Rebbe Eliezer said on behalf of Rebbe Chanina: The disciples of the wise increase peace in the world, for it is said, “All your children will be disciples of God’s Torah, and great peace will there be for your children.”
Talmud Bavli Brachot
Sunday School and Hebrew School
As a community, we value the gifts that young people bring, and we welcome children to all of our services, ceremonies, and celebrations. Our Sunday School program runs preschool through high school.
Sunday school meets Sunday mornings during the school year from 9:30 am to noon. Preschool and Rabbi’s kids meet 2 Sundays per month.
Our Sunday School Principles:
- Provide a safe and nurturing environment
- Honor each child and family’s background and different ways to express their Judaism · Cultivate curiosity, creativity, critical thinking, kindness, and spirituality
- Foster friendships and create an inter-connected Jewish community
At the core of our Sunday School is a team of wonderful, warm, and wise teachers, led by our Director, Kinneret Vinitzky. Rabbi David Azen helps guide the Sunday School and teaches the post-B’nai Mitzvah Rabbi’s Kids class. Our class size averages six students. Our curriculum includes: Torah stories, Tanach (Hebrew Bible), beginning Hebrew, the study of Israel, prayer, Jewish history, ethics and values, and the Jewish holidays.
Sunday School meets on Sunday mornings throughout the academic calendar. Each session begins with a morning service and includes classroom learning as well as community-wide Tefillah and programming.
Learning happens in many forms, including study, discussion, worship, arts & crafts, storytelling, plays, music, and cooking.
Hebrew Class
When you teach your children, you teach your children’s children.
As interpreted From the Talmud
Our Hebrew School Program expands on the Hebrew learned in Sunday School and prepares children for B’nai Mitzvah Learning and conversational Hebrew.
Hebrew class meets on Wednesday afternoons throughout the school year from 3:15 pm to 4:15 pm.
Teen Programs
Rabbi’s Kids provides opportunities for synagogue teens to continue their Jewish education with the Rabbi, generally meeting twice monthly, as well as engage in Tikkun Olam projects.
GROOVY is the synagogue’s Youth Group (Grass Valley Region of Valuable Youth) and was established by our high school teens in 2000. The youth group’s purpose is to create a place for Jewish high school teens to come for social activities, informal Jewish education, community outreach, camaraderie, and fun. Our youth group participates in regional and national events of NFTY (North American Federation of Temple Youth), the youth branch of URJ (Union for Reform Judaism).
Adult Education Programs
More Torah, More Life… One who has acquired Torah has acquired eternal life.
Pirke Avot, The Teachings of Our Elders
B’nai Harim has offered a wide array of educational opportunities for congregants, the local Jewish community, and the greater community at large. Individual programs may focus on Jewish History, Israel, religion and contemporary society, ethics and values, Tikkun Olam (healing the world), or Jewish mysticism. Our core programming includes:
- Shabbat Morning Learning with The Rabbi Saturday mornings twice per month.
- Adult Education Speaker Series
Brings insightful speakers from near and far to our community. - Fifth Friday Night Film Series
Additional programming includes: Journey Into Judaism: Conversion, Prayer book and Biblical Hebrew, Adult B’nai Mitzvah Training, and Worship Leader Training.
Tuition
Annual tuition for Sunday School is $500 for the first child in a family. The tuition for each additional child from the same family is progressively $100 less payment (i.e. second child $400, third child $300, fourth child $200 and fifth child $100). Non-members pay $800 for the first child, with progressively less payment of $100 per additional child from the same family.
Pre-School and Rabbi’s Kids tuition is $250.
Hebrew School is $200 for the first child in a family, $100 for each additional child.
Tuition pays for books, supplies, and expenses. Scholarships are available. You do not need any membership, prior affiliation, or religious background to be a part of our Hebrew School family. Families are welcome to pay more in tuition to support the Nevada County Jewish Community Center Religious Education Program.
Religious School Faculty
Mya Russell teaches our preschool class. She provides a hands-on, age-appropriate experience for our youngest learners, ages three and four. The focus is Jewish holidays, holy days, and celebrations.
Kinneret Vinitzky Coordinates with staff and teaches programs K-7 on Sundays, study of holidays, Torah, Hebrew with interesting and creative activities to students and teaches Hebrew.
Dan Kalt works with the post Bar/Bat Mitzvah young people, who have formed a group they call GROOVY. Under his leadership, the young people lead services, engage in community service, and participate in UJA activities.