Journey - Shma Koleinu

Home > Programs > Journey

Journey: the Jewish Discovery Project at Congregation Shma Koleinu is, even 10+ years later, a new “take” on Hebrew School.

Our most important goal is to help Jewish children and their families (Jewish, not Jewish, or secular), connect with Jewish life, Jewish values, and Jewish tradition. We strive for FUN and MEANING! Our 4K – 7^th graders gather on Sunday mornings throughout the year for engaging and meaningful Jewish learning through story, song, art, play, and sometimes even a little bit of performance!
Our teachers, called “Journey Guides,” are almost all volunteers. For 10+ years, their donation of time and talent would have cost CSK well over $700,000. But what is the true cost of educating the next generation with pride and knowledge and rootedness within Jewish tradition? Priceless.
Journey is Congregation Shma Koleinu’s religious education program for children. All are welcome, membership and dues are not required. While we welcome and encourage volunteer financial support of CSK, it is not required to enroll your children in Journey. We say and we mean, “Join us, you already belong.”
Rabbi Scott Hausman-Weiss, a veteran Rabbi and educator, has 30+ years of experience as a Rabbi, a teacher, and a community organizer. He is CSK’s chief rabbi, chief educator, and chief B’nai Mitzvah director, amidst quite a few other titles. Rabbi Scott envisions and creates the curricula, trains Journey Guides, teaches, mentors, and counsels when necessary.
As of May, 2025, CSK has celebrated 80 B’nai Mitzvah in more than 30 different locations. Rabbi Scott works very closely with every child and family as they prepare for their Bar/Bat Mitzvah celebration. (For more information about our B’nai Mitzvah program, please click HERE.)

Journey takes place on Sunday Mornings from 9:45 am – 12 pm at the ERJCC on the lower floor adjacent to the outdoor playground. We welcome all Jewish children and those being raised in Jewish homes from 4 years old through 7^th grade. We also strongly encourage and welcome 8^th graders and older to volunteer as Madrichim, for which we provide volunteer hours (as many as 78 over the course of a year!) Our curriculum is built upon Torah stories, lessons, and meaning, Jewish values, and Hebrew.

The 2025-26 Journey year will begin on Sunday, August 24.

A Basic Journey Morning Looks Something Like This:

9:45 am Arrive for a small nosh

10:00 am Kehillah for our Yeladim (4K – 1^st), Giborim (2^nd – 3^rd), and Mechinah (4^th – 5^th). (Kehillah = songs, prayers, and stories that teach and assimilate our children into Jewish spirituality and observance).

10:00 am B’nai Mitzvah (6^th – 7^th) work with our instructor in developing Hebrew prayer fluency in preparation for their upcoming B'nai Mitzvah celebrations.

10:30 am For Yeladim, Giborim, and Mechinah: Round robin of “Tarbut” (Jewish Culture), “Ivrit” (Hebrew language), and a little bit of “Hafsakah” (recess on the playground).

11:00 am For B’nai Mitzvah, a short break and then Tarbut (Jewish Culture).

For more information, please do not hesitate to contact Rabbi Scott.

Journey 2025-26 Registration is now open!

Journey Pre-K – 1^st grades - $450
Journey 2^nd – 3^rd grades - $450
Journey 4^th – 5^th grades - $750
Journey 6^th – 7^th grades - $750
Journey 7th grade B’nai Mitzvah Support Fee - $650 (7th grade students who will be having their Bar/Bat Mitzvah during the 2025 -2026 school year)

As a reminder, full payment isn’t required to sign up.

Parent/Guardian Information

* Parent #1 First Name:

* Parent #1 Last Name:

Parent #2 First Name:

Parent #2 Last Name:

We will communicate by both email and text.

* Phone Number Parent #1:

Phone Number Parent #2

* Email Address Parent #1

Email Address for Parent #2

* Address

Address Line 2

City

* State

* Zip

Child Information

* Child's First Name:

* Child's Last Name:

Child's Hebrew Name:

* Child's grade during the 2025-2026 school year:

* Child's Birthdate

* Child's Gender

I give CSK permission to use my child's/children's picture in publications such as the CSK Website, Facebook, the Jewish Herald Voice, etc.

YesNo

Tuition

* Please select tuition amount from options below:

B'nai Mitzvah Support for 7th Grade Students ONLY who will be having their Bar/Bat Mitzvah during the 2025 - 2026 school year. Please select the box below.

B'nai Mitzvah Support Fee - $650.00

PLEASE NOTE: When you submit this form, you will be prompted to make an immediate payment via a credit/debit card OR have your child's tuition billed to your account.

If you are signed into your account, you can set up a payment plan by choosing the option above and click on how often you would like to be billed.

If you are not signed into your account, and you choose the "bill my account" option, please submit and then click on "my account" at the top of your screen. You will be prompted to set up a payment plan on a schedule that works for you starting between now and five days from now. If you need longer than five days to make your first payment, please simply revisit the "my account" section when you are ready to set up your payment plan. If you want to pay by check, select Bill my Account" and submit your check to Shma Koleinu PO Box 1808 Bellaire, TX 77402.

* Please select how you would like to pay:

I am interested in learning more about financial-need scholarships for Journey.

We Need You!

We are always looking for volunteers to help lead, facilitate and participate Journey program events.

Do you like to work with kids? Can you read Hebrew (sound out consonants and vowels)? How about working with teenagers? Are you artistic? Do you like gardening? Can you sing or play guitar? Can you cook/bake?

If you have any of these (or other!) talents, please let us know in the space below.

Note: All adult teachers (volunteer and paid) will be required to undergo a background check.

Tell us a little about yourself. How would you like to be involved in the Journey Program? (optional)

Thank you for enrolling your child in Journey, the Jewish Discovery Project at Shma Koleinu!

To enroll an additional child, please complete a separate registration form.

- The Shma Koleinu Journey Team