Belle Mead, NJ -- On Saturday, October 10, Congregation Kehilat Shalom invites the community to join it in celebrating Simchat Torah, meaning "Rejoicing with the Torah". This celebration marks the conclusion of the annual cycle of public Torah readings and the beginning of a new cycle. The celebration will begin 7:00 pm, with Simchat Torah services featuring a live Klezmer band. The service will be followed by an Oneg. Come for fun, dancing, food and to celebrate this wonderful holiday. For more information call 908-359-0420.

Congregation Kehilat Shalom (CKS), located at 253 Belle Mead-Griggstown Road in Belle Mead, is a Reconstructionist synagogue. CKS is a warm and welcoming community dedicated to serving the spiritual, educational, cultural and social needs of a diverse congregation. We maintain a unique, vibrant and visible Jewish presence in the greater Montgomery-Hillsborough-Princeton area. For more information, visit www.ksnj.org.

---Plans To Build Upon Strong Foundation

Belle Mead, NJ

Congregation Kehilat Shalom (CKS) has named Shari Rothstein as the new Hebrew School principal. Rothstein is a familiar face for many students since she has taught third and fourth grade at CKS for the past year.

Originally from Huntington, N.Y., Rothstein has taught religious school for almost 20 years. She has primarily focused on third grade and is versed in and qualified to teach music, tefillah, holidays and Torah.

The Hebrew school program at CKS focuses on helping children to love being Jewish. In the past few years, cooking, crafts and Israeli dancing have been incorporated into the traditional Hebrew School lesson plans. Rothstein plans to continue with ongoing improvements to the curriculum by integrating a special educational program for Sukkot and strengthening the seventh grade program – a crucial year in Hebrew education.

“After many years of teaching experience, I am extremely excited about this new challenge. I hope to instill my love of Judaism and Jewish education to all the students of CKS. I’m looking forward to partnering with the teachers, parents and staff of CKS to ensure excellence in all aspects of the Hebrew school,” Rothstein said.

Rothstein is a member of NCJW and is on the board of Jewish Federation of Middlesex County. She is vice president of the Anshe Emeth Community Development Corporation, where she spends many volunteer hours collecting and delivering baby equipment to young struggling families of Middlesex County. Shari lives in Kendall Park with her husband Marc and 10th grade twins, Adam & Emily, and is an active member of Anshe Emeth Memorial Temple in New Brunswick.

Congregation Kehilat Shalom school meets on Sundays from 9 am to 12 pm. CKS offers a family-friendly service at 7 pm on the first Friday of the month. Registration is now being accepted for the 2009/2010 academic year. To take a tour of Kehilat Shalom Hebrew School, email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call 908-359-0420.