At the Jewish Center for Arts and Learning (JCAL), we believe in learning that engages each child's whole person, body, heart & soul.

Judaism teaches that one should learn Torah in order to live it out, and that one should do mitzvot in order to understand them. In other words, we have two opposing pedagogies: learn in order to do, and do in order to learn. At JCAL we do both.

JCAL Registration is OPEN for the 2025-2026 School Year!

To enroll in JCAL, you must be a member in good standing of Temple Bat Yahm. Please reach out to Sue Penn, our Executive Director, for financial support. You must be logged into your TBY Member Account to complete your registration. You only need to login once.

Click on each program below to find out more about each grade’s experience.

JCAL Tuition
Tuition includes snack

TK - 2nd Grades: $775

3rd - 6th Grades: $1150

B'nai Mitzvah Discovery Class (includes Hebrew prayer practice and Clergy Rotations): $1150

Extended Care, TK - 2nd Grades (11:15 - 12:30): $350

(Virtual) Independent Study, 3rd - 6th Grades (one-on-one tutoring): $2700

JCAL Calendar

First Day of 2025-2026 school year is Sunday, September 7, 2025
Last Day of 2025-2026 school year is Sunday, May 3, 2026

JCAL Schedule

JCAL every Sunday:

9:00 am – 11:15 pm for grades TK-2
Optional Extended Day for TK-2, 11:15 am - 12:30 pm
9:00 – 12:30 for grades 3rd – 6th & B'nai Mitzvah Discovery Class

Family Education Days

Every grade in JCAL has a Family Education Day, during which parents, guardians, and adult family members (and like-family adults, too!) are invited to join their child in a day of learning related to that grade's curriculum. Each Grade's Family Education Day (with some rare exceptions) includes

Adult-only learning and bonding time with a Rabbi

Learning and a hands-on activity with your child

```
Breakfast 
```

For your child's Family Education Day, see the JCAL Calendar, linked above.

The B'nai Mitzvah Discovery Class' Family Education Day is the B'nai Mitzvah Shabbaton, Friday, November 1 & Saturday, September 2.

Thanks to our generous underwriters, the Dellar family, who make this program possible!

Chag Bag - Family @ Home Program, grades TK - 2nd

Our Chag Bag Program began during COVID, and has been so successful, we continue it each year for grades TK - 2nd Grade! Once every several months, students in those grades bring home a bag with

A learning packet with background on the holidays and Family Conversation Prompts
Supplies for hands-on activities related to the holiday for children and adults

The Chag Bag is designed to enable your family to go on a learning journey together on the holiday, including exploring what teachings or traditions you might like to adopt or adapt. The Background information is geared to grown-ups, and the activities are for the whole family!

The Chag Bag program is open to ALL Temple Bat Yahm members, regardless of JCAL enrollment. Please reach out to Rabbi Miriam if you would like to enroll your family in the Chag Bag program only (all JCAL families with children TK - 2nd automatically participate).

In Jewish year 5786 (School Year 2025-2026) the Chag Bags are

High Holy Days (Distribution September 14)
Chanukah (Distribution 12/7/2025)
Purim (Distribution 2/22/2026)
Israel's Holidays (Distribution 4/19/2026)

Religious School - JCAL