Welcome Letter by Susan Price (click)



Religious School Photo Gallery (under construction)

1) Naming, reading, writing, and sound of all Aleph-Bet letters and vowels with limited conversational and biblical Hebrew words. Numbers 1-5 will be mastered. The primary text shall be Sarah, David and You Read Hebrew with friends Ben and Rachel By Diana Yacobi and Lily Yacobi from Sarah and David LLC.

2) The following prayers: Modeh Ani, the behinning of Mah Tovu, Birkot ha’shachar (Morning Blessings), Shema and V’ahavta, Adon Olam, Barchu, Hiney, and the beginning of Mi Kamocha. The aleph group will recognize these prayers and be able to participate in limited recitation of these prayers. Eyn Keloheinu will also be introduced.

3) Basic rituals of the Shabbat table:

A) Kiddush (short)

B) Candle blessing

C) Hamotzi

4)The following blessings:

A) Blessings for High Holidays

B) Blessings related to the mezuzah

C) Netilat Yedayim Blessings

D) Blessings for various foods

E) Havdalah blessings

5) Making decisions in their ethical life informed by such Jewish values as:

A) Shalom Bayit – peace at home

B) Kibbud av va'aim - honoring parents

C) Hachnasat Orcheem – welcoming guests

D) Tza’ar Ba’alei Chaiim – caring for animals

E) Bal Tash’chet – protecting the environment

F) Tzedakah – giving to make the world a more just place

G) B'kur holim - visiting the sick

H) Talmud Torah - Jewish learning and studying

I) Ahavat Israel – Loving Israel

J) Derech Eretz – Good behavior

Lashon ha'ra - refraining from hurting others through speech

G'milut hesed - acts of loving kindness

Emet - truth telling

Ahavat habriyot - a loving concern for others

B'tzelem Elohim - All humans are created in the Divine image

K'lal Yisrael - identifying with the Jewish people

K) Tikun olam - mending the world

The students will have an active Hebrew vocabulary of the Jewish value concepts listed above in order to apply them appropriately to their actions and various situations. The students will gain an understanding that to decide what is right takes thought, knowledge, and inner-courage, and that doing what is right, though sometimes difficult, can be a source of great satisfaction.  The ultimate goal is to instill the desire to do what is right and encourage doing it.   

Mitzvot study will be aided by selections of TaNaKH and rabbinic literature that embody Jewish values and concepts and the Jewish people's dialogue through the generations to determine how these ideas should be applied. As a class, we will participate in tikun olam and g’milut chesed for all people.

6) The Torah through stories on the weekly parsha, which provide a knowledge of the major events in the Biblical narrative from Genesis at least through the entry into Israel.  Some knowledge will be gained from the Book of Prophets and Writings, as well as a general awareness of what is included in TaNaKH, and a discussion of  the central Biblical ideas of Brit (Covenant), Tzedek (Justice), Am Kadosh (A Holy People), and Revelation.  The discovery of Torah is a source of meaning in our personal lives; students will gain an appreciation of the Bible as the central and sacred text of Judaism.

7) The culture of Israel:  Gaining knowledge about and concern for Israel by obtaining familiarity with the importance of Israel in the TaNaKH (Bible) and tefillah (prayer).  Students will obtain the knowledge that Jews have lived in and identified with the land of  Israel for four thousand years, and will gain an awareness of the  commitments expressed in establishing the State of Israel and a sense of the drama of establishing the State (including modern Israel’s history before and since the establishment of present-day Israel).  The students will also learn about an aliyah, an option for Jews living in Diaspora, the importance in visiting Israel, the Israeli political system, and current events in Israel.  Students will learn to identify and have a concern for K’lal Yisrael by discovering a shared common history and spiritual legacy with Jews as an extended family; students will gain a feeling of “All Jews being responsible for each other.” 

8) The concept that Judaism requires sacred deeds, mitzvot, in relationships between persons and in relationship to God. Students should acquire an awareness that mitzvot are commandments.   Some of the commandments include knowing about the Jewish holidays and how to observe them, knowing about Shabbat and how to observe it, knowing about Kashrut and how to observe it, knowing how Jews practice life cycle events, developing a personal relationship with God, and understanding the rationales that have been developed for various mitzvot. 

Bet Group Goals add the following

1) More in depth mastery of the aleph group goals, including  greater fluency in conversational and biblical Hebrew and greater Hebrew reading skills.  Students will master numbers 1- 10, will learn the “Colors of the Rainbow,” and will practice reading the 10 commandments in Hebrew.  The primary text will be The New Siddur Program for Hebrew and Heritage by Pearl and Norman Tarnor and published by Behrman House, Inc.  The class will occasionally utilize Welcome to Modern Hebrew Reading and Comprehension by Nili Ziv and published by Behrman House, Inc., and Hebrew A Language Course Primer by Lois Rothblum, Bella Bergman, and Ora Band and published by Behrman House, Inc.

2) Bet will also learn the prayers Eitz Chaiim, Eyn Keloheinu, Veshamru, Shalom Aleichem, Amidah, Ashrei, Aleinu, blessings for the Torah Reading, and L’cha Dodi; the Bet group will practice the Four Questions in Hebrew.

1) Students will read full stories, dialogues, and Biblical/prayer Hebrew with increased fluency.  Students will engage in more conversational Hebrew.  Students will master numbers 1-20.  The primary text will be Welcome to Modern Hebrew Reading and Comprehension by Nili Ziv and published by Behrman House, Inc.  

2) Gimmel will also learn the blessings before and after the Torah, the Amidah, Baruch Sha’amar, and the Aleinu in preparation for Bar/Bat Mitzvahs.  They will also review the Birkot Hamazon.  

1) Students will read full stories, dialogues, and Biblical/prayer Hebrew with increased fluency.  Students will study Chumash in modern Hebrew.

1) Journeys through the Alef Bet, a primer from Torah Aura Productions

2) My Weekly Sidrah, by Melanie Berman & Joel Lurie from Torah Aura Productions

3) Gamebook for a Child’s Bible, Lessons from the Torah from Behrman House

4) Alef Curriculum - Handouts

5) Hebrew Through Prayer from Behrman House, Inc.

6) Let’s Discover Mitzvot from Behrman House, Inc.

7) Hebrew-Primer, a language course from Behrman House, Inc.

8) Understanding Jewish Holidays from Behrman House, Inc.

9) Ten Minute Hebrew Reader from Behrman House, Inc.

10) Back to School Hebrew Reading Refresher from Behrman House, Inc.

11) Let’s Explore Being Jewish from Behrman House, Inc.

12) My Weekly Sidrah from Torah Aura Productions

13) The New Hebrew Through Prayer Workbook from Behrman House, Inc.

14) Workbook for Hebrew Through Prayer from Behrman House, Inc.

15) Hebrew Through Prayer Director Guide, Worksheets, and books 1 & 2 from Behrman House, Inc.

16) Sefataynu-aleph/aleph from Sefer Lanoar Inc.

17) Sefataynu-aleph/bet from Sefer Lanoar Inc.

18) The New Siddur Program for Hebrew and Prayer from Behrman House, Inc.

19)Sarah, David and You Read Hebrew with friends Ben and Rachel from Sarah and David, LLC.

20)Welcome to Modern Hebrew Reading and Comprehension from Behrman House, Inc.

9:00 - 9:30 - Art and Story
9:35 - 10:00 - Tefillah in the Main Sanctuary
10:00 - 10:20 - Snack and Recess
10:25 - 11:25 - Hebrew (separated into Aleph, Bet, Gimmel and Dalet groups)
11:30 - 12:30 - Holiday / Parsha / Judaics Study and Stories