People
Lingo
Policies
As a Teacher
Get to know Temple Shalom
100
Who is Temple Shalom's senior rabbi and what is her favorite outdoor activity?
Rabbi Rachel Ackerman & Running
100
What is the Snack Cart?
A magical cart with snacks. Available during Religious and Hebrew School, students in 3rd grade and up get a chance to purchase snacks each week for 50 cents each. This is a fundraiser for the school.
100
What is Temple Shalom Religious School's new Nut Policy?
No nuts. Please let your families know that they cannot send any nut products this year.
100
How do you get materials printed and/or copied?
By the Monday before class, email School@TempleShalom.net and CC RabbiJosh@TempleShalom.net for all print/copy jobs.
100
Where does Temple Shalom order pizza from? Bonus points if you can name which town the restaurant is on
Mama Lucia's of Silver Spring
200
Who is the Rabbi Educator of Temple Shalom and what is his 18-year-old pet parrot's name?
Rabbi Josh Gischner, Charlie
200
What do we call Shabbat services on the first Friday of every month, and who leads them with Rabbi Rachel, Cantor Ze'evi, and Rabbi Josh?
First Friday Services, and each grade gets to lead with the clergy! Once per month starting in November.
200
What is Temple Shalom's Kosher policy?
We are Kosher style. We will not intentionally serve meat and dairy in the same meal. The school almost always serves vegetarian food for events.
200
What happens when you need a supply?
If it is something you know that we have in the COD (see your "Conditions of Employment"), let School@TempleShalom.net know by the Monday prior. if it is something we do not have, request a purchase to RabbiJosh@TempleShalom.net at least one month prior.
200
What is Temple Shalom's *renamed* Instagram handle?
@TempleShalomMoCo
300
Who is Temple Shalom's Youth Group director and where did she grow up?
Xani Pollakoff, Chicago
300
What is Consecration?
A special ritual/ceremony where we formally welcome all new students to the Religious School. This ritual is for all new students in Kindergarten and above, and will happen during Hanukkah this year.
300
What is Temple Shalom's Technology Policy?
TL;DR: Students should not have their cellphones or other technologies out while in school unless their teacher or the clergy explicitly say that they can for the lesson. Smart Watches can stay on wrists as long as they are used as a watch. If this is broken, the formal policy details steps the faculty and administration can take.
300
Rabbi Josh will plan to send out his teacher email by Tuesdays this school year. What important information is included in this email?
-Upcoming Schedule
-Upcoming Events
-Changes to the Schedule
-Important things you need to know
-Emojis and contests occasionally
300
Temple Shalom's ELC has two pets. What kinds of animals are they?
Gerbil and Gecko
400
Who is Temple Shalom's new cantor and what two kinds of pets do they have at home?
Cantor Ze'evi Tovlev, cats
400
What is Confirmation and what is special about Confirmation at Temple Shalom?
Confirmation is a ceremony where 10th graders get to confirm their commitment to their Judaism. At Temple Shalom, we have a special ritual created by our Emeritus Rabbi Bruce E Kahn in which students stand in front of the open ark with Rabbi Ackerman in a dark sanctuary with only the light of the ark remaining to ritualize their commitment to their Jewish education.
400
Do we ever have to share space in the Religious School?
Yes! This is a small building and every teacher will be sharing a classroom with another class (or two, or three) that happens at a different time. This is especially important for teachers teaching in ELC classrooms (Grades 2 and under). We have a shared space agreement that you will have access to.
400
How does snack work for Kids' Time, PreK--2nd Grade; and for 3rd-12th grade?
Kids' Time, PreK, K, 1st, and 2nd Grade teams will instruct their families to bring snacks with them. (No nuts!)
3rd-12th Grade teams will encourage their students to either bring 50 cents to purchase snack(s) from the Snack Cart, or to bring their own snack. (No nuts!)
400
How many clergy people are affiliated with Temple Shalom as members, staff, or married to staff? (And bonus points if you can name everyone)
9!
Rabbi Rachel Ackerman - Senior Rabbi
Cantor Ze'evi Tovlev - Cantor
Rabbi Josh Gischner - Rabbi Educator
Rabbi Bruce E. Kahn - Rabbi Emeritus
Rabbi JoHanna Potts - Adjunct Rabbi
Rabbi Jake Singer-Beilin - Music Teacher, 7th Grade Teacher, Hebrew Teacher
Rabbi Ariel Ezekiel Tovlev - 4th Grade Teacher
Rabbi Sarah Bassin - Congregant, Director of Clergy and Congregations for HIAS
Rev Caitlin Coillberg - Congregant, Assistant Minister of Spiritual Growth at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Silver Spring
500
Who is our new Jewish Family Educator this year AND in charge of the Community Kickoff?
Hint: they are an expert in accessibility and inclusion!
Katie Heinzer!
