An Open Letter From Cantor Meyersberg

Approximately seven months prior to the Bar or Bat Mitzvah date (one month earlier for Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation), I will call you to schedule a month of weekly tutoring time, one half hour per week.  If you have a preferred day and time, I note it, and do my best to  place you at that time.  It is important that you return my call as soon as possible, so I may schedule all students for the month and distribute the calendar in a timely fashion.

Calendars are now sent via email to the address you have provided the BJE.  It is very helpful to make a hard copy of the calendar to verify that our times are in agreement.  The calendar is set up in landscape style.  The tutoring time should be in the leftmost column of each page.  If your child comes at an unusual time, that time will be listed within a bolded box.  Tutoring is ½ hour and the calendar shows the beginning and ending time on a single line, for example: 5:30 – 6:00. It is very important that you verify our record of your child’s tutoring times against your calendar to ensure that your child is able to utilize the scheduled dates. The tutoring calendar is provided to you so that, should you need to change tutoring times, you may see where time may be available, or you may call other families to see about switching times.  Please let me know when you have switched lessons. If an unanticipated scheduling need arises, call me at 255-3124 and I will do my best to accommodate your needs.  Changes to the schedule with less than 24 hours notice are made up as time permits.  On the following pages you will see a sample week of a schedule, as well as a page showing the order in which I contact families.

You are called in order of proximity to your child’s Bar/Bat Mitzvah date.Your flexibility throughout the process is most helpful and greatly appreciated. As your child approaches the Bar/Bat Mitzvah date, you are contacted earlier in the process, and should notice that you are able to get your preferred times.

If your child has difficulty learning the required material, and is practicing diligently (at least four times per week for Congregation Beth-El Zedeck; and daily for Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation, Congregation Shaarey Tefilla, and Congregation Etz Chayim), I may suggest that (s)he receive additional tutoring through the Hebrew School during regular Hebrew School hours.  This is coordinated with the Bureau Director and uses Hebrew School teaching staff.  It is offered to you as a part of the service which the Bureau provides to your child.

My teaching agenda varies by synagogue:

• Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation: I provide verbal preparation of all Hebrew your child recites, including prayers from the service, Torah and Haftarah portion.  Cantor Roger teaches the students the chanting for blessings, Torah portion and Haftarah portion.  As your child is assigned elements to chant (s)he should chant them for me in the lessons for practice, and I provide support for learning the chanting of the Torah portion and Haftarah portion.
• Congregation Beth-El Zedeck: I teach trope and the chanting for Haftarah, Torah (at least Maftir), and their respective blessings.  I will provide your child with a CD on which all the necessary materials are recorded.  Should your child (or your family) desire to chant additional portions of the Torah, I record the additional aliyot in consultation with Cantor Sharon. Cantor Sharon teaches the students how to chant the Kabbalat Shabbat and Shabbat Shacharit service elements.
• Congregation Shaarey Tefilla: I provide verbal preparation of the Kabbalat Shabbat and Shabbat Shacharit service elements.  When your child begins to chant the prayers (after learning with Rabbi Bienstock), I continue to provide support for proper pronunciation.  I also provide support to the students in learning to chant their Haftarah, Torah, and prayers.
• Congregation Etz Chaim:  I provide whatever support is requested for the student, as directed by the congregation.

These half-hour weekly sessions are a chance for your child to present what she or he has practiced all week. Whichever congregation you call home, my role is to listen carefully, help your child correct any mistakes, and pinpoint any overall trouble that should be addressed and corrected.  Included in this are demonstrations of different practice techniques, strategizing the best ways to master the difficult spots, etc.  At the end of the lesson, I assign the tasks to be mastered in the coming week.

If you would like to know how your child is doing, you are more than welcome to sit in on a lesson.  Or, note your child’s mood when you pick him or her up from the lesson.  Does she or he seem frustrated?  Excited?  Bored?  Feel free to ask questions along the way.  It is helpful to let me know if your child has any learning disabilities or behavioral tendencies that might interfere with his or her ability to master the assignments.  This information allows me to tailor the lessons for your son or daughter.  It also prevents frustration for everyone involved and maximizes the effectiveness of the tutoring time.

Please be respectful of the other people receiving tutoring.  Should you need to cancel your scheduled tutoring time, please notify either me or Carol at least two hours before the session so that another student may be accommodated in that time slot.  If you are scheduled for additional tutoring with a Bureau tutor and you need to cancel your  tutoring time with them, do call the office as soon as possible so their time is not wasted.  In this way, everyone will benefit.

Click here to download a sample tutoring schedule.  If you have any questions, please contact Cantor Meyersberg at 255-3124 x3711 or e-mail her.