SINAI TEMPLE RELIGIOUS SCHOOL
PROGRAMS AT A GLANCE
SCHOOL SCHEDULE
SUNDAY
GRADES KINDERGARTEN-GRADE 7
9:00 A.M.-12:00 Noon
TUESDAY OR THURSDAY
HEBREWCLASSES
Grades 3-6
3:30 – 5:00
Grade 7 Simchat Sheva
Tuesday only 5:00- 6:30
PRE-CONFIRMATION
Grades 8
Tuesday only 6:30 – 8:30
WEDNESDAY
Grade 9
6:30-8:00
Grade10 Confirmation
6:00 –8:00
SINGLE SESSION SUNDAY
Single Session Sunday is a new concept at Sinai Temple. The more we thought about educating our children in a user friendly, effective and nurturing environment, having everyone here at the same time seemed to make more and more sense.
Our goals in doing this are to
• Enhance the sense of community and belonging for students and families
• Enrich what and how students are learning
• Offer convenience for our families
Enhancing our community
• Having all of our students from Kindergarten through 7th grade in the building at the same time creates exciting opportunities for cross grade programming and interaction.
• Scheduling our Social Clubs, Alef/Bet for grades 1 and 2, Gimel/Dalet for grades 3 and 4, Hey/Vav for grades 5 and 6, and JOY for grades 7 and 8, to meet during regular program sessions enhances the children’s ability to spend time in a Jewish social environment so that Sinai Temple is a place not just for “classroom” learning, but a place where children feel at home, where they have fun and feel accepted.
Enriching what and how students learn
• With the new three hour program, we are able to give students more time to learn Hebrew. Having time on Sunday to practice and review Hebrew language skills, students have an opportunity to gain confidence and mastery.
• The expanded time of each session allows us to offer students learning in areas of their interest, in ways that are engaging and developmentally appropriate. Choices such as Book Clubs, Dance, Music and Art in addition to Current Events, Cooking and Jewish Sports are available to students at Sinai Temple Religious School.
Convenience
• For families with children at multiple age levels there is one drop off and one pick up time for all grades.
• For families commuting a distance it is a less arduous commute.
• For parents needing a little bit of break, Starbucks is right around the corner.
• Since many of our students also play sports on Sunday afternoon, we are also pleased to end school a full hour earlier than previous years. We hope our students can now be at Sinai for the full session and then go on to their sports involvement.
IVRIT (HEBREW) PROGRAM
MITKADEM
We begin instruction in Ivrit (Hebrew) by introducing the alphabet to our Kindergarteners. From there we utilize materials from Mitkadem: Hebrew for Youth, a program developed by Cheri Ellowitz Silver and published by the URJ (Union for Reform Judaism) Press. Beginning in first and second grades with Ramah (level) 1 and moving into our formal Hebrew program in third grade with Ramah 2, the program integrates opportunities for all students to master Hebrew skills at their own level and pace. The program also includes strategies for both gifted and academically challenged students to learn according to their needs. Mitkadem is a self paced Hebrew prayer and ritual program that allows students to feel they are able to learn and be successful, no matter what their level of ability. There are 23 Ramot (levels) in all.
On Sunday mornings all students from Kindergarten to grade 7 begin the morning with time for Ivrit instruction, reinforcement, and review. Students in grades 3 through 6 receive an additional 40 minutes of Ivrit instruction on Sunday mornings for part of the school year and attend additional Ivrit classes on either Tuesday or Thursday afternoons.
TALMUD TORAH
RELIGIOUS STUDIES
K-3
The beginning of religious education is a time for building children’s Jewish identity and connection to Jewish holidays, values, culture and Torah. It is important that the children and their parents feel that Jewish tradition belongs to them. It is an opportune time to tap into children’s natural and open sense of spirituality. By presenting the curriculum in an interactive manner, the foundation is set for their subsequent Jewish education.
