Religious School Archives

TSRS Covid Policies Update March 2022

Dear Temple Sinai Religious School Families,

As you may have seen on Friday, Temple Sinai is moving to a mask-optional protocol for services and Temple programming beginning tomorrow, Monday March 14. We are excited that the growing health of our community, and the DC Health and CDC guidelines allow our synagogue community to begin to regather not only eye to eye, but smile to smile, again.

Beginning Monday March 14, Temple Sinai Religious School will also shift our COVID-19 protocols to mask optional. Additionally, there is no longer a need to show your vaccination status when entering the building.

Temple Sinai Religious School’s Updated COVID-19 Protocols can be reviewed here.

We recognize that this change brings a different level of comfort from our community. At TSRS, our rules: Be Kind, Be Respectful, Be Responsible, and Be Your Best translate in our mask-optional environment. You can talk with your student about being kind to all regardless of mask choice, and respecting the different needs of different members of our community. We are responsible when continuing to follow good hand washing procedures, and staying home when sick. Just as we have traveled the journey of the last two years together – we move forward into this next phase together, being our very best – the Temple Sinai family we truly are.

We also recognize that, as always, the pandemic continues to change, even in this stage of improvement. Our COVID Protocols will also do so. TSRS and the whole Temple Sinai community remain nimble and flexible to adjust our protocols to meet guidance from DC Health, the CDC, and the Temple Sinai COVID-19 Advisory Group.

May we continue to go together from strength to strength,

Cantor Rebecca Robins
Cantor Educator
202.363.1942
rrobins@templesinaidc.org

November 16, 2020

Cantor Robins, Religious School, Updates

Religious School Update from Cantor Rebecca Robins

Temple Sinai Religious School began the 5781 school year fully online in mid-October. As we considered how both to maintain and create a space where Significance, Belonging, and Fun were the top priorities, we also thought about:

What local and federal regulations were as it relates to COVID-19, and
What the Temple Sinai COVID Advisory Group suggested and supported as it relates to public health guidance and wisdom to keep our community safe,
What is developmentally responsive for our TSRS students at all ages, and
How our programming could best support and strengthen families during this unique time.

We wondered: what is it that children and teens need from their synagogue community during a crisis in the world? Religious education is important, and faith development is a lifelong endeavor, but how a religious community responds to an acute crisis had us asking: how do we create a ‘tiny temple’ for our kids? We knew that in cultivating programing for the 2020-2021 year, we needed to create a space that was a bet midrash (house of learning), but also a bet t’filah (house of prayer) and bet k’nesset (house of gathering).

Our 2^nd-10^th grade programs have adapted to be responsive to this moment and are enrolled at about 80%. Our traditional Kindergarten and 1^st grade programs are meeting this year through periodic “in-a-box” experiences (holidays for K, monthly for 1^st grade). These are curated by our educators and supported with prerecorded video and live Zoom content. Most of all, in the spirit of our ‘tiny temple’ for K-12 participants, worship and gathering are interwoven into our programs – in both religious school specific spaces and across Temple Sinai programming. Finally, TSRS continues to strive to support all Temple Sinai families with children in grades K-12 to connect, find meaning and access, and participate in their temple during these ongoing days of distance.

For more information about TSRS as the pandemic persists, visit our online school lobby, and connect to all of our classrooms and learning spaces. It’s a fun place to hang out for a bit – but you’ll need to bring your own coffee. 😊