For over 120 years, Temple Anshe Amunim’s youth religious education program has drawn on its dedication to enriching the minds of students through an exploration of Jewish history, culture, holidays, music, prayer and Torah study, and Hebrew skills.
Students from Kindergarten through Seventh Grade may participate in the Community Hebrew Action Initiative Program (CHAI).A joint venture with Knesset Israel and unaffiliated students, classes meet on Wednesdays from September through May at the Sinai Academy of the Berkshires.Our CHAI program touts a highly experienced core of faculty (including our own Rabbi Josh Breindel) dedicated to developing a love for Judaism in our youth.
Our school's curriculum is based around our Family Education Program, meeting weekly on Saturdays from 4:00-5:30 p.m.Together, we are exploring different aspects of Jewish religious and cultural life including holidays, Shabbat and home rituals, ethics, art and literature.After each class session, we celebrate Havdallah (the ending of Shabbat) with music and stories.Throughout the year, we look forward to having our students participate in Temple activities and services.
The Religious School and the Youth Group maintain an annual tradition of preparing special Shabbat services in which the students gain experience in leading the congregation through meaningful prayer and song.
We also offer B’Nai Mitzvah training for children at age 13 and a confirmation program for our advanced high school students, with a confirmation service coinciding with the festival of Shavuot in the spring.
Our Religious School is supported by the Rabbi Harold and Audrey Salzmann Religious School Endowment, the Newmark/Denmark Endowment, and the Jewish Federation of the Berkshires. Religious School students who wish to attend Camp Eisner in the summer are also supported by the Shaun Beckwith-Chasen and Jeff Eric Stolzberg Campership funds. Any contributions to these dedicated funds are welcomed.
For more information or to register for our Religious School program, please call the Temple office at (413) 442-5910, or E-Mail us at templeoffice@rnetworx.com.
As we celebrate the new Jewish year, we offer many opportunities to gain new appreciation for the richness of Jewish life and culture! We hope that you will join us for some of these programs (both ongoing and new offerings) in 5772
Our Family Education program continues to flourish! On Saturdays, parents and students from first to seventh grade gather at the temple from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. to hone their Hebrew skills, explore Jewish life and liturgy, and discover some of the joys of a strong Jewish community. On Wednesdays, CHAI meets at Sinai from 4 to 6 p.m.
Students (grades three to seven) work with peers from TAA and KI to study Hebrew, explore Jewish texts and form new friendships! Please visit the school’s web page (www.templeansheamunim.org/study/school/) to download registration forms and the school calendar.
This year, we are proud to introduce our renewed confirmation track! Students of post-b’nai mitzvah age will meet to socialize and discuss current events, plan to lead a service and invest in ongoing social action projects. We will begin meeting regularly following the High Holidays. For more information, please contact us by e-mail
(taaschool@gmail.com) or call the temple office.
We look forward to seeing you at our classes throughout the new year. Please don’t hesitate to spread the word or bring a friend!
Confirmation Photos
Take a look back through the vault at some of our confirmation classes throughout our long history!
Kelm Scholarships
Generously established by Isabella Kelm as her family’s legacy to the congregation and the religious school, the Kelm Scholarship Fund is designed to support college students who were confirmed and completed our religious education program. Recipients are chosen each academic year by the Temple's rabbi. As conditions of their scholarship grants, students are required to maintain a passing grade point average, remain enrolled in a full-time college program, and address the congregation at services once annually, sharing their life experiences and the impact of Judaism and their religious education on their lives.
Click the name of the Kelm Scholar for their presentation:
For over 120 years, Temple Anshe Amunim’s youth religious education program has drawn on its dedication to enriching the minds of students through an exploration of Jewish history, culture, holidays, music, prayer and Torah study, and Hebrew skills.
Generously established by Isabella Kelm as her family’s legacy to the congregation and the religious school, the Kelm Scholarship Fund is designed to support college students who were confirmed and completed our religious education program. Recipients are chosen each academic year by the Temple's rabbi. As conditions of their scholarship grants, students are required to maintain a passing grade point average, remain enrolled in a full-time college program, and address the congregation at services once annually, sharing their life experiences and the impact of Judaism and their religious education on their lives. 