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Philosophy, Rabbi Jocee Hudson

Parents often ask me to share my Philosophy of Jewish Education with them.  I welcome these conversations and enjoy them best when discussed over a cup of tea face-to-face in my office.  I believe questions like these are important, not only because they give me a chance to share some of my fundamental beliefs with you, but also because they give us a chance to engage in a dialogue about essential values together.

For me, all of Jewish education rests on a single value—the value of Relationship.  I believe that our learning environments must, at all times, help learners (of all ages!) to foster relationships with themselves, their learning community, the Jewish people, the divine, all of humanity, and of course, with our sacred texts and traditions.  Yes, learning is about connecting—connecting deeper with ourselves, with one other, and with our tradition.

At TBS, we are blessed to be a congregation built around warm connections.  I love that students and parents often stop by my office to say hello.  I delight in watching our students play basketball or hang out in the rotunda, just as I delight in watching them learn Hebrew and Jewish Studies.  At TBS, we are blessed to have Religious School teachers who are deeply caring individuals, who take Jewish learning just as seriously as they take a fun classroom environment.  Our Temple campus provides us with the quintessential Southern California learning environment, with plenty of space for conversations on the grass, fun activities in our outdoor rotunda, and quiet places for classroom conversations in nature.  At TBS, it is easy to build relationships and make connections because this is what our synagogue and school are all about.

As a parent, you can expect that learning at TBS will always be infused with the value of Relationship and that I will continue to share my philosophies of education with you.  More importantly, though, I would like to issue you an open invitation to make an appointment to stop by my office.  I would love the chance to serve you tea (or just cookies, as the case may be) and get to know you and your family better.  Early on I was taught that relationships are strengthened when people sit down together and share their lives.  I look forward to having the opportunity to learn more about you.

Do you take milk, sugar, or both?

L’Shalom,

Rabbi Jocee Hudson

At Temple Beth Sholom we hold the following goals of Jewish Education at our core: