Curriculum

At Temple Beth-El, our religious school curriculum has three components: Jewish Studies, Hebrew, and T’fillah.

Jewish Studies

Our Jewish Studies curriculum provides students with a strong foundation for living a meaningful Jewish life. In our youngest grades, children learn about the Jewish holidays, rituals, and mitzvot (commandments). Throughout the grade school years, they learn about the beauty of Shabbat, are exposed to the rich teachings of the Torah, and explore the rhythms of Jewish life, different concepts of God, and the complex history, traditions, and culture of Israel.

As students prepare to become bar/bat mitzvah, they explore Jewish values, with an emphasis on making wise choices and a positive difference in the world.

After bar/bat mitzvah, topics for discussion emphasize the concept of seeing the world through Jewish eyes. As our students prepare to take their first steps as independent Jewish adults, they explore topics of particular interest to Jewish teens.

Hebrew

Hebrew is the common language of all Jews and an integral part of any Jewish educational program. Formal Hebrew learning begins with our youngest students in Pre-K.

Our Hebrew curriculum focuses primarily on the language of the prayer book to enable our students to have a meaningful worship experience.

T’fillah (worship) Experience

Temple Beth-El’s midweek t’fillah experience integrates age-appropriate worship, lively music, conversation about prayer, and ongoing spiritual exploration. In addition, regularly attending Shabbat, holiday, and festival services advances Hebrew and synagogue skills, strengthens Jewish identity, and helps children feel a sense of belonging to our community.

Curriculum by Grade

Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten expose children to Jewish learning through play and hands-on interactive experiences. They learn about Jewish holidays and Torah stories, and are
exposed to the Hebrew alphabet (alef-bet) and Jewish heritage words.

Grade 1 – Students continue to learn about the Jewish holidays and begin to learn about the place of mitzvot (commandments) in their lives. Hebrew learning is focused on recognizing and learning the sounds of the letters and vowels in the Hebrew alphabet (alef-bet).

Grade 2 – Students explore stories from the first half of the Torah as a basis for understanding key Jewish values. They learn Shabbat traditions, rituals, and blessings, and advance their Hebrew skills as they read syllables and short words.

Grade 3 – Students develop a deeper understanding of the Torah as a guidebook for Jewish living. Their learning is enhanced through music and a variety of hands-on activities. In Hebrew they are learning to decode words and read phrases.

Grade 4 – Students explore ideas of holiness and spirituality through their place in the world, their connection to others, and their connection to God. They also explore the Jewish life cycle—its rituals, symbols, and customs. With their parents and our rabbi, students take a field trip to a cemetery to demystify the space, while discussing Jewish rituals around death and dying. In Hebrew students increase their reading fluency while learning the content and meaning of Shabbat, weekday, and festival services through key blessings and prayers.

Grade 5 – Students explore Jewish immigration to the United States and learn about Israel as the homeland of the Jewish People—its history, geography, and culture. A field trip to New York City helps bring this learning to life. Students also get the opportunity to participate in their first overnight experience. In Hebrew, students continue to study key blessings and prayers.

Grade 6 – Students revisit the Torah through the lens of Jewish values with special emphasis on exploring their individual brit mitzvah portion. A field trip to New York City helps them explore history through artifacts and prepares them to identify an artifact from their own family’s history to be displayed in a class Heritage Museum. Students learn trope (the melodies for chanting Torah), in preparation for chanting Torah, along with service choreography.

Grade 7 – Students engage in meaningful conversation about Jewish values and ethical behavior. They also engage in a study of the Holocaust through the lens of Jewish values. Students practice, review, and build on their Hebrew and synagogue skills as part of their preparation for becoming brit mitzvah.

 

Our program continues with Confirmation Academy for Grades 8 to 12.