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Curriculum
Jewish Studies
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Hebrew
JEWISH STUDIES
The core of Religious School studies includes holidays, Torah, history,
and Jewish ethics. Each grade approaches these topics at a different
level, beginning with basic concepts and advancing to complex interpretations
and expressions of Jewish thought. Students have opportunities to
build on what they have learned in school and at home and to appreciate
their family experiences and backgrounds.
Holidays: The youngest children
learn about holidays through ritual objects, songs, and crafts.
They will expand their knowledge of the history, interpretations,
and variations of customs as they learn the vocabulary associated
with each tradition. Older students also consider the moral and
contemporary lessons of each holiday.
Torah: The stories of our people
are rich and varied, beginning with the words “In the beginning.”
Students learn the legends and heroes of our history. They explore
the values we are meant to learn from the Torah, and the many ways
we can read and interpret it. They learn to be active participants
in the study of Torah and Jewish commentary and literature.
History and Israel: From biblical
to modern times, Jewish history offers cultural and spiritual significance.
As students discover the role of Jews in American and world history,
they are encouraged to celebrate our heritage. Students consider
the effects of anti-Semitism and the Holocaust on the world wide
Jewish community today.
They examine the significance Israel as a geographical, biblical,
cultural, and spiritual homeland., and understand the religious,
cultural, and political forces which create the diversity of the
Israeli population. Students appreciate the role of social justice
and Jewish values in the creation of the state of Israel and in
current Israeli society.
Mitzvot and Ethics: Through Torah
and history, Judaism offers us a code of behavior and moral understanding.
Students are encouraged to perform mitzvot (commandments)
and acts of gemilut chasadim (loving kindness), give tzedakah
(charity) and find ways to brings Jewish values into their daily
lives.
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HEBREW
We teach our students to be skilled, involved members of the synagogue
community by embracing Jewish values and installing a sense of belonging
to Am Yisrael (the people Israel). Part of this connection to Jewish
history, spirituality, and to Israel is gained through study of
the Hebrew language.
Hebrew is part of Jewish identity. Hebrew provides a common bond
linking Jews from around the world. It is the living language of
the modern state of Israel.
Hebrew is a holy language, giving us access to sacred texts and
allowing us to study them in the original language. It is also the
language of prayer and the prayer book, enabling Jews to participate
in prayer services in any synagogue in the world.
Hebrew is essential to Jewish traditions. All Jewish life-cycle
events and holidays involve Hebrew. With knowledge of Hebrew, students
can participate with confidence in these events throughout their
lives.
Hebrew expresses Jewish values. For example, the word “tzedakah”
does not just mean “charity.” It comes from the root
“tzedek” which means “justice” or “the
right thing to do.” When students learn the meaning of Hebrew
words, they learn the cultural vocabulary of Judaism as well as
the literal translation of the Hebrew.
Hebrew helps express spirituality. Hebrew is the language in which
we express notions of God and godliness. We can connect with our
ancestors by reciting their names in Hebrew and using Hebrew for
ritual observances.
Our Hebrew curriculum focuses on Hebrew for prayers. This method
provides a structure with clear goals and measurable progress. At
the same time, by learning prayers students also gain a sense of
the relevance and importance of Hebrew and prayer in their lives.
They also learn the ethical values associated with each prayer.
They learn the sources of Hebrew words and connect to contemporary
Hebrew as a contemporary, vibrant language.
Children begin to learn to speak Hebrew in the Gan (pre-K –K)
class. They learn through games using the Hebrew letters. Students
learn some simple prayers by heart and letter recognition in Kitah
Alef (first grade) and to read and write print in Kitah
Bet (second grade).
Students continue to decode words in Kitah Gimel (third
grade) and by Kitah Daled (fourth grade) can read and write
with some fluency and are ready to begin concentration on Hebrew
prayers. From Daled through Vav, students use the Hineini / Hebrew
Through Prayer course series. In Kitah Zayin, students use the Reform
siddur, Gates of Prayer, as their learning text.
When students have completed the three-year Hineini / Hebrew Through
Prayer series, they will:
- Understand and read fluently the major prayers in the
Shabbat evening and morning service
- Know the key roots and vocabulary of the major prayers and be
able to apply their learning to any prayer in the siddur
- Understand the relevance and importance of the prayers,
and the associated ethical values
Special features of this course include:
- Diverse activities to keep students active and motivated
- Gender-neutral translations
- Explanations of prayer concepts and values to help make the
prayer relevant to the students
- solation of common reading problems to provide practice
opportunities
We are committed to providing Hebrew instruction at a level appropriate
for each child. Student who enter the program in the Kitah Daled
(grade 4) or higher will need to know the Hebrew consonants and
vowels and have some proficiency sounding out words. When necessary,
we will attempt to provide some in-class tutoring to help students
catch up to their grade level. Decisions about Hebrew placement
will be made in conjunction with the teacher, parents, the school
director, and the rabbi.
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