Religious School

School Philosophy

Our mission is to educate our children so they will grow to be adults who cherish and practice the teachings of Judaism. By deepening their knowledge, love of God, Torah, Jewish traditions and history, we hope our students will identify as Jews, become committed to the continuance of the Jewish people, and establish Jewish homes. We strive to instill in our children tikkun olam-building a better world. We want our young people to feel comfortable in all synagogues, to have the skills and knowledge to perform mitzvot, and to be eternally guided by the Torah’s values and our evolving traditions. We want our children to grow up with a positive Jewish identity, with pride, ownership and a sense of community.

• We are affiliated with the Los Angeles Bureau of Jewish Education, Union for Reform Judaism and with the Jewish Federation of the Greater San Gabriel and Pomona Valleys. We are accredited by the Los Angeles Bureau of Jewish Education.

• We emphasize parent involvement in the classroom, at home and in special programs. Family education and family programs are an important part of our school.

• We have a curriculum that exposes our young people to all facets of Jewish culture from Hebrew, holidays, history, and Torah to folk dancing, music, drama, creative writing, cooking, field trips, and arts and crafts.

• We encourage hands-on activities, field trips and creative programming, which make learning fun and dynamic.

• We have highly professional, creative, well-trained and creative staffs that work harmoniously with the Director of Education and the Rabbi.

• We update the curriculum each year to reflect current events and to make use of new materials.

• We are a school that is Jewishly welcoming and relevant. Our standards of conduct are based on Jewish ethics. At all times, we strive to create a warm sense of community within the classroom.

Educational Program Goals

The goals of the Temple Beth David educational and religious programs are to encompass learning and discovery through communal activities, the study of texts, stories, folklore, music, dancing, crafts and drama. The following are among the ever-evolving goals that Rabbi Lachtman and our Education Director Bill Concoff have outlined:

1. We want to provide all our children with happy, interesting and inspiring experiences in the practice of Judaic ceremonies and observances in the home, community, and synagogue.

2. We want to cultivate in our children a knowledge and appreciation of Jewish art, dance, literature, culture, and music.

3. We want to imbue our children with the religious insights and ethical standards of Judaism so they may evolve as responsible, caring and committed members of society.

4. We want to foster an environment where our youth feel free to explore and ask questions about their faith and their relationships with community, family, and God.

5. We want to foster the growth of Jews who further the causes of justice, freedom, and peace by pursuing the paths of righteousness, justice and performing acts of loving kindness (tzedek, mishpat, and chesed).

6. We want to encourage the observance and celebration of ceremonies, holidays, festivals and Shabbat. By exposing our children to the different ways other Jews practice their faith, we also provide them with an appreciation of the varied customs and folkways within the Jewish tradition.

7. We want to prepare our children to take part in personal and synagogue worship and to feel comfortable with their Judaism.

8. We want to introduce our children to the Hebrew language so that they will appreciate its link from the past and its relevance for today.

9. We want to instill in our children the knowledge that Torah allows us to live vibrantly for the present as we plan for tomorrow with an eye on the past.

10. We want our students to examine their roots with both the ancient land of Israel and the modern miracle, the State of Israel.

11. We want our young people to know early Reform Judaism’s history and how it shaped the American Jewish landscape. We want them to be proud of those who have laid the foundations upon which our liberal community has flourished.

12. We want all children who enter our school to grow in wisdom and love of Judaism.

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