Kindergarten - Kindergarten is a pivotal year for Religious School students. These students are eager and excited to learn and ready to become a part of the School community. They begin to see the Temple as the focus of their Jewish education. Enrollment in Religious School at this time is a meaningful sign to children that parents value their religious and moral education as much as their secular one. Kindergarten students are provided an in-depth understanding of Jewish holidays and begin to learn Torah stories about creation, Adam and Eve, and Noah. The year culminates with our Kabbalat Torah (receiving Torah) ceremony. This endearing rite of passage is a time for family and friends to join their kindergartener in celebration of their formal entry into Jewish learning.

Grade 1 - The book of Bereshit (Genesis) tells the story about the first Jewish family. It is here where they meet the characters who are role models, not because of their perfection, but rather because they are flawed and lessons can be learn from their struggles and successes. Grade 1 students are capable of empathizing with the Biblical characters and making connections to their own lives. By learning about Abraham, the first Jew, and his descendants, students continue to develop their own connection to Judaism and the Jewish people. In addition to learning about Genesis, students will also gain an understanding of the Jewish Holidays. Because the holiday curriculum spirals, students learn something new about the each holiday every year. Each Grade has its own specific focus.

Grade 2 - Grade 2 begins the core Judaic program called the Chai Curriculum, published by the Union for Reform Judaism. The Jewish sages teach that “the world stands on three things: Torah, Avodah, and G’milut Hasadim” (Avot 1:2). These pursuits – study, worship, and deeds of loving kindness – provide the framework within which Jews build their relationship with God, with one another, and with the world. These three values are also the core of the School's curriculum. In this introductory year, students learn about each of these three strands and the personal relevance and power of Torah, Avodah, and G’milut Hasadim. They focus on the book of Shemot (Exodus). Students make connections with these stories and how they relate to today’s world. Studying Avodah helps students to explore basic questions about God, and begin to develop a personal relationship with God. They discover their own power to make the world a better place through their study of G’milut Hasadim.

In addition to the Chai Curriculum, students also learn about and celebrate Jewish Holidays. Some holidays will be taught along with other activities. Other holidays will receive an in-depth focus. Because the holiday curriculum spirals, students learn something new about each holiday every year. Each grade has its own specific focus.

Grade 3 - The pursuit of Torah, Avodah, and G’milut Hasadim (study, worship, and deeds of loving kindness) provide the framework in which Jews build their relationship with God, with one another, and with the world. These three values are the core of the curriculum. Students refine their own understanding and definition of K'dushah (holiness) and apply that understanding to how ritual objects, symbols, prayer, and our behaviors can make moments and places special, holy, and help them feel closer to God. In Grade 3 they focus on the book of Vayikra (Leviticus) in which God teaches how to live a life filled with K'dushah. The Avodah section extends the year-long theme of K'dushah with an exploration of how they can use prayer to make the world more holy. The lessons of G’milut Hasadim teach students responsibility for increasing holiness through their deeds.

In addition to the Chai Curriculum and the ongoing study of holidays, Grade 3 students begin to learn Hebrew letters and vowels. This introduction focuses on letter recognition and pre-reading skills.

Grade 4 - Jewish life is built around three principles: Torah, Avodah, and, G’milut Hasidim. This is the core of the Judaic curriculum and is explored by students in Grade 4 with a focus on community. Throughout the year, students study the relationship between being a member of a community and how one behaves in relationship to the community. They examine the connection between the People of Israel and the Land of Israel in the Torah, the significance and structure of communal prayer, and acts of G’milut Hasadim affecting relationships. Students look at the concepts of Am Yisrael (the Jewish people), Eretz Yisrael (the land of Israel), and Brit (covenant) found in the last two books of the Torah, Bamidbar (Numbers), and Dvarim (Deuteronomy). The Avodah section helps students understand the role of communal worship, particularly in a synagogue setting. The lessons on G’milut Hasadim focus on how personal acts of loving kindness relate to their relationships with family and friends and others they encounter in daily life.

In addition to the Chai Curriculum and an ongoing study of holidays, Grade 4 students begin their Hebrew studies in earnest by coming twice a week. They are introduced to the letters and vowels of the aleph-bet and learn to decode them. By the end of the year students can connect letters with their sounds and are able to read.

