Dear Parents,

We welcome you back to an exciting new year filled with lots of program changes to enhance our curriculum. One important goal will be to lay the foundation for good character and respect at Temple Emanuel. Good character must be built by thought, choice, courage, and determination. The religious school will begin to instill and develop Temple Emanuel’s core values to strengthen and inspire success. We welcome your cooperation to help make these educational core values a part of your daily lives here as well as in your home.

• Connection
• Spirituality
• Jewish Education
• Social Responsibility
• Community
• Diversity

Wishing you joy, happiness, and a love of learning!
Dr. Rena

by Ken Van Dyk        

The beginning of a new school is always very exciting for students, parents, teachers and administrators. This year we are more excited than usual due to some exciting changes, and additions we have created in our curriculum, teaching staff, technology and events planning. Rena, Margie and I have spent the summer planning and setting up a school year that students and adults will find new, dynamic and engaging. School will begin the week of Sunday, September 11.

A “Shofar Workshop” will be held on September 15 at 7 pm. Kids will learn what a shofar is, where they come from and how shofrot are made. The kids will then make their own shofar. The workshop is fun, interesting and a great activity for parents and kids to work on together.

On Sunday, September 18, Rabbi David will conduct a workshop entitled “How to Do Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur”. This workshop is perfect for young couples, interfaith couples and singles, on their own for the first time.

For the High Holy Days, the education department will hold our High Holy Day Enrichment Programs. These programs will include services and fun activities for the younger children and services for the older children. The Enrichment Programs will be held for both early and late services on Rosh Hashanah (Thursday, September 29, Friday, September 30) and on Yom Kippur (October 8). Babysitting will be available to parents for services as well. Go to the Temple Emanuel Website, click on “High Holy Days Information and Forms” and then click on the link near the top of the page to register children for the enrichment programs or for babysitting.

Looking into October, you will want to save the following dates to participate in these programs, events and workshops:

5th – 6th Grade Learners Service      Saturday, October 1st - 10:30 am

5th Graders Receive Siddurim            Saturday, October 1st    

How to Do Sukkot Workshop               Sunday, October 9 - 7 pm

BarBQue in the Hut                               Wednesday, October 12 - 6 pm

Mama Doni Concert                               Wednesday, October 12 - 7 pm

Sukkot Hayride                                       Saturday, October 15

Kindergarten Consecration                  Wednesday, October 19

Tallit Workshop                                       Sundays, October 23 and November 6 

Blessing of the Pets                                Sunday, October 23  

Students from 8th to 12th grade who enjoy acting, singing and dancing will be interested in a class that will be conducted by Cantor Neil and myself. The class is entitled: Applied Theatre Arts Program. It will be taught on the third and fourth Tuesdays of every month, from 6 pm to 7 pm. It will involve guest speakers and teachers and active engaged participation from students. The class will begin Tuesday, October 18.

Happy Hebrew Happenings

Our Hebrew Halls have been buzzing with excitement all summer as we worked on preparation for the approaching school year 5772. In anticipation of our sweet new school year, we proudly introduce our brand new Hebrew mascot “Hadar, our Happy Hebrew Honeybee.” Hadar will be buzzing around to enhance our students learning of Hebrew as a sweet and happy experience. In order to embrace our connection to the national language of Israel, we have also expanded our Hebrew program to include Kindergarten through 7th grade. The introduction of oral Hebrew will take place during Sunday school classes (K-3rd) and Grade 7 is being offered a Hebrew V elective.

Of course, our successful programs that were introduced last year will continue: The Hebrew Snack Stop, Mystery Days, Ben Yehuda Challenge, and our Hebrew Theme Song. So sing along as the sizzling summer comes to an end.

Tune: “Take me out to the ballgame”

Take me out to the Temple
Take me to...Hebrew School
Teach me the letters and
Teach me the vowels
Teach me to pray and

Looking forward to another very Happy Hebrew Year.

Margery Ann Ross, Linguistics Director of Hebrew

High Holiday Books for All Ages

Adult

Preparing your heart for the High Holy Days by Kerry M. Olitzky and Rachel T. Sabath   242 Oli

The rabbi-authors guide readers through the process of introspection and self-reflection to prepare the way to the High Holy Days.

Rosh Hashanah Yom Kippur Survival Kit by Shimon Apisdorf   241 Api

A fun, friendly, spiritual and insightful guide to the central themes, concepts and prayers of the High Holy Day services.

Beginning Anew: A Woman’s Companion to the High Holy Days by Gail Twersky Reimer and Judith A. Kates   242 Reimer

A treasure for all Jewish women seeking insights for the New Year.

Celebrating the Jewish Year: The Fall Holidays—Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot by Paul Steinberg   242 Ste

Each section discusses the holiday’s biblical origins, ideology and customs, followed by writings from Jewish thinkers throughout history, contemporary perspectives, and alternative meditations.

Elementary Age Children

Gershon’s Monster: A Story for the Jewish New Year by Eric Kimmel  

J 242 Kimmel

Stunning watercolor illustrations set the tone for a suspenseful story of repentance, which is based on Hasidic legend

The Secret Shofar of Barcelona by Jacqueline Dembar Greene  

J 242.1 Greene

A hidden Jew is conductor of the Royal Orchestra of Barcelona during the 1500s and he includes the shofar’s four notes in a concert he conducts on Rosh Hashanah.

Picture Books

It’s Shofar Time! By Latifa Kropf   E 242 Kropf

Appealing color photographs of children of different races blowing the shofar, throwing crumbs into the water for the tashlich ritual, dipping apples in honey and so on.

New Year at the Pier: A Rosh Hashanah Story  by April Halprin Wayland  

E 242.1 Wayland

“Tashlich is the time we apologize for things we wish we hadn’t done” Izzy’s rabbi tells him in a lilting story of “cleaning your heart’s closet: A new year, a clean heart.”

Celebrate Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur: With Honey, Prayers and the Shofar  by Deborah Heiligman  E 242 Hei

This handsome book examines how the High Holy Days are celebrated around the world with lavish color photographs and clear text.

Child Safety Policy

Your child’s safety is most important to us. To ensure the safety of all of the children at Temple Emanuel, we feel compelled to remind you that parents must meet their Pre-k thru 6th grade students in their classrooms and sign their child out with the teacher.

This policy provides the extra benefit of enabling you to connect with your child’s teacher and touch base about their progress while getting to know one another.

We are working with the Cherry Hill Police Department to insure that traffic flows properly at the beginning and end of each session. It is out hope that this policy will prevent injury caused by moving vehicles during this busy time. We appreciate your cooperation.