Our school and its mission
To provide all our children with a grounding of knowledge, experience and enjoyment of Torah, Hebrew, Jewish history and traditions, so as to equip them for life as active Progressive Jews.
We welcome children of Beit Emanuel members from the age of nine years onwards. Children of candidates who are actively seeking and studying for conversion to Judaism are also eligible to join the school. There is no charge for the enrollment of children of members and conversion candidates. Other children may be enrolled at the discretion of the Synagogue Management Committee and subject to the payment of an appropriate fee.
Our aims are:
- To encourage and support every child to learn and enjoy Judaism and Hebrew.
- To instill in our children a strong sense of Jewish morality and a commitment to ethical living.
- To encourage our children to have positive feelings about their Jewish heritage and identify with the Jewish community generally and the Progressive movement in particular.
- To instill in every child the knowledge and confidence that will enable them to participate in leading Progressive Jewish prayer services and Torah readings.
- To organise occasional outings, celebrations and special events of Jewish significance.
- To support our children in their quest for Jewish knowledge and their exploration of Jewish traditions.
- To provide background knowledge for a thoughtful and balanced approach to Zionism, Israel and Jewish continuity.
By the age of 13 we intend that each of our students will:
- be able to read Hebrew from a pointed text using Israeli pronunciation.
- be competent to lead services and home rituals.
- with preparation and practice, be able to read from a Sefer Torah.
- identify with core Jewish values.
- understand the origins of the Jewish community, and the Progressive movement.
- value the existence of the State of Israel and want to contribute to its wellbeing.
See also: Bar and Bat Mitzvah classes