Mission Statement

"The aim [of Jewish Education] is to develop a sincere faith in the holiness of life and a sense of responsibility…"
-Mordecai Kaplan

At the Malibu Jewish Center & Synagogue we believe in the dream of Rabbi Mordecai Kaplan - the dream of Judaism as a spiritual peoplehood. We seek to integrate the appreciation of Jewish culture with a moral and ethical approach to looking at life inspired by Tikkun Olam (repairing the world), Mitzvot (commandments), and Derech Eretz (the way of the land).  At MJC&S, we believe that home, school and Synagogue are equal partners in the task of instilling a sense of Jewish pride within each child.  We want our young people to feel comfortable in any synagogue. We want them to have the skills and knowledge to perform Mitzvot and Tikkun Olam, and to be guided throughout their lives by Jewish values learned from Torah and our evolving traditions.

Our Religious School serves families with students in Kindergarten through Grade Twelve. We aim is to give our young people the tools necessary to become active, comfortable members of the worldwide Jewish community. Our curriculum is based on Jewish values, Hebrew language, Prayer Hebrew, ritual observance, world history, comparative religion, God talk, and the creation of individual positive Jewish identities for each member of our community.

Focusing on Jewish Heritage

We prepare our students for a complete Bar/Bat Mitzvah. At completion of our program, each student will read Hebrew from the Torah scroll, lead all prayers, and be able to express their ties to Judaism. Our early curriculum emphasizes a love of Israel, Jewish history, Jewish literature, Holidays and the rituals of Life Cycle events. Above all, our students are made aware of the value of their Jewish heritage, to form a basis for their Judaism for the rest of their lives.

More than Classroom Learning

The MJC&S Religious School strongly supports alternative education, and recognizes the various types of learners in our community. Therefore, we take great efforts to move the learning experience out of the traditional classroom and into the community. Students in our school do art projects, sing, dance, cook, perform, and actively participate in their learning process.

Including the Whole Family

We at MJC&S recognize that it is not just the students who have come to us to learn and to study, but their parents as well. Therefore, we reach out to our young people, as well as to their families, to guide them through the lifelong learning that is so critical to the Jewish people. In order to enhance the educational experience for our families and their children, the Religious School provides family education, field trips, Shabbat experiences and adult education programs.

The MJC&S Religious School is accredited by the Bureau of Jewish Education and is affiliated with the Jewish Reconstructionist Federation of Schools Network.