KINDERGARTEN: In kindergarten students are introduced to the Jewish holidays and related symbols, customs, rituals blessings and observances. Students are also introduced to the concepts of God’s role in Judaism. WE ALSO OFFER SPECIAL PROGRAMS: Family Services the first Friday of each month, a PACT (Parents And Children Together) program and a very special Shabbat Dinner.
GRADE 1: In grade 1, students continue their exploration of Jewish holidays and through Torah stories they explore the personalities and values of the Torah and make connections to their own lives. Students continue to explore their relationship with God and the synagogue. WE ALSO OFFER SPECIAL PROGRAMS: Family Services on the first Friday of each month, a PACT (Parents And Children Together) family program and special Shabbat Dinner.
GRADE 2: Second Graders explore the geography, people and sites that make Israel so special with a special focus on Jerusalem. WE ALSO OFFER SPECIAL PROGRAMS: Family Services the first Friday of each month and a PACT (Parents And Children Together) family program.
GRADE 3: Torah is the foundation of the grade 3 curriculum. Students are encouraged to raise questions and issues as they examine Torah stories for meaning and create their own commentaries. WE ALSO OFFER SPECIAL PROGRAMS: Family Services the first Friday of every month and a very special Shabbat PACT (Parents And Children Together) family program. PACT programs are on generally on Sunday mornings. This wonderful Shabbat experience takes place on a Saturday morning for students and families in grades 3 and 4.
GRADE 4: Prophets and Kings is the primary focus of study for students in grade 4. As part of their study, they examine how they can impact the world in the style of the prophets. WE ALSO OFFER SPECIAL PROGRAMS: Family Services the first Friday of the month and two very special PACT (Parents And Children Together) family programs. While most PACT programs are on Sunday mornings, one of the 4th grade PACT programs takes place with students and families in 3rd grade on a Saturday morning.
GRADE 5: Fifth grade branches out into several directions. Students examine traditional as well as contemporary practices in the Jewish Life Cycle, examine the ethics and actions that lead to tikkun olam ( repair of the world), and engage in the Yachdav (School to School) cultural exchange program with students in Afulah, Israel. While we do not actually take our students to Afulah, the program includes exchanges of personal and cultural experiences about being Jewish in our community compared to the experiences of young Israelis growing up Jewish in Eretz Yisrael. WE ALSO OFFER SPECIAL PROGRAMS: Fifth grade students are encouraged to attend the Kabbalat Shabbat Services on the second Friday of the month at 6:00 preceded by an Oneg at 5:30.
GRADE 6: Students examine Jewish history from the perspective of problem solving and decision making as they examine how the Jewish community was impacted by historical events. A major focus will be placed on how the issues of the course relate to their lives. WE ALSO OFFER SPECIAL PROGRAMS: A special Shabbat service created by the students that is presented in the spring and a very special Grade 6 Retreat that focuses on what it means to become a Bar/Bat Mitzvah. A PACT (Parents And Children Together) family program devoted to Bar/Bat Mitzvah preparation with a wonderful Shabbat program follows the retreat. Sixth grade students are also encouraged to attend the Kabbalat Shabbat Services on the second Friday of the month at 6:00 preceded by an Oneg at 5:30.
GRADE 7: Students in seventh grade engage in four areas of study for the year.
On Sunday mornings they examine:
• Torah with an emphasis on values and ethics
• Engage in an in-depth study of the Holocaust with an emphasis on social responsibility, peer pressure and decisions that still impact us today.
SIMCHAT SHEVA: Grade 7 weekday program.
On Tuesday evenings from 5:00 p.m.-6:30 p.m. 7th grade students begin to expand their study:
• Hebrew Language skills by studying modern conversational Hebrew
• Engage in in-depth study of Torah with a focus on the weekly parsha or Torah portion.
CHUGIM
ENRICHMENT/CLUBS
Part of our Sunday morning learning includes opportunities for learning and participation in activities according to interest and opportunities for social engagement during regular Religious School sessions.
