Click here for the Union for Reform Judaism Glossary of Words and Terms for Jewish Living.

Babaganewz –

BAJY – Beth Am Junior Youth – Our Temple Youth Group for 7th and 8th graders. For more information, email Sarah Lauing, our Youth Advisor, or call her at Beth Am’s education office.

Bar mitzvah – see B'nai mitzvah

Bat mitzvah – see B'nai mitzvah

BATY – Beth Am Temple Youth – Our Temple Youth Group for 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th graders. We are members of NFTY, the North American Federation of Temple Youth. For more information, email Sarah Lauing, our Youth Advisor, or call her at Beth Am’s education office.

Beit Midrash –

Birkat HaMazon – The collection of blessings Jews sing after eating a meal. After dinner on Tuesday nights, for example, we join together to say Birkat HaMazon.

BJE – Bureau of Jewish Education – A communal organization funded by the Jewish Federation which supports our Peninsula Havurah High School Program, for example. Congregation Beth Am is part of the San Francisco BJE’s region. The Bureau also funds Israel Trips, Jewish student fellowships, and other programs. (www.bjesf.org)

B'nai mitzvah – Reform Jews customarily train young people to celebrate becoming B'nai mitzvah by leading tefillah (prayer services) and chanting Torah for the congregation after their thirteenth birthday. Congregation Beth Am requires candidates for becoming B'nai mitzvah to complete at least four years of Hebrew Program and at least four years of Judaic learning (in Shabbaton or Sunday Program). For more information, please request a ‘B'nai Mitzvah Manual’ from Cheryl Weissbart through the main office. Please review the B'nai Mitzvah Requirements.

B'nai Mitzvah Family Enrichment Shabbat - This year, we will be offering B’nai Mitzvah Family Enrichment in the form of an all day Shabbat program, during which we will study together, worship together, explore the meaning of bar/bat mitzvah, and engage in acts of Tikkun Olam. We will offer three Shabbatot of B’nai Mitzvah Family Enrichment over the course of the coming year. Dates and registration materials for your Family Enrichment Shabbat cohort will be mailed to you in early summer.

Confirmation – During their tenth grade year, students who have already become b’nai mitzvah wrestle with Jewish identity questions in class with the rabbis of the congregation. Confirmation classes generally are held during the first period of Peninsula Havurah High School on Wednesday evenings, 6:15pm-8:30pm.

Consecration –Jewish congregations welcome new students to Jewish learning and the Jewish community of learners with a ceremony of blessing and joy. Traditionally consecration is held at or near the holiday of Simchat Torah, the holiday when Jews annually begin the cycle of Torah reading.

80/20 Rule – All students are expected to attend AT LEAST 80% of class meetings. If your family cannot attend 80%, please meet with the director of the program as soon as you know so your student can make up the work he or she will miss. This rule also covers grade-level retreats and other class experiences. Please consider how missing over 20% of a school year will affect a student’s Judaic or Hebrew knowledge and comprehension, as well as his or her eligibility for B'nai mitzvah or Confirmation.

Gan Ami – This is Beth Am's inaugural year for our early childhood education program, in collaboration with the Albert L. Schultz Jewish Community Center (ALSJCC). Gan Ami provides play-based curriculum for young children and an opportunities for their families to connect with Judaism and the Beth Am community.

Gan Ami Shorashim (Roots) - for 2 Year Olds – Children are required to be 2 by December 1. 2 days per week, Tuesday, Thursday (starting January 2008). Program hours: 9:30 am - 12:00 pm.

Gan Ami Perachim (Flowers) - for 3 Year Olds.  Children are required to be 3 by December 1. 3 days per week. Monday, Wednesday, Friday. Program hours: 9:30 am - 12:30 pm. Early morning care: available (with sufficient enrollment) 8:00 am - 9:30 am.

Hagigah – ("Celebration") is Beth Am’s new Children’s Theatre Program; it is an alternative to Shabbaton or Sunday Program. The program will meet on Wednesdays from 4-6 p.m. Participants in grades 3-5 also attend mid-week class on Thursdays from 4-6 p.m. for Hebrew studies. Hagigah includes a worship service attendance requirement.  For more information, contact Jessica Rosenberg in the education office.

Hebrew Program – We encourage all the children of our congregation to attend Hebrew Program where they will learn basic Hebrew language skills. We expect any candidates for B'nai mitzvah to attend at least four years of Hebrew Program.

JVibe –

Kiddush Lunch –

Laila Rishon – First Night – the Opening Night of Tuesday Night Program

Madrich (feminine, Madrichah; plural, masculine, Madrichim; plural, feminine, Madrichot) – a teacher’s assistant or an assistant counselor at a tiyul (retreat or trip).

