Education
Reading Hebrew Congregation
Reading Synagogue
7, Goldsmid Road, Reading
Berkshire, RG1 7YB, United Kingdom
+44 (0)118 957 3954
Reading
Hebrew
Congregation
Education
We in Reading have taken
education seriously over the
years, both in terms of
education for our children
and adults both within the community
and on a wider scale to the whole of
Berkshire .
Within the community we have
members who are able to educate
member’s children from the
Kindergarten stage all the way up to Bar
Mitzvah and Bat Chayil standard and
beyond up to GCSE standard.
Currently we are running a series of
Children’s Workshops based on Jewish
themes, festivals, etc. on a regular basis
and can, by arrangement, provide
tuition for children approaching Bar
Mitzvah and Bat Chayil.
Adults, however, are not forgotten with
various members of the community
taking it upon themselves to provide on-
going programme of adult education.
Everybody is encouraged to take an
active part!
Welcome Days
Please note that our current
Welcome Day offering is
under review. Please contact
us for further details.
We hold three Welcome Days each
school term. At the start of the school
year we circulate details to in excess of
100 schools and Local Authorities with
the programme.
School parties are welcomed in groups
of up to a maximum of 60 pupils per
time slot and go firstly into our beautiful
Synagogue. The features of the building
are explained and they are told how Jews
pray. The high point is when the Holy Ark
is opened to oohs and ahs of wonder! A
Sefer Torah is taken out, its importance
and holiness is explained, it is carried to
the Bimah and back.
After about 30 minutes our visitors are
divided into small groups. Each group is
escorted by their respective speaker into
our hall where we have set up a Sabbath
Table, a Passover Seder Table, a Succah,
a table for Chanukah, a table with the
outward signs of Judaism, and a table for
the Cycle of Jewish Life.
The guide spends about 9 minutes at
each table talking about its meaning,
and they move from table to table,
concluding their visit with a taste of
traditional Jewish foods: Challah
(Shabbat), Matzah (Pesach), Apple and
Honey cake (Rosh Hashanah), Latkas
(Chanukah) and a glass of orange
squash.
There is time for the pupils to visit the
Judaica shop, and purchase their
momentos.
When the pupils depart they will have a
better understanding of the Living
Tradition of Judaism, and had an
opportunity to meet warm and friendly
Jewish people.
Academic Year 2019/20
Event Summary
What you need to know
Conditions of Booking
School Visits
A small team of us visit
primary and secondary
schools at their request to
lead assemblies or run
lessons about aspects of Judaism. We
tailor make the lesson to the
requirements of the school and talk
about festivals or aspects of Judaism
as required by the school curriculum.
We ask for a small donation and the
travelling expenses of the speaker.
Schools who would like a visit should
contact the synagogue secretary who
will help to match them with the
appropriate speaker.