TALMUD TORAH
RELIGIOUS STUDIES

Grades 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.

Grades 4 — Grade 7 (SIMCHAT SHEVA)

GRADE 4: Prophets and Kings is the primary focus of study for students in grade 4.  As part of their study, students. 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 Sunday Morning Program:  Students in seventh grade engage in four areas of study for the year:

• Students examine Torah with an emphasis on values and ethics
• Students engage in an in-depth study of the Holocaust with an emphasis on social responsibility, peer pressure and decisions that still impact us today.

GRADE 7 Weekday Program SIMCHAT SHEVA:

On Tuesday evenings from 5:00 p.m.-6:30 p.m., 7th grade students:

• Begin to expand their 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.