Shabbat School
Children are a blessing from the L-rd. We are to "bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the L-rd." What does that mean in a Messianic Jewish context? Deut 6:5-9 says:

And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.

This means that it is our responsibility as parents to teach our children about the L-rd G-d and His messiah Yeshua by modeling, word and deed. The Bible teaches us that the parents bear the basic responsibility for guiding their children in developing a set of values and in choosing right from wrong in every area of life (Donin, p 60). While the teaching of children is the responsibility of parents it is also the covenantal responsibility of the congregation. At Beth Am Messiah, we see the Shabbat School as an adjunct and help to parents as their children grow into adulthood. Understanding bot the authority of parents and the role of the shabbat school, we want to give some guidelines to the parents concerning Shabbat School. Shbbat School is intended to be a time of learning about our L-rd. This means if there are conditions that hurt your child's learning or the learning of other children, we need to address them. If you have concerns, please see the Shabbat School head.

1. If your child is ill, please care for him or her at home. The L-rd does not condemn us if we are unable to come to worship because we are caring for our children. Covenantal congregational relationships are strained when illnesses are shared.
   
   
2. If your child is given a memory verse to learn or other "homework", please encourage and help him or her with it.
   
   
3. Shabbat School workers have been given instruction about disciplining children. We see discipline and authority over children as the work of their parents. We expect children to follow instructions, but understand childishness. However, when willful disobedience occurs, Shabbat School workers are to follow the following guidelines:
   
   
   1. If there is a minor disruption the worker is instructed to give the child a warning.
      
      
   2. If the child willfully continues to disrupt the class, the worker is again instructed to give the child a warning and speak to a parent, preferably the father of the child, after services.
      
      
   3. in the unlikely event that a child continues a behavior three times, that child will be sent up to the parent in the service or someone will ask the parent to take the child upstairs.

When a worker needs to go to the parents, the Shabbat School head needs to be informed.

Donin, Rabbi Haley. To Raise a jewish Child NY: Basic books, 1977