Other Jewish Education Opportunities

Holiday Celebrations
Congregation Solel offers a variety of opportunities for families to learn and celebrate together throughout the year. In addition to our family services, we have celebrations for Sukkot, Simchat Torah, Chanukah, Purim, and Pesach. Check the Shav’on, our weekly synagogue email newsletter and the Pathfinder, the synagogue bulletin for further details.
Family Resource Center
Our Family Resource Center has resources available to the congregation and Religious School for both educational and leisure-time needs. Our students will have opportunities to visit the library to check out books, share stories and learn how to use the library for class work.
Congregation Solel Youth’s Choir
The Youth Choir of Congregation Solel is open to any interested children in grades 2-7 looking for a special experience of Jewish and musical enrichment. Rehearsals occur directly after Religious School every other Sunday each month. The choir sings for several Shabbat services and congregational-wide celebrations during the year and at other community functions. If you have any questions about the youth choir, please contact the Religious School office.
Religious School Committee
The Religious School Committee assists with policies for the Religious School, oversees the implementation of these policies, and evaluates school programs. All of these functions are carried out in close cooperation with the Director of Education and the Rabbi. The committee consists of members of the congregation and parents of Religious School students. The committee meets 6-8 times during the year and welcomes new members. Contact the Religious School office for more information. Meetings are open to all Solel members.
Jewish Summer Camp
Congregation Solel encourages its students to attend Jewish summer camp. Congregation Solel is a member of the Union for Reform Judaism, the national organization of Reform congregations. Our movement has a fine network of summer camps; one of which is OSRUI (Olin Sang Ruby Union Institute) in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. Some of our students attend other Jewish summer camps in the greater Midwest and many attend a variety of Jewish day camps in the local Chicago and Wisconsin area. We have brochures and applications for many of these camps. A limited amount of camp scholarships for a Jewish camping experience are available through our congregation. Contact the Religious School Office for more information. Each spring those students registered for summer camp receive a special blessing and gift at a Shabbat evening service. For more information about OSRUI, go to www.osrui.org.
SKIP (Send a Kid to Israel Partnership)
The Send-a-Kid-to-Israel Partnership (SKIP) savings incentive program was created to anticipate and save for our children's Jewish education. SKIP allows families, their congregations and JUF to become partners in planning for a young person's future Israel Experience.
Students in 3rd through 9th grade are eligible to enroll in SKIP. Each year that a student is eligible to participate, a total of $255 is added to his or her savings account. This money includes an annual contribution of $85 from JUF/JF and a contribution of $145 from the family and $25 from Congregation Solel.
Students enrolled in SKIP can use their SKIP funds toward any approved Israel Experience program of their choice any time between the end of 9th grade and age 26. A full refund of your family portion (contributions plus interest) is available at any time. Contact the office for more information.
NFTY in Israel Summer Program
Members of Congregation Solel Youth Program in 9th – 12th grade are eligible each summer to participate in a six-week educational tour to Israel sponsored by NFTY, the North American Federation of Temple Youth. The tour includes visits to Jerusalem and historical sites in Israel, camping in the Negev desert, the opportunity to live with an Israeli family for five days, climbing Masada and swimming in the Dead Sea. There is also a five-day elective program where the participants can choose to live on a kibbutz, to perform a social action project, to hike from the Sea of Galilee to the Mediterranean or to train with Israeli Soldiers. The trip is often a life-changing experience and memorable for everyone who participates. For more information go to www.nftyisrael.org.
EIE – NFTY High School In Israel
EIE (the Eisendrath International Exchange program)is the Reform Movement’s Semester in Israel program. Students participate in a four-month high school program based at the HUC campus in Jerusalem, which covers primary classes as well as courses in Jewish History and Hebrew. EIE does everything that the NFTY in Israel summer program does but those that attend can also receive high school credit for their time spent in Israel. Some of the highlights are the dorm experience in Jerusalem, staying with a host Israeli family and experiencing life on a kibbutz for an extended period of time. Typically, sophomores, juniors and seniors participate in this program. For more information go to www.nftyeie.org.
Youth Scholarship Funds
Congregation Solel provides scholarship assistance for any synagogue, community, regional and national youth program. We also provide assistance for Jewish summer camp activities and Israel trips through our Youth Scholarship Funds.
These funds are very important to our children’s Jewish development and commitment. Even a small monetary donation in support of these funds makes a tremendous impact on our youth. Both the youth and the membership of the synagogue appreciate any amount given to these funds. If you would like to make a donation to support our youth programs please call the synagogue programming office at 847.433.3417.