Temple, St. Paul. As part of the program of the Northwest religious district, a unit of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations, Dr. Margolis has put into action several resolutions adopted at various neighborhood meetings in North Dakota, Wis##sin and Michigan.
In general, Rabbi Margolis has followed the curriculum of the Mt. Zion religious school which he directs. His procedure calls for the parents and the child coming to St. Paul for a personal interview at which time the rabbi ascertains what the child already knows, if anything, about Jewish history, ceremonials, etc. With this knowledge, the rabbi is able to choose a course of study most conducive to the child’s progress. A textbook is then prescribed and an outline based on the subject matter of the book is given to the child.
CHILDREN ARE GRADED
After the completion of the outlined course of study, the child takes an examination with questions prepared by the rabbi. The examination, or study-questionnaire, is then returned to the rabbi, who grades it and makes corrections and suggestions for improvement. He then writes to both parent and child concerning the work already done and suggests another personal interview at which additional work may be outlined.
The plans call for personal conferences with the rabbi, or a member of his teaching staff, at least four times a month. This provides a check on the aptitude of the student and allows for adaptation of the curriculum to the personal needs of the child. The plan also includes having the child come to St. Paul from time to time during the year when special functions are being held in the school, such as in connection with Chanukah, Purim and Passover.
TRIP IS REWARD
Several of the students taking the course attended the recent Chanukah program of Mt. Zion Sunday school. Aside from the element of reward attached to a trip to the Big City, the exercises were a complete revelation to the children from the outlying districts as it was the first time any of them had seen a Chanukah play or had witnessed a Chanukah service.
Rabbi Margolis has thus far concerned himself with two courses, namely, in Jewish history and in Jewish ceremonials. He keeps a record of the work completed by the students making them eligible to receive a certificate from the school. The children also become eligible for confirmation in the Temple at the proper time.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
