Temple Chai schools awarded for excellence in Jewish education

The Religious and Hebrew schools of Temple Chai, a Reform Jewish congregation in Long Grove, were recently awarded accreditation by the Association of Reform Jewish Educators, for excellence in Jewish education.

"The award resulted from a two and a half year evaluation of the temple's schools and educational programs by the Association of Reform Jewish Educators," said Laura Siegel Perpinyal, the temple's director of Congregational Learning of seven years, in response to her application for accreditation.

Before bestowing accreditation, the Association of Reform Jewish Educators considered several factors, including the schools' curriculum and safety policies, and the experience and qualifications of the faculty. The Association of Reform Jewish Educators also obtained testimonials from the temple's clergy, staff, parents and students.

"Accreditation signifies that our temple's religious and Hebrew schools create excellent educational experiences for our student learners, their families and the Jewish community," said Perpinyal. "The Association of Reform Jewish Educators has recognized that Temple Chai, in partnership with the home and the Jewish community, places Jewish learning as its central goal and practices the spirit of Reform Judaism including social action, a relationship with Israel, and the quest for God."

Temple Chai's Congregational Learning Vision is based on Learning, Living and Leading and is consistent with the Association of Reform Jewish Educators' goals. The temple's vision for Jewish learning is to create in its learners a passion for living a Jewish life and to empower them to develop a personal connection to Judaism, God, Israel and Jewish peoplehood. It is the temple's vision to nurture active Jewish leaders and to touch the minds, hearts, and souls of its congregation through an exploration of diverse Jewish texts.

"We live our learning vision with our religious school (PreK-12), our Hebrew school (third-seventh), active youth groups (K-12), and our youth choir (second-eighth)," said Perpinyal. "At Temple Chai, each learner is unique and is treated as an individual."

Temple Chai also has a special needs coordinator who works with each special needs student, the student's family and the faculty of the religious and Hebrew schools to create an individual learning plan for that student. A learning plan may include extra tutoring, an adjustment of projects or activities and/or one-on-one teaching.

"We have goals for our learners, including special needs students," said Perpinyal. "By the time they complete the curriculum in our religious and Hebrew schools, it is our goal that they will have knowledge and experience in many learning areas including personal Jewish development and identity which involves seeking Jewish answers to life's questions, Jewish literacy; the ability to explore the Torah and its commentaries, an understanding of prayers and prayer themes, holidays and historical milestones, and an ability to read and translate Hebrew. Our learners will also have an understanding that Reform Judaism emphasizes taking actions that improve our world."

"Our faculty encourages our students to ask questions," said Perpinyal. "If our learners have more questions after completing a grade than before they began to study its curriculum. That's great. That's the way to learn."

"We have a dedicated faculty who are passionate not only to teach, but also to continually learn. We help them to enhance their skills with professional development opportunities throughout the school year," said Perpinyal. "Our learning vision and our goals are being achieved with on ongoing team effort by our faculty and our learners and their families."

Perpinyal, who earned master's degrees in Jewish education and Jewish nonprofit management at The Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Los Angeles, is currently the president of the Chicago Association of Reform Jewish Educators.

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