Abstract
This paper presents findings from a survey given to avocational teachers at Congregation Kehillat Israel in Lansing, Michigan at the beginning and end of a three-year project designed to recruit and prepare volunteer teachers for the religious school. The survey sought to learn about participants' Jewish educational background, their motivation for joining the project, their experiences as avocational teachers, and the impact of the project on them and on the religious school. Findings reveal that participants joined the program to improve the education of their children and to enhance their own Jewish learning. They valued the opportunity to work with co-teachers but found teaching more challenging than expected. Overall the project improved the quality of the religious school and enriched the lives of the avocational teachers.