Grade 5 - Much of Jewish life falls into the categories of Torah, Avodah, and G’milut Hasadim. It encompasses what Jews think, feel, and do. Accordingly, it is also the core of the Grade 5 Judaic curriculum. In the Torah section, students learn about the Prophets and Reform Judaism’s special relationship to their message. In their Avodah lessons, students examine the tension between individual and community in the Amidah, the central prayer of the synagogue service. Community is also vital in G’milut Hasadim where students learn about how community members take care of each other. Holidays continue to be an important part of the Religious School curriculum. Students learn about holidays as they occur and reflect on the deeper meaning of Jewish celebrations and commemorations. Grade 5 Hebrew students show a rapid growth in skills as they move beyond letter recognition and decoding to prayer fluency. Students focus on the Shema and the blessings surrounding it. An understanding of the rudimentary construction of Hebrew language including roots, pronouns, prefixes, and suffixes will be introduced. A highlight of this year is the Grade 5 and 6 Retreat. This is a time for students to bond, to learn in a less formal setting, and to explore themes in an expanded way.

Grade 6  - Grade 6 is the final year of the Chai Curriculum which is organized around the principles of Torah, Avodah, and G’milut Hasadim. Revelation was a defining moment in the life of the Jewish people and is the beginning of Jew's ongoing relationship with God. In Grade 6, students investigate how the collection of stories, poems, and words of wisdom known asKetuvim (writings) relate to the individual's relationship with God. In their Avodah lessons, students study the components of the Torah service and the role of the sh'liach tzibur (prayer leader). The G'milut Hasadim program helps students integrate Jewish values with universal causes.

As in every grade, holidays continue to be an important part of the Religious School curriculum. Students continue to learn about and celebrate the holidays. 

Grade 6 is the final year of the formal Hebrew program of the Religious School. By this point students are able to demonstrate fluency in decoding and have a small Hebrew vocabulary. Students continue to practice central prayers with a focus on the Amidah and Torah service. They also integrate Hebrew with T’fillah and music by preparing to lead parts of the service on their own.

Grade 7 - The theme for the Grade 7 Confirmation is “God, Torah, and Israel.” The year is divided into four sections. The first section focuses on choices that each teen must face and the Jewish perspectives on those choices. By being exposed to Jewish perspectives on issues they encounter in their everyday life, students are able to unite their Jewish lives with their secular lives. The second area of the curriculum is Torah. Students examine Bible stories as more than mere simple tales, and appreciate the many lessons they reveal. The third section is Israel. Not just the State of Israel, but rather the people of Israel. Students explore what it means to be a part of community on the local level as well as on the larger global level. The final section of the curriculum explores the concept of God. Students begin to rethink their concept of God while exploring classic interpretations. Students understand that Judaism is not a religion for children but rather one for adults, with adult thoughts and themes. By offering them a new and sophisticated view of God, the School is providing them the opportunity to stretch their understanding of the world. Their relationship to God must grow and change over time. Their concept of God at age fifty will be different than it was at age twelve. Planting the seeds now will help them to grow and cultivate new ideas.

Grade 8 - Those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it. Yet our history can teach us more than just where we’ve been. The Grade 8 year is a race through Jewish History from Abraham to the present day. Students explore not just what happened to the Jews, but also how this impacted who they became. Students will learn that Judaism has never been stagnant and that Jews have always interacted and reacted to what was happening in the world around them. The important events and the important people in Jewish History will be studied. Students will come to understand how the events of today affect their own Jewish identity and they will learn to think critically about how they express their Judaism.

Grade 9 - The stress and burdens young adults face are new variations of the personal struggles detailed in Torah. Biblical heroes can provide insight about personal interactions through the mistakes they made. Students in Grade 9 examine stories about biblical characters in order to learn how to better navigate their changing and challenging relationships with friends, siblings, and parents.

Grade 10 - Grade 10 is a year of changes. Students learn to drive, consider colleges, and test the boundaries between authority and independence. As students begin to make their own decisions about how to spend their time, the Religious School's goal is to make Confirmation both a useful and appealing choice. The School wants students to leave with an understanding of the place Judaism holds in their lives and with a thirst to continue to grapple with Jewish issues.