Our curriculum strives to give students and families multiple access points to Jewish learning, from Hebrew and prayer to history and holidays. Below is an overview of our curriculum by grade level. For more information on our Hebrew curriculum and plans for 2020-2021, scroll down or use the links above to jump below.
Grade | Hebrew / Tefillah | Text | Traditions / Ritual | Ethics / Mitzvot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Shorashim (PreK) | Hebrew through music and games | Being Jewish means... | ||
Gan (K) | Intro to Aleph-Bet Hebrew Greetings Holidays & Shabbat | Jewish values through stories | How do we celebrate Jewish holidays and Shabbat? | What is a mitzvah? |
Aleph (1st) | Identify shapes and sounds of the Aleph-Bet and vowels Hebrew through Movement Hebrew names for ritual objects | Celebrating Shabbat and holidays in synagogue and at home Synagogue geography | Jewish values and mitzvot such as Bikkur Holim (visiting the sick) and Hachnasat Orchim (welcoming guests). | |
Bet (2nd) | Identify and write letters of the Aleph-Bet and vowel sounds Hebrew through Movement Days/Months of the Hebrew Calendar | Torah and weekly parsha through stories Israel - People and Place | Jewish Calendar | |
Gimel (3rd) | Decode 2 - 3 syllable words Identify and define Hebrew roots Tefillah goals: Barch, Shema, Brachot, Four Questions | Family relationships in the Torah | Exploration of mitzvot, ritual, and brachot | Jewish values in the home, including Shalom Bayit (peace in the home) and Kavod Av v'Em (honoring parents) |
Dalet (4th) | Increase fluidity in decoding multi-syllabic words Develop skills reading tefillot from siddur Ability decode and write all Hebrew letters and vowels Sing and identify key vocabulary from tefillah goals: V'ahavta, Mi Camocha, Avot, Gevurot | Prophets | Jewish lifecycle | Ten Commandments |
Hey (5th) | Increase fluidity in decoding multi-syllabic words Develop skills to read tefillot from siddur Ability decode and write all Hebrew letters and vowels *Incorporate Hebrew script as able Sing and identify key vocabulary from tefillah goals: Torah Service, Ein Kolheinu, Aleinu | Kings and Prophets | Introduction to Jewish History from the Kings to Exile Jewish customs around the world | Welcoming strangers Diversity in Jewish tradition in the Diaspora |
Vav (6th) | Develop sight decoding skills in siddur and identifying known tefillot. Tefillah goals: Readers Kaddish Hatzi Kaddish Kiddush Haftarah Blessing | Pirkei Avot (Ethics of our Ancestors) | American Jewish History and communities Buiding a Kehillah Kedosha - a holy community | Values of food and gratitude Tzedakah |
Zayin (7th) | Amidah (Weekday and Shabbat) Hallel | Shaarei Mitzvah text study; Shoah; History of Modern Israel | What does it mean to become a Jewish adult? | Exploration of Tzedek - Justice through mitzvot "ben adam v'haveiro" (between people) and "ben adam l'makom" (between people and God) |
Havurat Shabbat | Participation in Junior Congregation and developing skills to lead Shabbat morning services Introduction to trope and leyning | Family Torah and interactive parsha study | ||
Gesher (Teens) | What do Jewish values have to do with social justice and anti-Racism? |
Hebrew at PSJC focuses on building foundational decoding and siddur skills and comfort with Hebrew Life Vocabulary and central Modern Hebrew terms and phrases. In our younger classes, students are introduced to the Aleph-Bet through letters and sounds. We begin decoding in third grade, through a self-paced curriculum.
TEFILLAH
תפילה
Tefillah (prayer / communal worship) is at the core of our Hebrew Curriculum. We want our children to value the experience of Jewish prayer and language, as well as to be able to participate in Tefillah at PSJC and in Jewish communities around the world. While Tefillah is only one of the ways in which Jews celebrate Shabbat and holidays, the language of the siddur is a powerful connection with K’lal Yisrael (the worldwide Jewish community) and in the life of a synagogue.
