeful questions.

We value our partnership with religious school families, whom are welcomed throughout the year to join weekly morning kehillah (community assembly), Religious School Shabbats, holiday celebrations, adult education workshops and other exciting opportunities.

Our program includes:

TBO TOTS (ages 1-4, or before Kindergarten) Sunday, once a month 9:30am – 10:30am
Jewish Studies (K-7th grade) Sunday 9:30am – 11:00am
Hebrew (4th-7th grade) Sunday 11:15am – 12:30pm
B’nai Mitzvah preparation

TBO Tots
Our temple building is filled with little people wearing big smiles. The room is adorned with furniture sized for them, a colorful rug and lots of arts and crafts. Joyful sounds reach our hallway. We call these special Sunday programs TBO Tots.

Tots is led by a teaching specialist, and includes a variety of fun-filled developmentally-appropriate activities that focus on Jewish holidays, rituals and values. Sessions typically include activities such as:

learning and singing Shabbat blessings

making a small challah to take home

exploring holidays through hands-on activities

listening to Jewish tales and Bible stories

making art projects,

singing with visiting musicians

playing games

Tots is perfect for families with children ages one to four years old (or before Kindergarten) and includes members and nonmembers. If you are interested, or know someone who might be interested in Tots, please contact the office for information on registration.

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TBO TOTS 24.25 by Dana S
Jewish Studies
Our Jewish Studies program utilizes the ShalomLearning curriculum, a dynamic, values based curriculum. ShalomLearning helps students see the connections between their daily life and Jewish tradition and wisdom. Blending classroom instruction and family engagement with technology support, the ShalomLearning approach focuses on seven core Jewish values:

Teshuvah: Taking responsibility for our actions.

B’tzelem Elohim: Honoring the image of God in ourselves and others.

Gevurah: Using strength to do what’s right.

Achrayut: Making the world a better place.

Hakarat HaTov: Seeking joy and being graceful.

Koach HaDibbur: The power of words.

Shalom: Contributing to a more peaceful world.
Hebrew Learning
Students learn to read Hebrew and enjoy a sense of accomplishment as they progress through a series of well-organized, stimulating, and self-paced ramot (levels). We encourage students to begin their Hebrew studies in the 4th grade.

Students progress through our interactive and experiential curriculum with these goals:

Read and write all Hebrew letters

Blending letter sounds

Able to read simple prayers

Demonstrate ability to sight read prayers in the Siddur (prayer book)

Learn in a language lab setting utilizing whole language concepts

B’nei Mitzvah preparation

Progress from reading to leading a Shabbat service

Develop a deeper understanding of the Shabbat service including service order, rituals and meaning of prayers

Our teachers are resources and facilitators for their students’ self-paced Hebrew learning. Each teacher assesses individual student progress in order to determine the specific help they require to move on to the next level.
Religious School Shabbats
Three times a year, instead of meeting on Sundays, the Religious School intentionally joins the Friday night Family Shabbat services. Having the school come together to celebrate Shabbat allows us to experience educational goals such as:

Exposing students to the t’fillot (prayers) they are learning in an actual service.

Helping the students feel more comfortable and familiar with the sanctuary setting, where our community comes together in prayer.

Enabling our families to build closer relationships and feel part of the greater synagogue community.
B'nei Mitzvah Preparation

A student becomes bar/bat/b’nei mitzvah after a period of coursework and study that is designed to prepare them for an observant Jewish life. Our students prepare for this milestone through a combination of religious school and Hebrew classes, plus tutoring and consultation with our Rabbi and the Ruach and Ritual Committee.

Hebrew preparation includes progressing from reading to leading a Shabbat service, and developing a deeper understanding of the service, including service order, rituals, and the meaning of prayers. In the year of focused B’nei Mitzvah preparation, students are invited to participate in leading prayers at Shabbat services, learn to chant a portion of Torah, and engage with a mitzvah project of their choosing.
Registration Costs/Financial Support

Temple Beth Or believes that Jewish education should be accessible to all. In an attempt to keep the tuition fees equitable for all, the Religious School offers a multi-tier fee structure. Members of Temple Beth Or have the option to choose which tuition rate works best for their family. Full Tuition (Actual Cost) reflects the operating cost to educate each child and provide quality, innovative programming. The subsidized rates (Standard Fee – 50% of cost, and Increased Fee – 75% of cost) represent the commitment of the congregation to our religious school with substantial underwriting from the Temple’s operating budget.

Scholarship money is available for member families not able to pay our Standard Fee. No member family will ever be turned away for inability to pay. Please fill out the scholarship portion of the application to be considered.

Tuition for nonmembers is at the Full Tuition (Actual Cost) rate. No scholarships are available for these students. This must be paid in full on August 1. This tuition is not tax deductible. For information on membership, contact the TBO office or VP of Membership at 425-259-7125 x1.

JEWISH STUDIES
Full Tuition (Actual Cost)/Nonmember $1,270.00
Increased Fee (3/4 Tuition) $955
Standard Fee (Half Tuition) $650

JEWISH STUDIES AND HEBREW
Full Tuition (Actual Cost)/Nonmember $2,540.00
Increased Fee (3/4 Tuition) $1,900.00
Standard Fee (Half Tuition) $1,270.00

B’NEI MITZVAH
Full Tuition (Actual Cost)/Nonmember $2,540.00
Increased Fee (3/4 Tuition) $1,900.00
Standard Fee (Half Tuition) $1,270.00

TBO TOTS
Member $180.00
Nonmember $220.00
Madrichim

Our Madrichim program allows post B’nei Mitzvah teens to gain leadership experience and skills working with children one-on-one, in a classroom setting, and with special school projects as an aid in the TBO Religious School. Our teens bring a unique ability to relate to the Religious School students in a special way, and serve as Jewish role models. Teens make a commitment for the year and assist with class projects and day-to-day activities.

Many of our Madrichim are able to receive volunteer credit toward their school community service requirements.

Do not hesitate to contact our Director of Youth Education with any questions.

We look forward to a year of learning with your children!