ENRICHMENT: Students have an opportunity to engage in participatory learning according to interest and age appropriateness. In activities such as, Jr. Choir, Youth Choir, Cooking, Book Club, Art, Current Events, School Newspaper and Sports, students learn about Judaism in new and different ways. The enrichment hour also allows students to engage in extended Ivrit (Hebrew) learning, and to participate in Siddur (Prayer Book)classes for Bar and Bat Mitzvah preparation, without having to plan extra time into already busy schedules.
CLUBS: In our ever expanding geographic community it has become more and more challenging for our children to have an opportunity to engage socially with other Jewish children. Building social activities into our Religious School day enhances personal comfort, and a sense of belonging for all of our students.
CLUB ALEF BET is designed for students in Grades 1 and 2,
CLUB GIMMEl DALET is for students in grades 3 and 4 and CLUB HEY VAV is for students in grades 5 and 6. JOY, our Junior Youth Group for students in grades 7 and 8 and also meets on Sunday mornings during this special hour.
ROSH HODESH: IT’S A GIRL THING is a values based, experiential and
transdenominational Jewish program for pre-teen and teenage GIRLS in grades 6-12 that strengthens self-esteem and Jewish identity. We currently run a group for 6th and 7th grade girls who attend Sinai Temple Religious School.
NOTE: SPFTY, is our Senior Youth Group. It provides opportunities for informal Jewish learning and friendship with students from throughout the region. Members are notified about meeting schedules. Please contact Andy Chaet at (413) 735-3519 ext. 20, for more information.
T’FILAH
(PRAYER)
Our Single Session Sunday ends with music, stories and prayer. Spending our final few minutes together as a community completes our day together in a very special way.
POST B’NAI MITZVAH EDUCATION
GRADES 8, 9, AND 10
GRADE 8: On Tuesday evenings from 6:30-8:30 p.m. eighth grade students at Sinai begin to engage in learning outside of the traditional classroom setting. There are three components to the 8th grade curriculum.
• SPARK/HeartAction: During this segment of the year students and our own Sinai Senior Citizens engage in text study on how Judaism looks at aging while participating in tilun olam and tzedakah projects.
• Community: How did we get here? Students spend six weeks learning how our community developed. Students visit local Jewish agencies and institutions and learn how and why each came about in our local community.
• Sacred Choices: The final area of study for eighth grade looks at issues that begin to face students during their early teen years. Sacred Choices supports teens in making good choices regarding dating, drugs, peer pressure and other important social issues
GRADE 9: On Wednesday evenings from 6:30-8:00 p.m., on a schedule that respects students’ changing academic needs, students will examine vital contemporary issues affecting their daily lives, from a Jewish perspective.
• Sacred Choices: In the autumn of ninth grade, students continue to study how Judaism looks at social relationships and begin to learn about sexual ethics in a Jewish way. Sacred Choices supports teens in making good choices regarding sex, dating, drugs, healthy relationships and other important social issues
• Judaism in Politics: During the spring term students will examine contemporary political issues concerning them as Jews and as Americans. The year culminates with a four day trip to the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism (http://rac.org/), in Washington D.C. where they participate in an annual L’Taken Seminar. It is a wonderful and exciting year!
CONFIRMATION: Students spend their tenth grade learning with the Rabbi, exploring Torah, delving into important contemporary Jewish issues and examining their own Jewish identity. Confirmation takes place on Wednesdays from 6 to 8 p.m. Each evening begins with a class dinner.
SPECIAL PROGRAMS FOR YOUNG CHILDREN
BAGELS AND BLOCKS: Do you have a 3 or 4 year old? Bagels and blocks is specially designed for 3 and 4 year olds and their parents. It meets 4-5 times/year for music, activities, games and crafts related to Jewish holidays.
TOT SHABBAT: A special Shabbat Service for your 2-4 year old. Tot Shabbat occurs 4 times during the year at a special early time. The very brief service is at 6:00 p.m. on Friday evening followed by challah, juice and sometimes a special treat!