Camp Newman – A sleep-over camp in Santa Rosa, California, owned and operated by the Union for Reform Judaism. Campers entering third grade are the youngest campers in the summer sessions. The oldest campers during summer sessions are entering eighth grade.

Peninsula Havurah High School (PHH) – A Jewish community school including teen participants and teachers from local Reform and Conservative synagogues and Jewish organizations, such as: Eitz Chayim, Beth Jacob, Palo Alto School of Jewish Education, Kol Emeth, as well as Congregation Beth Am. The San Francisco Bureau of Jewish Education administers the program 6:15pm-8:30pm on Wednesday evenings during the school year.

Parallel Children's Program – Friday evening services are at 6:15 pm. At many of these services, during the silent Amidah (the central prayer in our service) and the sermon, a teacher shares snack, singing, stories, and games with any children who are interested. We ask one adult to accompany each child (or group of siblings).

Shabbaton (SH) – Our family education program meets, on average, three Saturday afternoons each month from 3:45pm until 6:00 pm. Shabbaton is for families with children in pre-kindergarten through sixth grade. Parents and children learn together as well as in age-specific groups. The theme for Shabbaton this year is “Our Jewish Journeys: Questions for Exploring Jewish Identity.” A family may register to attend Shabbaton instead of Sunday Program. Shabbaton is an alternative to our Sunday Program. Either program may fulfill Youth Education Judaica requirements for b’nai mitzvah or confirmation. Siblings younger than 4 years old have a separate play program called Shabbatots.

Siyum – Closure, conclusion, concluding activity – The closing day or closing night of a program.

Sunday Program (SP) – Our Sunday Judaica Program for students in grades K-6. Sunday Program students gain basic Jewish literacy in topics such as: Jewish prayer, Jewish ethics, Jewish holidays, and Jewish symbols. Our student community gathers together for reflective, spiritual discussion and tefillah (worship services) each week. Our varied and talented faculty enrich classroom learning with Jewish music, Israeli folk dance, Jewish cooking, and Jewish arts & crafts. In order better to build youth community and student friendships, this year, Sunday Program will meet in one combined session from 9 AM to 11:15 AM.

Tefillah – “Prayer” or “Worship” – On every retreat and at approximately half of the Sunday Program sessions we join together in tefillah.

Tekes – “Ceremony” – At Sunday Program and Hebrew Program, we may join together in a tekes to celebrate holidays and to begin and conclude the year.

Tikkun Olam – “Repair of the World” – Righteous action aimed at healing what is broken in our world. In Sunday Program and Tuesday Night Program, each grade “leads” the school’s participation in one or two projects with the help of teachers and parent volunteers. In addition, every family can participate in projects they aren’t “leading” by donating what is requested. All members of Beth Am also donate food when BATY collects food for hungry people at the High Holy Days. Tikkun Olam Celebration is a day-long event in which members of Beth Am participate in a variety of Tikkun Olam projects.

Tiyul (plural, Tiyulim) – Trip – All grades starting with fourth grade participate in a trip or retreat. We expect participation from every student in each grade: 4th-10th. Please add these dates to your family calendar. Educators, teachers, youth group staff, and rabbis design these trips and retreats to be a rich experience in Jewish education. We have designed these tiyulim to be opportunities for community building as well. These trips are essential to our students’ development as knowledgeable, passionate, committed members of the Jewish community. They are also really fun.

Toledot – “Generations” – The name of our parallel adult classes for grades: 1 –12. For more information, please contact Jessica Rosenberg, Adult Education Registratr, in the education office..

Young Families Morning Service – One Saturday morning every month, our assistant rabbi and our cantor lead a service for young families, usually held on the fourth Shabbat of each month.

Tuesday Night Program (TNP) – 6pm-8:15pm - Seventh and eighth grade students learn Judaica on Tuesday nights. They participate in “core” classes separated by grade level. The students and teachers eat dinner together and pray the appropriate blessings, every week. Students participate in “chug” (elective) classes offered after dinner.

Tzavta – “Together” – The name of our program for 5^th & 6^th graders. Tzavta is a combination Hebrew-Judaica Program designed to build community, integrate Jewish learning, and enhance Shabbat celebration. Students attend afternoon Hebrew classes once a week from 4 – 6pm. In addition, students’ families will attend seven Shabbat evening programs and six Shabbat morning programs.

Tzedakah – Righteous Giving – We expect that each student will bring money to donate to tzedakah each class meeting. Classes will choose which organization they would like to designate their tzedakah collection to assist. Each semester the classes will announce their tzedakah allocations. Many families expect their children to donate part of their allowance to tzedakah every week.

Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) – The umbrella organization for all Reform synagogues in North America.

Yom Rishon – “First Day” or “Sunday” – Opening Day of Sunday Program