A program designed for 4 year olds (child must be four years old by September 1st) and their parents. Mishpacha meets once a month to get a "taste" of Religious School. The purpose is to enrich Jewish family life and introduce youngsters and their parents to the synagogue, the Jewish holiday calendar, and the Jewish home. Expect lots of stories, songs, arts and crafts, and special holiday foods! Our goal is to "see the world through Jewish eyes." Children realize that they can hold Jewish objects, smell Jewish smells, see their families celebrate Jewish holidays, hear the sounds of songs and shofar. This tactile approach to Judaism is perfect for pre-schoolers. Parents also have the opportunity to meet as a group while children are in class in our ECFE program that occurs during the second hour of each class.

1. We will spend a good deal of time discussing and learning about the various major and minor Jewish holidays.
2. The class will study various stories from the Torah and will write 2-3 Midrashim.
3. We will touch on various Jewish symbols and traditions ie: the Ner Tamid, the Ark, wearing of the Tallit (prayer shawl).
4. Our class will put on two plays during the year under the guidance of a drama specialist.

In this class we will introduce and work from the ALEF CELEBRATION LESSONS series. This series will focus on God, the Jewish people, torah, holidays and Jewish ritual practice. Lots of action-packed activities include arts & crafts, singing, story telling,theater, and enacting Shabbat rituals. Special sessions will focus on tzedakah, Israel and the synagogue.

Let's Explore Being Jewish is a curriculum that focuses on some of the most important aspects of Jewish life. The are seven magazines that are part of the series and they cover: Mitzvot, the Synagogue, Jewish Symbols, Israel, the Bible and the Life Cycle. Each magazine includes a Parent Page suggesting ways for parents to use the magazine to reinforce what the students are learning at home. Hebrew continues to be introduced at a primary level and integrated into the vocabulary of the classroom. Our 2nd graders will study a series called JEWISH VALUES FROM ALEF TO TAV which will teach important Jewish values through biblical, rabbinic and Hasidic stories.

Torah: Selections from Vayikra, ( The Book of Leviticus) Living a Life of K'dushah (Holiness)

Avodah: Ways We Experience God.

G'milut Chasadim (Acts of Loving Kindness): Taking Responsibility, Planning and Doing.

Thematic thread: Students refine their own understanding and definition of k'dushah and apply that understanding to how ritual objects, symbols, prayer, and our behaviors can make moments and places special, holy, and closer to God. We will also be using a book called THE SYNAGOGUE as our students will take a tour through the gathering place of the Jewish people.

Torah: B'midbar (The Book of Numbers) and D'varim (The Book of Deuteronomy) ; the brit.

Avodah: Keva and kavanah, the fixed order of worship and the personal intention we bring to prayer, are complementary aspects of Jewish worship, combining to help us make sacred connections.

G'milut Chasadim (Acts of Loving Kindness): How our Behavior Affects All of Our Relationships.

Thematic thread:Students see a direct relationship between being a member of a community and our behaviors, through study of the relationship between the People and the Land in the Torah, the significance and structure of communal prayer, and acts of g'milut chasadim affecting relationships.

The theme for fourth grade is Diaspora—Jews Scattered Among The Nations. This unit explores Jewish history, then travels to the four corners of the earth to discover people who consider themselves direct descendents of the lost tribes of Israel. 4th graders explore Jewish values and discover how our people set themselves apart form the dominant culture and by so doing developed some of the most important ideas in human civilization. In keeping with our Diaspora theme, each student will explore his or her family history to discover from where their first immigrants came from, what they did for a living, how they came to the United States and any other stories and anecdotes they can find. The results will be on display at an end of the year exhibit.

Torah: The words and messages of the prophets are at the heart of Reform Judaism.

Avodah: The practice of prayer can help me grow through personal reflection, can increase my connection to the Jewish people, and can strengthen my relationship with God.

G'milut Chasadim (Acts of Loving Kindness): We are all part of K'lal Yisrael and have a responsibility to actively support and sustain the Jewish community.

Thematic thread:Throughout this year, the theme of Reform Judaism and the power of community will connect the strands. How is Reform Judaism based on the message of the prophets? What is the role of the individual in a community? How has our Movement dealt with the prayers in the siddur? How can we each reach out to those in our community?
JEWISH LIFE CYCLES: The first part of the year will focus on the study of Jewish life-cycle events from Brit to Bar/Bat Mitzvah, to Weddings and Funerals.

Torah:Ketuvim; (The Writings) My Relationship with God

Avodah: Torah Service and My Role in it.

G'milut Chasadim (Acts of Loving Kindness): Gimilut Chasadim and the World; Widening Circles of Involvement

Thematic thread:What is revelation and how do we experience it? Is there a human rule in divine revelation? Students investigate Biblical texts which relate to the individuals' relationship with God, study the components of the Torah /service and the role of the sh'liach tzibir (prayer leader) and g'milut chasadim on a more universal level. A study of Modern Israel completes the year in 6th Grade.

This year will focus on becoming a Bar/Bat Mitzvah. We will look at the meaning and significance of this rite of passage and delve into what it really means for our 13 years olds as we celebrate this important year. We will be working with a book called MAKING A DIFFERENCE: PUTTING JEWISH SPIRITUALITY INTO ACTION, ONE MITZVAH AT A TIME as we participate in social action/mitzvah projects throughout the school year in celebration of the B'nai Mitzvah year. There is a 6 week session on Judaism and Sexuality that the students and parents participate in.

The Hebrew word for "values" (middot), uses the same root as the word for "balance". The 9th Grade Shir Tikvah curriculum concentrates on being Jewish, finding balance, and living meaningful Jewish lives. Through a lens of Jewish values and ethics, 9th Graders explore issues related to medical care/science, body treatment, social justice, interpersonal relations, and politics. With Torah, Rabbinic text, contemporary writing/film/music and web material as guides, critical attention is given to communication (the language we use), genetic testing/engineering, homelessness, school/community violence, tattoos and body piercing, friendship, eating behavior, euthanasia, and more. Students develop greater understanding of how to unwrap and interpret Jewish text and tradition, and ways to integrate Jewish perspectives into their busy, modern lives. From boiling difficult text down to its essence by writing "Jew-ku", to debating hot topics using Jewish perspectives and creating an ethical will for themselves and future classes, this year provides tools to help students better define their own Jewish identities.

The actual ceremony of Confirmation takes place on the holiday of Shavuot, allowing our Confirmands to re-enact the moment when the ancient Israelites accepted the Ten Commandments, the Torah, and the Jewish faith. This class will therefore be an in-depth study of those commandments, that Torah, and our Jewish faith. Weekly study sessions with Rabbi Offner and Luke Weisberg will be complemented by participation in Shabbat Services, NFTY Conclaves, and other opportunities to translate faith into action. The year culminates in a Confirmation Service with prayers and readings written and assembled by the Confirmation Class.