Mission Statement for the Rabbi Joseph and Rosalie Gitin
Religious School of Temple Emanu-El
The Rabbi Joseph and Rosalie Gitin Religious School of Temple Emanu-El exists to provide a positive reform setting that promotes, teaches, and instills a sense of Jewish culture, values, knowledge, and identity among its students.
Goals
The Religious School will provide:
- A student-centered environment designed to develop Jewish identity, Jewish values, and kinship with other Jews.
- Experiential activities as a process of creating a knowledge base in Judaism and Jewish identity
including helping the individual determine what being a Jew means.
- A balance of academic and experiential learning of Jewish tradition, rituals, and holidays.
- Knowledge and experience of Tefillah (prayer), as it relates to each unique individual.
- Knowledge and exposure to the Hebrew language, primarily as it is used in prayer.
- Knowledge and exposure to Israel's customs and current issues as well as affirmation of historic bond to the land of Israel.
- Activities that promote critical thinking to facilitate making educated and moral choices.
- Opportunities to further the causes of justice, peace, freedom by pursuing mishpat (justice), tzedek (righteousness)
and chesed (loving deeds).
- Opportunities for all family members and students to work, study, and play together as a team.
- Support and participate in the life of the synagogue including celebrating Shabbat and the festivals and Jewish
ceremonies which mark significant occasions in our lives.
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