Religious School

The Germantown Jewish Centre’s Religious School’s overall priority is to foster a positive Jewish identity. Our framework for building a strong Jewish identity includes encouraging a lifelong love of Jewish learning; instilling the ethical values of menschlekeit; fostering an appreciation of the diverse expressions of our community’s Jewish life; promoting participation in the repair of our world (Tikkun Olam); and developing a strong connection with the State of Israel and Klal Yisrael. Ours is a school where learning arises from and promotes a sense of community. Students are excited to be in a school where they feel a sense of belonging, learn with friends and have a voice in choosing among various educational activities. The school integrates creativity with developmentally appropriate, active-teaching methods: art, music, theatre, community service and holiday celebrations are integral parts of our curriculum.

Goals of the Religious School

The goals of our school are designed to offer each student the opportunity to:

Develop a positive Jewish identity
Develop elementary Hebrew literacy
Gain a sense of spiritual and cultural kinship with Israel and the Jewish people worldwide
Gain the skills and knowledge necessary for observance of our religious holidays, rituals, and services
Feel a sense of involvement in Jewish life and communal needs through activities in and out of the classroom

There is a lot of energy at GJC, especially when the Religious School is in session. I have two children in the Religious School, and I am very pleased with the progress they are making. The teachers are knowledgeable, sensitive and enthusiastic and they engage the kids in hands-on activities. Most importantly, my children are enjoying learning about Judaism. -Chip Becker, GJC parent

Religious School kids Religious School (Teens)

Regular Religious School Days and Hours

GAN & ALEF (Kindergarten & Grade 1): Sundays, 9:30am-12:30pm
BET - ZAYIN (Grades 2 - 7): Sundays, 9:30am-12:30pm AND Wednesdays, 4:00pm-6:00pm
Grade 8 through High School: Wednesdays, 6:15pm-8:15pm
Beit Midrash (January and February)

Join us in January and February when our building becomes a center of Shabbat study and prayer for children and adults. During the Beit Midrash months, Religious School classes are held every Saturday at 9:30am (instead of Sunday classes) followed by age-appropriate kids' services at 11:00am. All GJC kids are welcome and encouraged to participate. RSVP is required for children not formally enrolled in the Religious School. The program ends at 12:15pm with our regular Shabbat Kids' Kiddush.