BJE Builder

The Religious School at Temple Sinai of Glendale believes a Jewish education is the essential ingredient to becoming a responsible, compassionate and engaged Jewish adult. 

Kehillat Ma’arav believes that education is the cornerstone of Jewish life. Education is an entry to Jewish history, practice, traditions, and beliefs, and helps instill values and a sense of community. We take an active approach to learning and get the students out of their seats and engaged so they experience Jewish life, rather than just learn about it. 

As a Jewish school, our distinct challenge is to root our students in the joy and responsibility of Jewish learning, belonging, and practice and to enable them to learn from, contribute to, and creatively interact with the traditions, cultures, and values of our larger society. At the same time, to fulfill our mission as a Jewish school, we need to constantly ask ourselves: how do we cultivate our distinctive Jewish gifts with the most positive elements of our larger culture in order to refine the soul, renew the Jewish people, and repair the world? 

Our Etz Chaim Learning Center values the importance of creating a Jewish community for students who attend secular schools. We are committed to giving students a chance to experience and “do Judaism.” This happens in the classroom, yard, tefillah, shirah, family programs, school programs, holidays and Synagogue events. We strive for our students to leave our school as confident and knowledgeable individuals. We want our students to go out in to the world with a strong Jewish identity and seek out organizations or groups that represent their values.

Dr. Alan M. Spiwak
BJE Past President

To me, being a Builder is really about providing people with the building blocks and the tools to go out into the community and make an impression. Hopefully, the work I do helps make young people want to be Jewish.