About Beth Hillel

Education

Youth Education

Education is an integral part of our congregational life for both children and adults. For the very young (ages 3-5) the early childhood nursery provides a daily weekday program designed to build physical, intellectual, emotional, and social competence, while helping each child develop a positive sense of Jewish identity.

K through 12 offers students a solid grounding in Jewish studies and Hebrew while providing opportunities for personal growth, learning and friendship. Young people preparing for Bar of Bat Mitzvah must complete the first five years of the Hebrew School or the equivalent and all students are expected to enhance Jewish education through confirmation and graduation.

The library is a valuable resource for all members of the congregation. It is equipped with audio-visual material and books for children and adults.

The PTO is a parent teacher organization whose aim is to support school extra curricular activities and enhance our beautiful holidays.

To register for our religious school, fill out an application.

Kadima

Kadima is the active pre-teen youth group which enables children of our synagogue to meet on a social and religious level with children of other Conservative synagogues in New England.

U.S.Y.

United Synagogue Youth is the active, high-school age, youth group that is involved in many chapter and regional events.

Adult Education

Beth Hillel strives to offer a variety of opportunities for adult studies at different times and locations to accommodate its diverse membership.

Past courses have included Introductory Hebrew, Hot Topics in Conservative Judaism, Jewish Mysticism, Introduction to the Talmud, Selections from the Midrash, Jewish Klezmer Music, Introduction to the Prayer Book, Great Jewish Books, and Israel.

This past year we introduced our Schmooze and Lunch program one or more Thursdays a month. This very popular program has brought guest speakers, interesting videos and other programs to the synagogue, followed by an inexpensive lunch prepared by our Minyannaires. Lunch is $3.00 per person, schmoozing is free.

To appeal to those who find it difficult to get out at night, a discussion group called Jewish Traditions is held at Federation Homes next door to the synagogue at 156 Wintonbury Avenue each Monday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. Rabbi Friedman leads this group which has dealt with topics ranging from Current Affairs, to Pirke Avot and Rav Kook's philosophy on Repentance. This group, like the others, is open to all. We are currently studying Rabbi Martin Cohen's new book on Psalms.

About once a month, the Adult Education Committee presents a movie night and shows videos of Jewish interest. These have included various documentaries as well as full-length feature films. Our recently acquired large screen television set makes it easier for a larger group to view these pictures.

Following the morning minyan on Fridays, the rabbi leads a Bible study session right after our special gourmet breakfast. We are working our way through the books of the Bible. We have finished the early prophets: Joshua, Judges, Samuel and Kings and have moved into the book of Isaiah.

In addition to these ongoing programs, each year we offer a scholar-in-residence weekend. In 2002-2003, Professor Arnold Dashefsky from UConn spoke on Jewish demography. Last year in 2003-2004, we brought up Rabbi Steven Sager from Durham, North Carolina, to conduct lively discussions on the poetry of Yehudah Amichai. This year's program will soon be announced.

We are always open to suggestions and our Adult Ed Committee continues actively to find ways to appeal to a larger segment of our synagogue membership and get them involved in ongoing study.

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