Learn About Us
Read a copy of the CBS Religious School brochure. In it you will find information about our unique school environment and curriculum. To receive a hard copy through the mail, please call the synagogue office at (201) 833-2620.
Download a printer-friendly flier about the Congregation Beth Sholom Religious School.
See some photos of our students in action.
Register With Us
Download the registration form and mail the form to:
Congregation Beth Sholom
Religious School Registration
354 Maitland Avenue
Teaneck, NJ 07666
OR:
For more information Contact Marilyn Yeshua, our principal. We welcome your questions about the Congregation Beth Sholom Religious School.
Hanukkah in the CBS Religious School
With the days getting shorter and colder, and the darkness of evening arriving in midday, we are all looking forward to the warmth, brightness and festivities of the Holiday of Lights, Hanukkah. The classes are all focused on Hanukkah preparations. Our halls are resonating with the sounds of the traditional candle-lighting blessings, along with Hanukkah songs, old and new. From Maoz Tsur to Ocho Candeleros, we are passing on the old traditions and creating new ones.
In examining the ancient story of Hanukkah, we are looking at the struggle of the Maccabees and their followers to maintain Jewish values and way of life in the face of a more enticing popular culture. We are looking for meaning and relevance to our own contemporary struggles.
For example: we try to be good parents and tell our children, “it doesn’t matter whether you win or lose, it’s how you play the game.” But they find out soon enough (usually from watching us) that’s not the way the world works. Winning does matter. It matters in getting accepted to the right university. It matters in career advancement. It matters in getting the Super Bowl ring. And what’s wrong with competition? It’s fun, we enjoy striving to reach our potential. Competition motivates us to try our hardest, do our best.
Unfortunately, the results of these competitions define our self-worth. Instead of describing one aspect of our lives, they define who we are and how much we are worth to society. In the original Greek Olympic games, there were no silver or bronze medals. There was only first place. There were only two types of people: winners and losers.
The Hanukkah menorah is our symbol, our reminder, that in the most important arena of life, our success as human beings, we all have the ability to be a success without having to beat someone else. Each individual is capable of being a unique and precious source of light.
From an ancient Hanukkah midrash:
Jewish Nation: “God, You Illuminate the whole world and then tell us to light the menorah?!” The Jewish people wanted to know: How can our little candles possibly compete in a world blanketed by a billion stars?
God: “The little lights of your menorah are more precious to me than the lights of all the stars I have placed in the sky.” To be a brilliant source of light, you don’t have to be brighter than all the other stars. Don’t evaluate the beauty and radiance of your inner light in terms of anything else but yourselves. In the realm of spirituality, there is no competition. There is room enough for a world full of winners – a world full of precious lights.
This Hanukkah, we are asking our students to think of their family members as menorahs, and each night make sure to notice and to light another flame. Each night, before lighting the menorah, everyone answers one of the following statements for each family member:
1. You bring light into my life when you_______.
2. I love the way you___________.
3. Whenever I see you________, it reminds me how special you are.
4. You make our family special because you________.
5. Our home is so special because you____________.
For the next 3 nights, families are encouraged to think of other sentences, maybe ones that are specific to their family: You make our camping trips so much fun by________.
By the eighth night of Hanukkah, the precious flames of each family will be burning bright!
Marilyn Yeshua
Principal
