About Shorashim / Religious School

CBI’s Religious School, Shorashim (which means Roots in Hebrew)  provides a rich, vibrant learning environment for kindergarten through high school students, helping them nurture their Jewish identities, create a community of peers, and build the skills necessary to be engaged members of their community. Students are exposed to a wide range of subjects including holiday and observances, bible, prayer, current events, Israel, and the Hebrew language.

Because of the diversity of Jewish practice in our community, the Shorashim program strives to meet each individual child's needs while encouraging parents to participate and continuing their own Jewish growth and learning. By creating an environment of warmth, acceptance, and respect, we have seen how students come to love, appreciate, practice, and perpetuate their Jewish heritage and tradition.

From weekly family assemblies, grade level family programming, and grade level Friday night family Shabbatot, students and parents gather together for song, learning, and prayer, thus creating a strong sense of joyful community. 

Together, Shorashim Director Shelby Apple and Director of Education Jill Abbey-Clark bring decades of knowledge and experience in Jewish education to the Shorashim pogram and are always looking for new and innovative educational approaches. Our staff and teachers are typically a mix of trained educators, community members and dedicated UVA college students with a passion for teaching and deep knowledge of Jewish traditions and customs.

The Religious School also receives help from our madrichim, CBI high school students, who serve as teacher assistants in the classrooms. These students have gone through our program and now serve as role models for our younger students. 

 If you have questions about CBI’s Religious School or enrolling your child(ren), please contact Shorashim Director Shelby Apple.