Since 1988 Temple Shalom's Ozrim program has been the model used by synagogues across the country for creating teen teacher assistant programs.  "Ozrim" (helpers) is a program created at Temple Shalom for select tenth through twelfth grade students, who assist in the Religious School on Sunday mornings.  The goal of the program is to train future Sunday School teachers by giving them experience and maintaining their interest and involvement at Temple.  
 
The program has been featured as a model program nationally by CAJE, and has assisted and advised others in starting similar programs from Texas to Hawaii.  The Ozrim study teaching methodology , appropriate student discipline, and experience leading and assisting in classes.  The Ozrim apply and are trained to be involved in all aspects of the religious school experience.   Whether as song leaders, teachers, arts and crafts, photographers, Hebrew tutors, and even Trope teachers, the Ozrim are an invaluable source that helps Temple Shalom Religious School thrive, adding a vibrant youth element to the classroom.  The students see active teens participating in the classroom; they are the role models for our youth, who want to grow up to be in Ozrim. Many Ozrim have continued in Jewish education and become religious school teachers in college; two former Ozrim are currently on staff teaching now as adults at Temple Shalom, with several others active on our substitute list. 

Temple Shalom is  fortunate to have the creator of the Ozrim program, Dennis Eichelbaum, continue to coordinate this successful effort with the same passion and enthusiasm for the past 19 years.