Ohav Shalom, Temple Israel create new school, B’Yachad

By MARC GRONICH
ALBANY–The two Conservative synagogues in Albany—Temple Israel and Ohav Shalom—are joining forces to create one Hebrew school for both congregations, teaching kindergarten through eighth grade. The new school will be called B’Yachad, meaning togetherness. Rabbi Rose Durbin, the former education director at Ohav Shalom, will be the director of the new school. Classes are set to begin Sunday, Sept. 12.
The budget for the new school, which will meet at Ohav Shalom on Wednesdays from 4-6 and Sundays 9:30-12:30, will be approximately $100,000, split proportionally between each congregation, based on the number of students from each congregation.
Clergy from both congregations and other staff will teach at the school.
“B’Yachad will be a full-blown Talmud Torah afterschool program,” according to Steve Huz, president of Temple Israel.
The combined school will have approximately 80 students enrolled, 45 from Ohav Shalom and 35 from Temple Israel, according to Rabbi Durbin.
Coursework in the seven classrooms will not include conversational Hebrew, but will include learning the aleph-bet and tfillot (prayers), which will be taught to children in kindergarten through seventh grade by Cantor Rogerio Marx of Temple Israel and Rabbi Rena Kieval of Ohav Shalom.
Fred Rheingold of Nassau will be the Hebrew specialist and Lita Katzer of Slingerlands will be the director of special education. An Israeli dance program will be included on Sundays for the kindergarten through grade four students. A family education program will also be a part of B’Yachad so that parents may be involved and get to know each other, according to Rabbi Durbin.
“We are going to encourage the teachers to use modern Hebrew in the classroom, when possible,” said Rabbi Durbin.
“Rap with the Rabbi” will be taught by Rabbi Dan Ornstein from Ohav Shalom and interim Rabbi Robert Fine from Temple Israel. “Rabbi Dan’s Story Time” will feature Rabbi Ornstein.
Leading the charge in developing the programs of the joint venture in collaboration with the clergy are education committee members Gwen Rudnick and Jodi Kovach from Temple Israel and Kathy Golderman and Amy Knapp from Ohav Shalom, according to Huz.
“This is a reflection of a national trend where Conservative synagogues are merging because of decreased membership and student population,” said Rabbi Paul Silton, a former rabbi of Temple Israel. “Several years ago Moment magazine published a chart detailing a lack of growth within the Jewish population nationally. This chart was also reproduced by Alan Dershowitz in his book The Vanishing Jew.”
Merger Reports
“While Orthodox Jews are continuing the mitzvah of being fruitful and are amply restoring their ranks, Conservative, Reform and ethnic Jews are not,” Silton added.
In another move, which again shows a dearth in the young Conservative Jewish population, is the merger this summer of the two USY (United Synagogue Youth) groups in Albany, Ruach Tzafon and Lev Tzafon. A new name has not yet been chosen.
Separately and coincidentally, perhaps, the Hebrew schools are now coming under one roof. Huz insists this is not the beginning of having only one Conservative egalitarian congregation in Albany.
“It is not true that the two shuls are merging,” Huz said.
When asked if this could lead to a merger of the two congregations, Rabbi Ornstein replied, “anything could happen.”
Similarities In Practice
In 2009, Temple Israel officially adopted an egalitarian-style of service, changing from a traditional Conservative congregation.
“Both synagogues are now egalitarian in religious practice,” Huz said. “When the education committees of both synagogues examined the curricula of each school they found many more similarities than differences. We’re excited about this inititative. It is a shining example of how two institutions can cooperate to the noble end of trying to do what is best for both congregations and the children, This is an independent effort and a great example of two synagogues working together.”
“I am thrilled that both schools are coming together,” Ornstein said. “Programs take time to develop the way you want them developed. I’m pleased that we’re moving in the right direction.”
Beneficial For Students
“The entire Ohav Shalom community, from the board to the clergy, parents and teachers are very excited about B’Yach-ad,” said Ohav Shalom Board President Jeff Cohen. “We realized that this was the right thing to do for the children and this is the best way to provide them with the best Hebrew school experience.”
“Both synagogues recognized the benefit that would be reaped from combining schools now,” Huz said. “The impetus came solely from what would be most beneficial for our students. A combined school would result in larger numbers and would promote enhanced educational and social opportunities for the children of both synagogues.”
Rabbi Durbin, 30, earned a bachelor’s degree in community health and in May 2010 received rabbinic ordination from the Hebrew Union College, earning a master’s degree in Hebrew literature.
While the school concept has been endorsed by the board of directors of each congregation, the by-laws governing the new organization have not been finalized. The committees and clergy were to meet Monday night, Aug. 16, to analyze the pending by-laws. The governing plans are expected to be sent to the Board of Directors of each congregation next month.
The B’Yachad Board of Directors will consist of 10 members, five from each congregation, Huz told The Jewish World.
The membership at Temple Israel is at approximately 500 members and Ohav Shalom reports 400 members.
Even though by-laws will not yet be adopted, classes will begin the Sunday after Rosh Hashanah. After the winter break classes will resume at Temple Israel.
Additional information may be obtained by calling Rabbi Durbin at 489-4894, ext.17.