The new principal of the religious school at Monmouth Reform Temple in Tinton Falls has a straightforward approach to religious education: Make it accessible and understandable and always leave the door open for further discussion.

Judy Levine of Maplewood became the religious school principal on July 1; she succeeds David Levinsky, who retired in June after serving in the position for more than 20 years.

Levine's appointment is the second major personnel change in the congregation in the past year. Rabbi Jonathan Roos became the new religious leader of the temple on July 1, 2006. His predecessor was Rabbi Sally Priesand, the country's first female rabbi, who is now rabbi emerita of the temple.

Levine is eager to meet the students when the school reopens in September; the temple's religious school consists of approximately 170 students and 11 teachers.

"I have a lot to share with our students," said Levine. "But I want them to feel comfortable enough to question or discuss any subject that comes up. I'm interested in their personal growth and ambitions and the things that they want to learn."

She said she aims to engage the students in a school-wide tzedaka project; she's also planning a month-long celebration for May in honor of the 60th birthday of the State of Israel, and she wants to encourage post-confirmation students to meet at the temple on Sundays to study the projects initiated by the congregation's social action committee.

Levine said she also wants to establish a relationship with the family unit, in order to inspire the transfer of the Jewish heritage to future generations.

Part of her plan is to set up a series of weekly family education programs during which parents of religious school students will engage in discussions based on the curriculum. The topics will include talking to children about God, Jewish holidays and activities, mitzvot, and Jewish rituals, she said.

"I know this might be a difficult task, and it may take time to establish these discussions, but it's worth it," she said. "We are all part of the fabric of a very busy society, and a lot of pressures come along with that, especially here in suburbia. But helping create a strong Jewish identity is what our religious teachings should be doing."

Family education also is a way to bring the concepts of home and school closer together, Levine said.

"The parents and the children would both be involved in the learning process," she said. "This expands communication and could help enhance the community feeling within the temple. This temple is a dynamic and energetic place, and those involved in the education programs would be letting the congregation know they are part of this dynamic group."

Her family education projects have worked elsewhere, and Levine said her interest in education and her own Jewish heritage have been catalysts to that success. She received her bachelor's degree in history from SUNY Buffalo in 1970 and then joined the university's Teacher Corps, which brought students into inner-city schools to serve as interns and student teachers. That experience helped Levine earn a graduate degree in elementary education from SUNY.

In 1973, she taught grades three and four at Rodeph Shalom Day School in New York City, the first Reform day school in the country. She then served as a teacher and administrator at the congregational religious school from 1982 to 1992 and was the Jewish studies coordinator at the day school until 1997.

Levine's next positions were principal at Congregation Shomrei Emunah in Montclair from 1997 to 2000 and vice principal at Temple Har Shalom in Warren from 2000 to 2007.

"And it all started because when I moved from Buffalo to New York City after graduate school, there was an opening at Rodeph Shalom and I grabbed it," Levin laughed. "That decision evolved into a lifelong career."

Levine grew up in an "observant, kosher, Conservative home" on Long Island; she attended congregational religious school and Shabbat services regularly and studied at a regional Hebrew high school that drew students from several area synagogues.

Levine's husband, Marty, is a systems analyst for the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee in New York; the couple's daughter, Robin, is a student at Rutgers University.

As opening day of the MRT religious school year edges closer, Levine said she is ready to put her plans into action.

"I know there will be a period of transition," Levine said. "But we'll network and get to know one another. I think we can do some great things."