About the Louis B. Silver Religious School

The Louis B. Silver Religious School’s Mission Statement is: We envision a school which develops in its students a life-long commitment to Judaism.

With this in mind, our school’s objectives are to provide opportunities for children to develop spiritual and ethical sensitivity; learn the skills to practice mitzvot; explore the teachings of Judaism; learn what is means to belong to a community; to do so in a safe, nurturing, stimulating environment under the caring umbrella of PJTC, a Conservative Synagogue which has been a positive force in the local community for nearly eighty years.

Accredited by the Bureau of Jewish Education and endorsed by the Conservative Movement, our school enjoys a reputation of excellence, and is considered a model for other religious schools. Our school’s well-earned reputation is attributed to several key factors: the caliber of our teachers; our solid, well-developed curriculum; and our association with the Bureau, the University of Judaism and United Synagogue. In addition, PJTC’s very supportive synagogue leadership places a high priority on the education of our children.

The faculty and staff of the Religious School are composed of twenty-six people, including a music specialist, a t’fillah specialist, a group of teenage teaching assistants and Hebrew tutors. The school Principal holds a graduate degree from the University of Judaism, is a full-time employee, and has been at this post for fifteen years.

The Louis B. Silver School’s programs creatively address the needs of a diverse congregation. We are proud to offer a six-hour, three-day per week Religious School Program for students in grades Aleph through Hei (3rd through 7th grades); a Sunday only program for primary grades including Nursery, Kindergarten, Gesher, Mehinah and Tihon (which is our High School Program). We also feature a monthly seminar for 11th & 12th grade students, a monthly “Tot” Shabbat evening program for young children, and a monthly Junior Congregation. Family Education programs include holiday and Shabbat themes, a Mitzvah Fair, class Shabbat dinners and a family retreat. We have an innovative program for the families of our B’nai Mitzvah class.

The religious school works closely with PJTC leadership in carrying out our primary role of Avodat Kodesh, the holy work of educating our children. We take our responsibility very seriously so that our love of teaching Judaism is reflected in the eyes of your children.

About Education Director Debby Singer

Debby Singer has served as the Education Director of the synagogue for more than twenty years. At a very young age she began her Jewish education in a Labor Zionist Folk Shule run by the parents of Superintendent Zev Yaroslavsky. Her Hebrew School experience began at the Alhambra Synagogue Center where she was one of the first girls to become Bat Mitzvah. She continued on to graduate from Los Angeles Hebrew High School and received a Masters Degree from the University of Judaism.

Her vision for the Louis B. Silver Religious School — which focuses on Torah, Avodah and G’milut Hasadim — was strongly influenced by several trips to Israel and a most memorable one where she traveled with a group of educators to meet Mitzvah Heroes…those ordinary people doing extraordinary things to make the lives of those in need richer and fuller. This experience translated into a Religious School curriculum that is replete with opportunities for the students to be mitzvah heroes themselves.

Debby and her husband Jack have been members of PJTC for over thirty years.