School of Jewish Studies (SJS)

School of Jewish Studies (SJS)

Am Yisrael School of Jewish Studies (SJS) At A Glance

Am Yisrael SJS is committed to creating a warm and nurturing environment to transmit a positive and meaningful religious and moral identity for our students. Following the guidelines of the Conservative Movement, we are a progressive Jewish learning community that aims to instill Jewish literacy, a sense of belonging to the Jewish people and encourage lifelong Jewish learning. Meeting the needs of each of our learners is essential.

Synagogue and School Registration is underway. Please register through your ShulCloud account.  If you are new to our community and want to learn about our dynamic School of Jewish Studies and engaging youth programming, please be in touch with our Head of School, Mr. Charlie Sherman via 847-708-1805 (mobile phone) or email csherman@amyisrael.org.

Please click here to access the SJS & Youth Programming Calendar for the 2022-2023 SJS year.

Our Mission Statement, Guiding Principles and Learning Goals are at the center of everything we do at Am Yisrael SJS. These core elements of SJS can be accessed by clicking here.

We continue to update our covid protocols to ensure that we can gather in-person in the safest possible manner.

Each class in our School of Jewish Studies has its own webpage. From each website you can access our schedule of classes, class summaries, materials and resources, our school calendar and teacher bios. All of this information can be accessed in the links below, from youngest to oldest students.

SJS B’Yachad (Together) was formed to build and strengthen our SJS community. Our goals with the SJS B’Yachad are to help bring our families closer together and to offer support to our families when it may be needed. Last year we had two mitzvah projects, helped several families during times of need, and helped organize the Shavuot picnic and games. This year we look to continue to host mitzvah projects, support our families as needed, and hope to add more social gatherings for parents and families. Please reach out via email to Alison Solotoroff springtime728@gmail.com or Jessica Lensch-Falk jess676@gmail.com if you would like to help plan a mitzvah project, park playdate, or have any other ideas that would support our goal of bringing the community closer together.

Class Webpages and Meeting Days/Times

Gan, Alef & Bet (Lower Elementary Division: PreK, Kindergarten, 1st & 2nd Grades)

  • Sundays, 9:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
  • Shabbat mornings one time per month from 10:15 a.m.-11:30 a.m. with Kiddush Lunch to follow

Gimel (3rd Grade)

  • Sundays, 9:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
  • Wednesdays, 4:15 p.m. – 6:15 p.m.
  • Shabbat mornings one time per month from 10:15 a.m.-11:30 a.m. with Kiddush Lunch to follow

Dalet & Hei (4th & 5th Grades)

  • Sundays, 9:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
  • Wednesdays, 4:15 p.m. – 6:15 p.m.
  • Shabbat mornings one time per month from 10:15 a.m.-11:30 a.m. with Kiddush Lunch to follow

Vav (6th Grade)

  • Sundays, 9:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
  • Wednesdays, 4:15 p.m. – 6:15 p.m.
  • Shabbat mornings one time per month from 10:15 a.m.-11:30 a.m. with Kiddush Lunch to follow

Zayin & Het (7th & 8th Grades)

  • Sundays, 9:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
  • Wednesdays, 4:15 p.m. – 6:15 p.m. (Zayin only)
  • Shabbat mornings one time per month from 10:15 a.m.-11:30 a.m. with Kiddush Lunch to follow
  • Madrichim & Madrichim-in-Training positions are on available on Sundays, 9:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m.; Wednesdays, 4:15 p.m.-6:15 p.m. and Shabbat mornings 10:15 a.m.-11:30 a.m. with Kiddush Lunch to follow

9th & 10th Grades

  • Classes are offered on Sundays from 9:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m.
  • Madrichim Positions are on available on Sundays, 9:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m.; Wednesdays, 4:15 p.m.-6:15 p.m. and Shabbat mornings 10:15 a.m.-11:30 a.m. with Kiddush Lunch to follow

11th & 12th Grades

  • Classes are offered on Sundays from 9:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m.
  • Madrichim Positions are on available on Sundays, 9:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m.; Wednesdays, 4:15 p.m.-6:15 p.m. and Shabbat mornings 10:15 a.m.-11:30 a.m. with Kiddush Lunch to follow

Family Shabbat Services

Mr. Charlie Sherman and Mr. E. Marc Nevins co-lead a family-friendly, spirited prayer service.  Rabbi Newman Kamin delivers a D’var Torah.  Torah Chanting is one of the core components of Family Shabbat Services.  We have dozens of students and their family members who have chanted verses of Torah at Family Shabbat Services and on Torah-based Jewish holidays over the years.  Please click here for dates, times and more information.

As taken from our guiding principles of the school:

“Virtues and values are of central importance to everything we do at our school. The way we act; who we are; what we stand for; how we respond; how we view life and the world around us; our personal qualities, attributes and traits—all these reflect the degree to which we embrace our Jewish values.”

Updated 12-7-2022   14 Kislev 5783