The Shir Ami Religious School of Temple Judea recently announced it has received accreditation from the National Association of Temple Educators (NATE), a professional association of Reform Jewish Educators.
This is the only congregation in Miami-Dade County with current NATE (www.natenet.org) accreditation and there are only three other congregations in Florida with current accreditation.
“Education, Jewish learning and teamwork are the main focus of staff and clergy,” said Beth Ellen Young, director of education. “This accreditation is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our qualified staff and their love for the children.” Currently, 250 children, ages 5 years to 18, are enrolled in the Shir Ami Religious School of Temple Judea.
The NATE accreditation process is designed to help an institution reflect upon its mission as it relates to its educational goals and processes, to foster a process-review, and to help an institution validate its educational program, whose central purpose should be Jewish learning.
The accreditation process takes place during an 18-month period where the school completes an administrative checklist, assembles a portfolio, and hosts a site visit. An institution accredited by the NATE places Jewish learning as the central goal of the entire community, sees itself in partnership with the home and the general community, and, in its practices, reflects the spirit of Reform Judaism.
Now celebrating 61 years of Jewish Learning and Living in Coral Gables, Temple Judea is one of the largest Reform synagogues in Miami with more than 620 members. Led by Rabbi Edwin Goldberg and Rabbi Judith Siegal, Temple Judea’s mission is to enrich ever-more complicated lives with the ever-new insights of ancient heritage.
For more information, visit online at www.JudeaGables.org.
