Adult and Family Education

At Etz Chaim, we are a congregation of learners.  There are learning opportunities for children, parents, families, and adults at all levels of learning.  Our formal religious school program meets on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays.  Sundays and Tuesdays cover the core curriculum, and the elective classes are held on Thursdays, otherwise known as Kaleidoscope Thursdays.  The course selection for our Kaleidoscope program includes many diverse classes -- among them are drama, cooking, and yoga.  The youngest grades in the religious school, kindergarten and first, attend on Sundays only.  The curriculum is well-integrated, consisting of customs and ceremonies, holidays, Torah, and Hebrew reading readiness.  The curriculum for the older grades builds on these subjects and includes Hebrew reading, primarily focusing on the language of prayer.  High School offerings include a community experience and classes at Etz Chaim.

Education at Etz Chaim does not limit itself to the walls of the school and to the teaching of children.  It crosses generations.  Parents learn in parent education classes parallel to their children at various times throughout the year.  We have integrated education experiences for families that can range from examination of holiday customs and ceremonies, to the study of Torah and participation in Shabbat dinners.  Our family education programs are provided so families can learn together at the synagogue and then bring home the skills they have learned and incorporate them into their home life.  Our family retreat is a delightful experience up in the North Georgia Mountains, providing an opportunity for a complete Shabbat experience amidst a peaceful, intimate setting.

Learning for adults encompasses a host of different experiences, including adult Bar/Bat Mitzvah classes, scholar-in-residence weekends, weekly sedra classes, and a wide variety of lectures from various notable people in our community.  At Etz Chaim, lifelong learning is our goal, and we provide the space for it to happen.