500
What is Kehillah Time?
Kehillah Time is a special Sunday morning program in which the clergy and senior Jewish educators will sing, teach the Hebrew Letter and Word of the Week, and have some fun surprises from 9:00-9:15 each morning.
500
Which of the following values does Temple Shalom's Religious School NOT stand on?
- Inclusion & Accessibility
- Talmud Torah
- Good Customer Service
- Commitment to Tikkun Olam
Trick Question! We stand on all four of these values!
- Inclusion & Accessibility
- Talmud Torah
- Good Customer Service
- Commitment to Tikkun Olam
500
Every week, Sunday teachers and Hebrew School teachers must send their classes a weekly email to let families know the wonderful things that you are up to in class. Where can you find the email format to use to help guide the writing of this email?
The Faculty Teaching Staff Conditions of Employment document that was emailed to you with your Term Sheet.
500
What is the name of the new philosophy that the Hebrew School is following to make our Hebrew instruction more accessible, meaningful, and fun?
#OnwardHebrew
Which includes: Hebrew Through Movement, Orton Gillingham Hebrew letter learning techniques, gamified curriculum, waiting for students to decode until they are ready, more intentional T'filah, Hebrew Word/Letter of the Week
600
As a teacher, what happens if you have to call out of work?
Every teacher is responsible for connecting with a sub on the 5784 Sub Google Sheet.
600
What two things does the acronym "COD" stand for? And where is it located?
"Closet of Doom" - when it looks sad and unkempt
"Closet of Delight" - when it is cleaned.
The COD is located next to Room 5 on the ELC Wing. We will go into the COD as teaching teams later to create supply baskets for your classroom.
600
If you would like to purchase food for your class, how should you go about that?
1) Check your student allergy list.
2) Check in with Rabbi Josh to confirm that this is okay. Let him know the price.
3) If approved, you purchase the items and bring Rabbi Josh and the admin assistant the receipt!
4) Your students are happy, and we reimburse you in your paycheck.
600
When do you need to arrive at Temple when you are teaching, and what should you do if you're running late?
15-minutes before; and you should text Rabbi Josh.
600
What are some of the Hallmarks of the Religious School curriculum that make the holy work that we do here extra special?
Secret Saturday Evening Program of the 7th Grade Retreat
Confirmation Ritual
Jewish Family Education Program - Zoo Trip, Holocaust Museum Trip, Ratner Museum Trip, K'nesset Building Activity, Cemetery Trip, etc.
Lots of Out-of-the-Box Lessons
Commitment to Continue Jewish Education through Confirmation in 10th Grade
6th Grade Ellis Island Activity
The Bar/Bat/Simchat Mitzvah Wimple
700
What happens at 10:30 on Sunday mornings, once a month during morning Religious School?
Ozrim Meeting with Xani
700
When we at Temple say "Ozrimot" or "Ozrim" or "Ozrotim," what do we mean? Who do we mean?
Feminine: Ozeret
Nonbinary Hebrew: Ozereh
Masculine: Ozer
Multiple: Ozrim, Ozrot, Ozrimot, Ozrotim
Our amazing teen helpers on Sunday mornings! (This literally means "helper" in Hebrew)
Feminine: Ozeret
Nonbinary Hebrew: Ozereh
Masculine: Ozer
Multiple: Ozrim, Ozrot, Ozrimot, Ozrotim
700
How often will teachers be paid this year?
Twice a month. Usually on the 15th and 30th
700
Can every teacher schedule appointments with our librarian Vivian for your students to go to the library to check out books?
Nope! Vivian will be here during our highest library volume times: Sunday mornings, and Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons. Please email her to schedule meeting times for your students to visit the library.
And always remind your families to return books in your family email!
700
What classroom number is missing along the school hallway?
Classroom 7.
Fun fact, we recently learned that the library is classroom 7!
800
Who is the retreat coordinator of Temple Shalom who will be a part of planning every Shabbaton, retreat, the NY Trip, and creating the secret Saturday evening program of the 7th grade retreat?
Matthew Green
800
What are chugim? What grades have chugim?
Electives! Grades 3-5 and Grades 8-9
800
How much PTO do teachers get?
The hours equivalent to how much they work each week.
For example, a teacher who works on Sunday morning gets 2.5 hours of PTO during the year in which we will not deduct from your paycheck.
800
Can I come to Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur at Temple Shalom?
Absolutely! Rosh Hashanah Day 1 and Yom Kippur morning services are ticketed. Just email Rabbi Josh and he can make sure you have a ticket. All of our other holiday and Shabbat services are free and open to the public. You are welcome at all Temple Shalom programming!
800
Temple Shalom is very close to two other local Reform Synagogues. We lead festival services with them, and often collaborate. What two synagogues are they?
Temple Emanuel of Kensington
Temple Sinai of DC