United Synagogue Adopts Bold Educational Standards

-- Conservative Synagogue Schools to Include K-2 --

-- All Students Required to Attend Sabbath Services --

NEW YORK, JUNE 4, 2001 - The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism is substantially enhancing its educational standards to increase required attendance of young people in its synagogue schools and at religious services.

In a move to bring Conservative synagogue schools into the 21st century, The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism adopted for the first time in more than four decades new educational standards.

The new "Framework for Excellence" will expand the reach of Jewish education to tens of thousands of kindergarten and high school students while offering member congregations the ability to choose among three- and two-day models for the elementary years.

In a unanimous vote at this weekend's USCJ National Board meeting in New York, the Conservative Movement expanded its educational standards for its 760 member congregations from grades 3 to 7 to include all grades from kindergarten through high school.

Congregations can choose from six models that will expand formal Jewish education to all age students. Several of the educational models call for students in grades 3-7 to attend school twice a week for a total of five or more hours. But now students in Grades K-2 will also be required to attend school, although only for two or three hours a week, and high school students will be aggressively courted for weekly study.

The United Synagogue will for the first time require its synagogue schools to require regular attendance at Shabbat services.

"These innovative and bold new standards will establish a pattern of learning from early childhood education programs, through kindergarten, into elementary and middle school, and through high school," said Stephen Wolnek, president of The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism.

According to Rabbi Jerome Epstein, USCJ Executive Vice-President, "The Framework for Excellence will give our member congregations the flexibility they need to choose the best model of Jewish education for their own community."

In addition to changing the structure of the school day, the new standards set benchmarks for family education, encourage active rabbinic and cantorial participation, and require ongoing professional development for teachers and principals.

All students will also be encouraged to join the Conservative youth movements, attend Camp Ramah, and visit Israel. The Framework for Excellence -- which includes a Statement of Aims for Conservative Jewish education -- was developed over two years by a Blue Ribbon Task Force comprised of lay and professional leaders chaired by Temma Kingsley, with input from congregations, educators, rabbis, teachers and students.

"As part of the USCJfs commitment to excellence in education, we are proud to announce the addition of Wendy Light to our staff as the project director for The Framework for Excellence," said Rabbi Dr. Robert Abramson, director of the USCJ Commission on Jewish Education.

Light, who has more than a decade of experience as an educational director of Conservative Jewish synagogues, will visit with congregations to assist them in making the transition to the new standards.

• Read the full report of the Blue Ribbon Task Force on Educational Standards