Learning director plans programs for Temple Chai community
Laura Perpinyal begins her third year as director of congregational Learning at Temple Chai, a Reform Jewish Congregation in Long Grove. Perpinyal believes that she and the temple’s clergy, senior Rabbi Stephen Hart, Associate Rabbi Barry Cohen and Cantor Scott Simon, together with the temple’s staff and teachers, are partners with the temple’s congregants in implementing lifelong Jewish learning.
“My vision of Jewish education is learning, living and leading,” she said. “At Temple Chai we are all learners. We create a passion for living a Jewish life and empower our learners to develop a personal connection to Judaism, God, Israel and Jewish people-hood.”
Perpinyal said that by exploring diverse Jewish texts, “we touch the minds, hearts, and souls of our congregation.”
“Temple Chai is not a ‘top-down’ temple,” said Perpinyal. “Rather we practice ‘relational Judaism’ crafting educational programs for religious and Hebrew school students and adults that meet their needs and desires. My door is always open for suggestions from our members, including our students,” she said. “I speak with our congregants about our programs almost every day.”
Perpinyal has developed goals and objectives for each religious school class from kindergarten through 12th grade. Students learn lessons that are important in their everyday lives, she said. For example, said Perpinyal, some highlights include kindergarten through second grade students studying the celebration of Jewish holidays as a family and how to do good deeds. A goal for the third grade is to discuss the ethical values of the stories in the Torah and how those values can apply each day. The fourth grade learns about life cycle and family experiences, including a study of loss and mourning. Seventh-graders, among other things, learn that “an obligation of Judaism is to develop the leadership skills to make a positive impact on the community.”
Temple Chai’s eighth — 12th grade religious school students meet students from Beth Judah, a conservative congregation, and Beth Am, a Reform temple, to create a community high school across denominational lines. The class of over 150 students has such diverse goals as learning about the history and culture of Israel and discussing the joys and problems of being a teenager in the suburbs.
“We discuss happiness for teenagers,” said Perpinyal. Guest speakers frequently address this class.
Perpinyal has introduced parent and family participation in each religious school class. Through this program, parents and family members have the opportunity to “engage in active discussions with their children on matters that relate to the goals of the class,” she said. Perpinyal recognizes that families are busy with public school activities and may not have time to discuss matters that are the focus of the temple’s religious school classes. By allowing time during religious school classes for parents to participate, Temple Chai has “empowered parents to discuss the classes’ goals with their children at the temple,” she said. “I hope that these discussions continue during the week.”
For example, said Perpinyal, the fifth grade, for family education, discusses the relevance of Holocaust Memorial Day and how to use the lessons of the Holocaust to continually fight against injustice in the world. Sixth graders, during family education, focus on the “Circle of Life”, a program from the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center, and students’ pair with Holocaust victims. “In 6th grade we learn that we are obligated to care for one another and that the choices that we make are important. We learn that we must work to repair our world,” said Perpinyal.
Perpinyal said that we have goals for students who learn in our religious school from kindergarten through 12th grade. After they finish 12th grade, they will have knowledge and experience in many areas. For example, she said, they will be able to seek Jewish answers to life’s questions, read the Torah and explore its commentaries, and make informed choices concerning the values taught by Reform Judaism. They will also learn the leadership skills that are necessary to improve the community and the world.
Perpinyal has also established goals for Temple Chai’s Hebrew school. Students will learn how to read form the Torah. They will have the ability to “synthesize themes of Torah portions with their daily lives,” she said. Adult education is also flourishing at Temple Chai, said Perpinyal. Courses are designed to respond to real life issues facing families and single temple members, she said. One course is entitled, “What if my child is different?” Another program is the “Grandparent’s Gift” series. Here, said Perpinyal, grandparents can connect with their grandchildren and discuss Jewish values. Among those values is “social justice which includes caring for the needy.” These goals and programs for our learners of all ages “further learning, living, and leading,” said Perpinyal.
Perpinyal grew up in Wilmette. She graduated from the University of Indiana with a double degree in Jewish studies and political science. She earned double masters degrees in Jewish education and Jewish nonprofit management form the Hebrew Union College — Jewish Institute of Religion, in Los Angeles. She and her husband Avi, have one son, Sammy.
In addition to developing learning experiences for the Temple’s religious and Hebrew schools, Perpinyal has focused on “learning beyond the class room.” Some students design the temple’s bulletin boards, while others assist in providing information for the temple’s websites, she said. Perpinyal also coordinates the Temple’s youth groups which include 12th grade students, who help in the classrooms and the temple offices. She also develops informal learning programs for youth and family retreats and summer camp. She oversees the mitzvah (good deeds for the community) portion of the temple’s extensive B’nei mitzvah program.
The temple’s religious and Hebrew schools have 600 students. “Each student is unique and we treat each one as an individual,” said Perpinyal. The temple has a special needs coordinator who works with the families to develop learning plans for students who need extra support, she said. Perpinyal emphasized that “we do not tolerate bullying of any kind at Temple Chai.” In all cases and for all ages, she said “learning should be a positive experience for each learner.”
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