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Schedule Of Classes PRIMARY GRADES:
The Religious School provides a rich and varied curriculum in all areas of Jewish Studies. Beginning in Gan, children are exposed to Hebrew through letter recognition, vocabulary and t'filot. The program accelerates as they move through the grades so that by the time they reach B'nai Mitzvah, students are expected to be proficient readers who are able to chant Torah and Haftarah portions. Our program also includes the study of Torah, history, prophets, Israel, Jewish holidays, values, prayer and current events. Gan (Kindergarten): Children are introduced to Jewish experiences through holiday and Bible stories, prayers, music and art. They are also introduced to the Hebrew alphabet and Hebrew vocabulary related to school, synagogue, prayer and holidays, and they begin to learn to read Hebrew. Kitah Gan classes share a Friday night Shabbat with Kitah Alef and Kitah Bet, which is followed by a Shabbat dinner. Alef (Grade 1): Children continue with holidays, Torah and prayers as we build on past learning. Hebrew studies continue with letter and vowel recognition as children continue reading letter and vowel combinations, and vocabulary is increased. Kitah Alef has a Friday night Shabbat Service with Kitah Gan and Kitah Bet, followed by a Shabbat dinner. Bet (Grade 2): Kitah Bet continues to practice Hebrew reading and add vocabulary. The children study about the holidays, Torah and learn more prayers. They share a Friday night Shabbat Service followed by a Shabbat dinner with Kitah Gan and Kitah Alef. Mechinah (Hebrew Enrichment): This program is available for students enrolled in grades Gan, Alef or Bet. The three year rotated curriculum includes Israel, Jewish Heroes, and Myself, My Synagogue and My Jewish Community. There is also enrichment in Hebrew reading and language. Gimmel (Grade 3): Our midweek program begins with Kitah Gimmel. In Hebrew, children expand their vocabulary, continue reading and study prayer. They have a class in Torah and a class in Holidays. Three-day students also have a class in Modern Hebrew which includes vocabulary, reading and conversation and a class in Israel and Jewish Culture. In the fall, Kitah Gimmel students learn the Friday Night Shabbat Service as they practice for their Kabbalat Torah, which is a special service welcoming them to the weekday program. It is followed by a traditional Shabbat dinner. Dalet (Grade 4): Students continue to improve in Hebrew reading and learn more of the prayers of the Friday Night Shabbat Service. They also have classes in Prophets and Life Cycles. Three-day students have a class in Theology and Mitzvot and a Modern Hebrew class which includes vocabulary, reading and conversation. Kitah Dalet students lead a Friday Evening Service, followed by a Shabbat dinner. Heh (Grade 5): Kitah Heh students learn portions of the Shabbat morning service and Havdalah. They begin a three-year program in history, emphasizing Biblical times. They also take an extensive course about Israel which includes its geography, history, symbols and institutions. Three-day students have added classes in Theology and Values as well as Modern Hebrew which includes vocabulary, reading and conversation. Their special activity is the Heh Havdalah, which is traditionally followed by a potluck supper. Vav (Grade 6): Kitah Vav students begin preparation for their Bar/Bat Mitzvah year. In Hebrew, they learn the prayers of the Torah and Mussaf services. They continue with history, concentrating on life in the Diaspora in Europe. They also have a class in Torah. Three-day students have a Modern Hebrew language class. The Vav program culminates in the Vav Shabbaton, where the Vav students lead the Shabbat Morning Service. This is followed by a potluck luncheon. A highlight of the Vav year is a trip to "Jewish Philadelphia" or the Lower East Side of New York. Zayin (Grade 7): Kitah Zayin students attend 2 days a week, Thursday and Sunday. In addition, there is a Shabbat morning Torah class, followed by Services, which students must attend a minimum of 18 times. The history curriculum continues with a course in the development of Judaism in America. Other Zayin subjects include Values, Tikun Olam and The Holocaust. For Hebrew studies, there is a language class for students with advanced skills. There is also a reading workshop for students to practice reading and review prayers in small groups. In addition, all students have a 10 week tropes class to learn to chant the Torah and Haftarah melodies. Students meet with the Cantor and other tutors for Bar/Bat Mitzvah tutoring. This tutoring is not done during class time. Zayin special activities include the Zayin Museum, a parent-student brunch and a trip to the Lower East Side or “Jewish Philadelphia.” Tichon: Tichon is a post Bar/Bar Mitzvah program for students who have had a Bar or Bat Mitzvah and who have competed the Zayin year. It is a three-year program for 8th, 9th and 10th graders that meets for two hours on Wednesday evenings. Students take two courses per semester. One is a required core course and one is an elective. Wednesday evening includes a light supper and two 45-minute classes. There is a strict attendance requirement. Tichon culminates in Siyyum Tichon for 10th graders who have fulfilled the program course and attendance requirements. Hebrew Language Program: Advanced Hebrew language is offered to students who have completed the Tichon program or have reached a comparable level of proficiency in Hebrew language. This course expands the student's vocabulary and knowledge of the Hebrew language. Course credit is often given by local public and private schools. Students may continue with this program throughout their high school years. The advanced Hebrew course will be offered only if there is sufficient enrollment. Conversations with the Rabbis: This is an informal gathering of 11th and 12th graders and our Rabbis that meets periodically. Gesher L’Kesher Peer Leadership Program: This is a community-wide program for 11th and 12th graders who have completed Tichon. Students from local congregations attend classes and learn to be peer teachers. They then use these skills to conduct monthly outreach sessions for the 8th-10th graders in the participating congregations. Yachdav: This program for students with special needs includes a resource room, one-to-one tutoring and in-class assistance. Students will have individualized education plans created for them in consultation with parents, teachers and a special needs coordinator. Those interested in partaking of any of these services should contact the Principal. Curriculum At A Glance
Note: All classes have music, library and art. In addition to providing continuing classroom instruction in Hebrew and Judaic studies, the school offers a wide variety of special programs and activities that are age appropriate for youngsters. Some of these programs include:
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