GROWING JEWISH FAITH THROUGH EDUCATION
Have your child experience a sense of belonging and fun, as they develop a strong Jewish identity. Our curriculum familiarizes each child with Hebrew, holidays, and prayers and prepares them for their eventual bar and bat mitzvahs. Students receive a lot of individual attention, yet have the opportunity to socialize and create a bond with other Jewish children as they grow together as if being part of a small kibbutz.
The guiding principle for Beth Israel’s Hebrew school program is all about affect: we want our students to enjoy their time together and to learn by doing. We want them to feel good about being Jewish and to carry their faith and traditions into their future. Our Hebrew school program is designed to encourage our students to become lifelong Jewish learners.
Our program is held on Sunday mornings. Students in 3rd grade and above also attend on Tuesdays. The Sunday sessions are taught by Marcy Thomaswick. Marcy has been a public school teacher and has also been a teacher at Ezra Academy and at the Hebrew School of Kol Ami Synagogue. Tuesday sessions are led by Rabbi Bruce Alpert.
Students learn the alef bet and practice reading using prayers and blessings. They study the weekly Torah portion, learn about the Jewish calendar, holidays, mitzvot, history and Israel. Older students support younger students and help them with reading or making crafts. In turn, younger students encourage our older students as they help lead the service and prepare to become bar or bat mitzvah (son or daughter of the commandments).
The main goals of our program are threefold.
- We want children to be comfortable in a synagogue and with the adults in their community. The rabbi and teacher work together to provide space for questions, continuity of learning, and opportunities for students to show what they know.
- We teach students of different ages, interests, and abilities in an inclusive, developmentally appropriate environment to allow children to grow at their own pace.
- Reading skills, history, holidays, blessings and prayers are explicitly taught to prepare students as they become participants in our Jewish community.
Our students enjoy their time in Hebrew school. They feel comfortable in our sanctuary and positive about their Jewish identity. Our Hebrew school is a gateway to a lifetime of Jewish learning. By the time they become bar or bat mitzvah, our students have both the skills and the incentives to become lifetime Jewish learners.