HEBREW THROUGH MOVEMENT
עברית בתנועה
Hebrew through Movement is a language acquisition strategy in which students learn Hebrew by hearing and responding to Hebrew instructions. It starts by laying a foundation of spoken Hebrew, and builds toward the goal of making the prayers in our siddur, as well as synagogue and Jewish vocabulary, more easily accessible within a limited learning time. We will begin using Hebrew through Movement in the younger grades, to build a strong foundation for Hebrew language acquisition.
JEWISH LIFE VOCABULARY
מילים חיים
One of the important ways that we connect to the Hebrew language is through key Hebrew and Yiddish words and phrases that are part of contemporary Jewish life. The curriculum will use and explore Hebrew terms (such as shalom, mazal tov, tikkun olam, yasher koach, tzedakah, and more) and be introduced thematically by grade This Jewish Life Vocabulary also includes terms used within the classroom and synagogue consistently, integrating Hebrew grammar lessons (such as roots and prefixes) with Judaic studies.
MODERN HEBREW
עברית מודרני
Modern Hebrew vocabulary and grammar is not the primary focus of the PSJC Hebrew Curriculum. Through use of phrases in the classroom, Hebrew through Movement activities, regular Hebrew games; Modern Hebrew chugim, and supplemental activities, students will develop a foundation in Modern Hebrew that can be built upon in later years.
As we look towards in 5781 (2020-2021), there is nothing we would want more than for us all to be able to gather at PSJC for Hebrew School classes and family programs. Given the realities of Covid-19 safety and the logistics of DOE scheduling and procedures, this seems unlikely*. With these challenges, comes a chance to dream and imagine new models of learning and connecting. Check out some of the exciting things we are planning for hybrid learning through at least the February break. Want to learn more details? Sign up for a coffee chat with Aileen this summer or email to schedule a individual zoom meeting or phone call. For information on the weekly schedule, visit the registration page.
*Decisions regarding building use and safety protocols will be determined in conjunction with the PSJC Covid Advisory Committee, Hebrew School Committee, and guidelines from the DOE/HHS/NYS.
SMALL GROUP & ONE-ON-ONE HEBREW
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Weekly small groups or one-on-one sessions scheduled for Hebrew decoding practice
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ShalomLearning management system for practice, asynchronous assignments, and tracking
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Hebrew through Movement incorporated into grades K - 5th
GRADE LEVEL LEARNING
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Judaics curriculum by grade including
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Family in the Torah (3rd)
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Rock lifecycle (4th)
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Jewish history (5th)
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Tefillah goals by grade
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Music and social breaks built into the weekly schedule
SOCIAL EMOTIONAL & SPIRITUAL LEARNING (SESL)
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Shift Tefillah to a community or class meeting and incorporate meditation and mindfulness tools
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Use weekly parsha questions to build social-emotional skills
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Prioritize community and relationship building
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Focus on listening to each other and yourself
FAMILY HAVUROT AND PODS
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Create family havurot or pods to allow for small group gatherings as deemed safe
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Students in pods will work together on projects and parents will be encouraged to connect with each other
ELECTIVES
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Weekend electives that are built around being at home or socially distant outside including:
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virtual choir
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cooking
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running / yoga
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trope
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art
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modern Hebrew
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and more!
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PROJECT BASED LEARNING
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Values curriculum with weekly projects for K - 2nd and monthly projects for 3rd -5th (supplies provided for pick-up or delivery)
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Long-term, open-ended projects for 6th and 7th grade
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Tzedakah (6th)
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Tzedek (7th)
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SCHEDULE LOGISTICS
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Online classes will still meet on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons, and Shabbat and Sunday mornings
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Increased opportunities for individual and small group learning asynchronously
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We hope to have a weekend option for K - 2nd Grade students, based on registration
SOCIAL JUSTICE & ANTI-RACISM
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Opportunities for action projects (virtual, distanced, or on-site) throughout the year
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View Jewish values through anti-Racism action and social justice lens
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Resources for parents and families
HOLIDAYS & SHABBAT
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Focus on Elul and High Holiday programming for start of the year
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Provide resources for celebrating at home or with family havurot
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Provide students with tools to develop and share new traditions