by George Gazarek (Remarks presented at the May 9 Shabbat service)
The Sha’are Shalom Religious School was established to teach the young people of the congregation about Jewish traditions, holidays, culture and values, as well as Hebrew for religious services. It is a place where Jewish children can gather with others with similar backgrounds. This is particularly important in an area such as Southern Maryland where Jews are widely dispersed. Classes are held for students ages 3 through 13.
Each Sunday School session starts at 9:30 am with a service for all students and their families. The family service familiarizes students with regular Shabbat services and gives them a chance to practice their Hebrew skills in a friendly setting. A child’s version of each week’s Torah portion is read and discussed. Services are led by parent volunteers or Bar/Bat Mitzvah students.
The Religious School Principal and all of its teachers are volunteers from the congregation. Many are parents of the children and some are not. They are all driven to do what they do by a love for Judaism and a need to pass on those values to the next generation.
Today, we come together on this Shabbat, to honor all those who have volunteered to serve the Religious School of Congregation Sha’are Shalom over the last twenty-five years. We thank you for your service, for your sacrifice, and for your love and dedication to educating our children. On behalf of the entire congregation, I salute you for your service and thank you for a job well done.
I would like to talk about our current principal, Jasha Levenson. Jasha embodies the role of the Jewish educator. He has a knowledge of Jewish history, culture, religion, Hebrew and music. He has a love for Judaism and for the children he teaches. He relates to the children and their parents in a very spiritual way. His d’vars are not lectures but a give-and-take discussion with the children. His guitar playing has added so much to our services. The children and the parents love him for all he does. We are truly blessed to have Jasha as our Religious School Principal and as our friend.
Jasha, thank you for all you have done for our Religious School and for our children. May God reward you with a life of peace, love, and happiness.