Temple Israel School
Temple Israel Religious School is the only Synagogue-affiliated supplemental school in Ottawa. It offers programming for more than 86 students from Junior Kindergarten through Bar/Bat Mitzvah, to high school and confirmation. Teachers are well qualified and the curriculum is firmly based on history, culture and Hebrew. Children of both members and non-members are welcome! Contact Penny or Dina at tirs@templeisraelottawa.ca Teenagers can join the FROSTY group and help plan their own social events, community activities and trips. FROSTY can be reached at frosty@templeisraelottawa.ca
School Calendar: Grades JK - 8 in PDF format
Grade 10 Calendar in PDF format
Growing Up Jewish: everything you wanted to know about Temple Israel Religious School, a brochure in PDF format
Sunday School, JK - Grade 6, - 9:30 am to 12:30 pm
Monday High School, Grades 7 - 9, 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm
Wednesday Hebrew School, Grades 2 - 6, 4:30 pm to 6:00 pm
* Grade 10 has their own schedule
Sunday February 12, 2012 Mitzvah Day
Temple Israel Religious School will be participating in Mitzvah Day. Classes will not be held in the Temple Israel Building on Sunday February 12, 2012
TIRS students in Grades 2-6 inclusive will meet at the JCC front desk at 9:00 am . Each student must be accompanied by an adult. (Grades JK, SK and Grade 1 will receive specific instructions from the school about time and place to meet at the JCC)
Mitzvah Day 2012 Sunday February 12, 2012 at the SJCC will be the 6th Mitzvah day. For information on mitzvah day programmes please contact Rena Garshowit at J.F.O. at 613-798-4696 |#241 or rgarshowitz@jewishottawa.com
Archived Newsletters
December 2011 - http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs037/1101930342966/archive/1108852044904.html
September 2011 - http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs037/1101930342966/archive/1107844451231.html
May 2011 - http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs037/1101930342966/archive/1105376511113.html
March 2011 - http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs037/1101930342966/archive/1104258500388.html
December 2010 - http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs037/1101930342966/archive/1104755451573.html
On April 21, 2011 the Temple Israel Board of Directors voted unanimously to open our Temple Religious School to non members. Beginning in September 2011 all Jewish children in the community will have the opportunity to learn and experience what it means to be Jewish. While this is a significant change in Temple policy it is certainly in keeping with our mission statement to engage Jews and offer them unfettered opportunities for Jewish journeys . This policy will enable children of any age to enter our school with little or no preconditions. It is our hope that the community will support this historic opportunity and communicate to friends and acquaintances the positive aspects of TIRS and of a Jewish education.
The policy will not impact on existing policies regarding Bar/Bat Mitzvah or Confirmation. Non Members will pay the full religious school tuition and an administrative fee. If you have any questions about the policy or its implementation do not hesitate to contact Heather Cohen, Executive Director at the Temple office.
Nursery and Kindergarten
Nursery and Kindergarten offers programs for 4-5 year olds. The Nursery and Kindergarten programs offer children the opportunity to develop Jewish identity and meet other Jewish children. The program includes weekly Hebrew language instruction by our Hebrew specialist; music, taught by a professional music teacher; and study of holidays and basic blessings. The program runs Sunday mornings.
Grades One through Six
The children attend a program on Sunday mornings that includes a study of Torah, Israel, Tefilah (prayer), Holidays, Hebrew and Music. The program seeks to instill a commitment to a Jewish way of learning and a Jewish way of living. Beginning in Grade 2 and by Grade 3 (compulsory), students attend Wednesday afternoons for additional Hebrew studies.
The High School Program covers grades 7 to 10
The grade 7 year generally coincides with Bar/Bat Mitzvah. The students share the experience of this major event as a group, lending support to each other. Grade 7 meets once a week on Monday evenings and engages in the study of history and Jewish Life Cycle Events. In addition these students attend 3 Sunday programs during the school year which provide "hands-on" experiences related to Life Cycle and Tzedakah.
Grade 8 and 9 are a combined class that give our youth the opportunity to study values and ethics, Judaic practice, modern Jewish history, current issues and events, Jewish literature and the arts, and social responsibility.
The Confirmation year (grade 10) represents the pinnacle of learning at our Religious School, leading to the Service of Confirmation on Shavuot and the adding of the silver links to the Chain of Tradition in our Sanctuary. The program involves weekly meeting to study theology and philosophy, discuss important issues of the day for Jewish Value content, and explore ritual and custom relating to Jewish lifecycle. Students are required to participate in a volunteer project of the student's choice.
Dina Schneider
Supervisor, TIRS High School
News from Temple Israel Religious School
As the only synagogue school in Ottawa, we are looking forward to welcoming your children, not only into the academic school programs, but also as participants in the Temple Israel community. Our goal is to make what the children learn in the classroom relevant to their life experience as Jews. With that in mind, our students, from the youngest to the oldest, will be participating in services, will be involved in Temple celebrations, and take part in the Ottawa Jewish community. We are looking forward to the ongoing changes in our synagogue school.
Parents are invited to join the assemblies led by Rabbi Garten that begin each school day prior to the beginning of class instruction. They are welcome to observe classroom activities or become more involved in the school by helping in the classroom. We also welcome Temple members into the classroom to share their areas of expertise. Please contact one of the supervisors to find out how you can help.
TIRS offers classes for those from Consecration (JK/SK) to Confirmation (Grade 10). We welcome the participation of Grade 10 students and older in our Madrichim program. This program offers training for older students to work as teaching assistants in our school. Madrichim volunteer from Oct to Dec during the training period and then receive remuneration for their placements from Jan through May. To register to be a Madrich(a) contact Penny Giaccone.
We look forward to a great school year, with many exciting and positive experiences ahead for the entire school and Temple community. Please join us in our journey!
Penny Giaccone and Dina Schneider
Temple Israel Religious School Supervisors
The School Committee is welcoming new members as it prepares for a productive year supporting the development of Temple Israel Religious School.
The committee's mandate includes:
- Working with the Principal to develop all educational, fiscal and registration policies of the school and prepare an annual operating budget;
- Confirming appointments of school personnel;
- Advising on the school curriculum and policies relating to Bar/Bat Mitzvah and Confirmation;
- Serving as a liaison between parents and the school administration;
- Promoting the school and its programs in the synagogue and in the community.
Recent activities of the committee have included organizing the opening day school barbecue, preparing the school budget, producing a brochure to better enable Temple Israel to promote the religious school in the community, revising the school registration forms and developing a parent questionnaire to help the school better meet the needs of students and their families. The committee has also recently developed school policies on issues ranging from health and safety to attendance and class cancellations due to snow storms.
The committee continues to examine trends in demographics and school enrolment as part of its ongoing efforts to identify strategies to recruit and retain students and to ensure the school remains a strong, vital and relevant in the future.
If these issues are of interest to you, please consider joining the committee. For more information, contact David Hartman at school_committee@templeisraelottawa.ca.
