Temple Beth El’s Martin and Sylvia Schlussel Religious School provides its students with a love of Jewish tradition and the skills to translate that love into action.  The school’s principal is Rabbi Eli Garfinkel, who is the congregation’s new spiritual leader.  “Our school is not your father’s Hebrew school,” Rabbi Garfinkel said.  “Our experienced, adult teachers will give our school and our students a sense of mission and joy in being Jewish.”

 Celebrating Shabbat with monthly family services and dinners is an integral part of Temple Beth El’s educational program.  “When you come to our Shabbat dinners, you come home thinking, ‘I want to do this at home,” said Lori Gross, the Temple’s president.

The school serves children from nursery school through high school.  The on-site nursery school is open to members and non-members alike and offers a non-sectarian program.  Rabbi Garfinkel teaches the high school classes himself and plans a curriculum of engaging topics relevant to today’s Jewish teenagers.

 The school’s kindergarten and first grade classes meet once a week on Sundays from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm.  Grades 2 through 7 meet on Sundays from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm and on Tuesdays from 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm.  Grade seven is the school’s bar/bat mitzvah preparatory class. 

Part of the school’s curriculum is Rabbi Garfinkel’s Prayer Passport initiative, a program that encourages students to learn the synagogue skills that will help them feel confident and comfortable in services. 

In addition, Temple Beth El’s well-received junior congregation meets on the first and third Shabbat of every month.  The synagogue’s family education programs have earned it a Solomon Schechter Silver Award. 

Rabbi Garfinkel plans a robust adult education program to complement the religious school’s curriculum.  “My goal for Temple Beth El is to establish a commitment to lifelong learning.”  Rabbi Garfinkel is skilled in using multimedia, PowerPoint presentations to bring the words on a page of text to life.  He has also ventured into the new technology of podcasting.  A podcast is a radio show that is broadcast over the internet instead of the airwaves.  Rabbi Garfinkel’s Torah Podcasting Network is available for free in the Religion and Spirituality category of the iTunes Music Store.  For more information, go to http://homepage.mac.com/rabbigarfinkel1/podcasts/Personal206.html. 

As Temple Beth El proceeds with its expansion and renovation project, its members and students look forward to an exciting year of Jewish learning.  “I am enthusiastic about the start of a great year and the opportunities for Jews of all ages,” Rabbi Garfinkel said. 

For further information, please call the temple office at (732) 873-2325 or send an email to Rabbi Garfinkel at rabbi@templebethelsomerset.org.