Programs

CSI offers many opportunities for people of all ages and with all types of prior Jewish experiences (or none at all!) to continue their Jewish education and deepen their understanding of our traditions.

Hebrew School

 

The Audrey Beth Lender Hebrew School at Congregation Sons of Israel offers a boutique Hebrew School experience. Classes are small; instruction is thoughtful and engaging. We believe in the inclusion model of education, and our excellent teacher-to-student ratio allows for the encouragement of all types of learners.

Our innovative scheduling offers students flexibility with their secular school extra-curricular and other interests. We are the only Hebrew School in the county to offer a Shabbat-centered Hebrew School; it meets on Saturdays and Wednesdays. Our learners participate in the service, making the bimah their second home.  

Our school utilizes the arts and a multiple intelligences approach to education. Through discovery, play, discussion, activities, song, and storytelling, our children fall in love with Judaism. Our rabbi and cantor teach in the Hebrew School, role model Jewish practice, and help our students to connect to the prayer experience. We have five multi-age classrooms that promote collaboration and the development of social skills within the community. Our learners help each other as they explore the world of joyful Judaism.

Preschool/Hebrew School

 

Preschool/Hebrew School is a chance to introduce to 3-4 year olds to the joy of Shabbat; it meets on Saturdays only. We have fantastic educators who use art, song, stories, and play to ignite curiosity and a love of Judaism for our preschoolers.

We strive to create a welcoming and nurturing environment where our students soar and our families feel supported.

For further information, contact Suzanne Strichartz, our Educational Director, at csifamilydir@optonline.net.

Tot Shabbat

 

Tot Shabbat at CSI is where families come to play and pray! Twice a month, we offer an interactive learning experience where little one’s ages 0-5 get exposure to basic prayers, Jewish symbols, stories and values all while playing with their friends and family. Activities are age-appropriate including baby signs for little eyes and movement activities that are so important to child development and the learning experience.

Imagine uninhibited dancing, clapping and laughter in this warm and wonderful family-catered service. All children are then welcomed to the Bima to join the Rabbi for juice and challah, followed by a beautiful kiddush lunch and socialization with the congregation.

Tot Shabbat starts at 11:00 am.

Adult Education

We offer adult education classes at all levels, from beginning Hebrew to courses in Torah reading. We have spiritual and philosophical classes as well as opportunities for weekly learning with our rabbi.

Click here for CSI Nyack Adult Education Booklet

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ADULT EDUCATION - 2022 – 2023 5783

RSVP to this email if you wish to register for any classes.

Course # 1

CSI Nyack Adult Education Series with Marilyn Selby Okoshi

Tuesdays in November 12:30 – 1:30

BYO Lunch and Learn (DAIRY OR PAREVE KOSHER ONLY)

November 8, 15, 22, 29.

Finding Meaning in the Siddur.

We will look at our traditional liturgy and prayer practices drawing on teachings from traditional and modern scholars (such as Baal Shem Tov, Rambam, Heschel, Marcia Praeger) and our own experiences and ideas to finding a more personal connection to our siddur.

  1. Prayer and the Siddur – Why and how do we pray? How do we get ready to pray? Perspectives on Psukei D’Zimrah

  2. The bracha formula – Making words meaningful to ourselves.

  3. Shema. Jewish Meditation. Liturgy and gender.

  4. Amida. Another look at brachot. Liturgy and gender reprised. Embodied prayer practice.

Course #2

Weekly Torah Learning with Rabbi Russo Rabbi's Torah Study class will use the Etz Chayim as a guide to deepen our understanding and conversation around Torah.

We will follow the weekly Torah readings.

We will mostly meet over Zoom with a few in-person gatherings during the year.

Please RSVP to the office if you would like to join and receive the Zoom link.

$36 members - $54 non-members

Course # 3

A Judaica Shouk with Judith

Four Wednesdays 1:30 - 2:45 PM

The constant happiness is curiosity.-Alice Munro Imagine walking through a lively Jerusalem market filled with an exciting variety of wares! Enjoy a month of sampling and savoring a collection of Torah themes that have left their mark on the hearts and minds of the Jews. Weekly texts will be printed for you and distributed in class.

More information will follow with specific dates and fees.

Course # 4

The Ketonet Passim Book Club Facilitated by Abbie Cohen, the “Coat-of-Many-Colors” Book Club features novels, memoirs, and work of non-fiction that examines Jewish lives, communities, practices, and texts from the perspective of Jews in the LGBTQ community, Jews of Color, and Jews by Choice.

Please RSVP to the office if you would like to join and receive the Zoom link.

Class meets virtually on Tuesday evenings and is restarting this Tuesday, October 25th .

Biographies of Our Instructors

  • Rabbi Ariel L. Russo: Rabbi Russo has been CSI's spiritual leader since 2014. Her Torah study class is the highlight of her week! She loves learning with you. Her approach is to encourage participation. She believes that Torah study brings people closer together.

  • Abbie Cohen: Originally from the Texas Panhandle, Abbie Cohen earned a degree in American Literature and Culture from the CUNY Baccalaureate Program for Unique and Interdisciplinary Studies. While studying at Hunter College, she took courses in the Women’s Study Department and was awarded a prize by the English Department for the Best Undergraduate Memoir.

  • Marilyn Selby Okoshi is the Education Intern at CSI for the 2022-2023 school year. Marilyn is in her last year of Cantorial School at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America and expects to be ordained as a cantor as well as receive a Master of Arts in Sacred Music and Jewish Education in May 2023. Marilyn is also an attorney admitted to practice in New York, practiced corporate and securities law for over 30 years, and is fluent in Japanese and Mandarin Chinese. She savors the opportunity to learn with students of multiple generations as a student and as a teacher and to gain new insights and perspectives on our Jewish legacy and practices. Marilyn lives with her husband and the two dogs, with occasional drop-ins from her two adult sons.

  • Judith Rose, the founder of Vital Movement™, is an experienced educator, choreographer, poet, and movement artist. She teaches her uniquely designed interdisciplinary Judaic Studies courses at synagogues and educational centers in the NY area and is grateful to have served as a teacher in the Adult Education Program at CSI through the years. Her private practice in therapeutic wellness is located in Nyack, NY. Judith’s classes and workshops are dedicated to guiding others toward the richest development of their potential as they stretch toward the sacred.