In-House Tutoring and D’var Torah Writing

In-House Tutoring

Tutoring is part of our program and is included in your b’nai mitzvah fee. Tutoring will begin 6 to 8 months prior to morning service and follow a three-step structure: prayers and blessings with for 2 to 4 months; Torah and Haftarah verses for 2 to 3 months; review sessions with Cantor Elana in the last month. When making your plans for the school year, please keep in mind that tutorials with temple tutors and the cantor meet once a week for 30 minutes. Your child will receive a study binder at the first meeting. Parents will receive a link to download audio recording of prayers and blessings, and Torah and Haftarah verses prepared by Cantor Elana in advance of the tutorial session. Please work with your child to upload the recording to his/her favorite electronic devices and encourage your child to listen to the recording often (during down time, on car trip, between activities, etc.). Tutorial meetings are intended for instruction and covering new material. It is expected that tutorials will be supplemented with daily home study of 30 minutes or longer. It is important that parents help supervise their child’s daily review to reinforce learning. Last-minute review in the car on the way to a tutorial does not count. Plan to arrive on time for your appointment. We understand that your child may have other activities in the same afternoon. Please organize the activities in ways that allow for traffic and a comfortable transition (10 or 15 minutes) for the student.

If you need to cancel a tutorial meeting, please contact Anita Siu at least 24 hours in advance. We will handle missed appointments without notice (no show) by billing you for the tutor’s time. If you happen to have a last-minute emergency, please call the front office or the tutor. You will receive our tutors’ phone numbers when weekly tutorial begins.

D’var Torah

Students will write a d’var Torah (a summary and interpretation) of their assigned Torah portions. Through the process of studying the Torah portions and delivering their d’var Torah, students become teachers and find ways to relate their Torah portions to their own lives. To properly prepare for this task, each student and their parents will be required to attend two group sessions with one of our rabbis and at least one private meeting with the lead rabbi thereafter. The rabbis are committed to spending as much time as needed with each family. In this way, each student and family will work closely and develop a connection with their lead rabbi. Before your child’s first group session, it is expected that he/she reads through:

1. the entire Torah portion in English found in the Torah Commentary your child has received at the 6th grade Shabbat orientation;

2. Rabbi Harvey Fields’ commentary provided in your student’s study binder.

While at least one parent should join their child for each group session, it is strongly recommended that both parents attend when possible.

Scheduling Meetings

To ensure that each student receives sufficient time with the rabbis, cantor, and tutors, temple staff will contact you in advance to set up these meetings.

Clergy assistant Adrienne Pryor will contact you for family meetings, d’var Torah individual follow-up meetings, and rehearsals with the rabbis. Anita Siu will contact you to set up tutorial with the cantor and temple tutors, as well as d’var Torah group meeting with the rabbi. If you wish to find out your child’s tutorial timeline in advance, please contact Anita Siu.

Please mark the meeting dates and times on your calendar as it is the responsibility of the family to keep these appointments. You may be notified of changes due to the clergy’s overall schedule and vacations. If you need to cancel an appointment, please call the temple office at 650.341.7701 at least 24 hours in advance.