December 21, 2024 ()
At Congregation Etz Chaim, each and every child is valued for their distinct individuality; they are met with the warmth of our school community, or kehillah, inspiring a love of Jewish learning at every stage of development.
The educational journey at Congregation Etz Chaim begins with our licensed, accredited preschool which serves our youngest congregants, encouraging a quest for knowledge infused with Judaism for children from 14 months and walking through Pre-K. The next step is our rigorous religious school program; here, children in kindergarten through seventh grade learn all about what it means to be Jewish, cultivate a working knowledge of Jewish practice, and develop a sense of Jewish identity. Students may choose to extend their Jewish education through our Chai Five program, developed for students in 8th – 12th grade.
Confirmation of our 10th Grade students is held in the Spring.
Upon completion of the school year, the students will have mastered the following objectives:
Israel:
To state that Hebrew is the language spoken in Israel and to describe ways that families in Israel are like our families and are different from our families.
Holidays:
To identify one way that families in Israel celebrate the holidays, including: Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Simchat Torah, Hanukkah, Tu B’Shevat, Purim, Pesach, and Yom Ha’Atzmaut
Parsha:
To share parts of the various weekly parshiyot in Bereshit (Book of Genesis)
Community:
Mitzvot:
To give examples of mitzvot that can be done in conjunction with the holidays throughout the year.
Tefillah:
To be able to sing along with the group to the following prayers:
Hebrew:
Upon completion of the school year, the students will have mastered the following objectives:
Israel:
Holidays:
To name the Jewish chagim (holidays) and one way in which the holiday is celebrated including: Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Simchat Torah, Hanukkah, Tu B’Shevat, Purim, Pesach, and Yom Ha’Atzmaut
Parsha:
To share parts of the various weekly parshiyot in Bereshit (Book of Genesis)
Community/Lifecycle:
To state their Hebrew name and describe the different ways to celebrate a Jewish child’s naming
Mitzvot:
To participate in the mitzvah of Ahavat ha-briyot (loving concern for others)
Community/Lifecycle:
To state their Hebrew name and describe the different ways to celebrate a Jewish child’s naming
Tefillah:
To be able to sing along with the group to the following prayers:
Upon completion of the school year, the students will have mastered the following objectives:
Israel:
To complete the lessons in the textbook Yisrael Sheli as determined by the teacher.
Holidays:
To identify the major chagim and identify the symbols that are incorporated into celebrating them, including: Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Simchat Torah, Hanukkah, Tu B’Shevat, Purim, Pesach, and Yom Ha’Atzmaut
Parsha:
To state components of the various weekly parshiyot in Bereshit (Book of Genesis)
Community/Lifecycle:
To name the three major prayer books and when they are used, including the Machzor, Siddur and Chumash.
Mitzvot:
To name the following mitzvot and tell of ways to fulfill the mitzvah – Taking Care of the World, Accepting Responsibility, Doing the Right Thing, Remembering to be Humble, Standing up for Others, Showing Kindness, Keeping Peace in the Family and Asking for Forgiveness as they relate to the Torah parshiyot
Tefillah:
To be able to sing along with the group to the following prayers:
Hebrew:
Upon completion of the school year, the students will have mastered the following objectives:
Israel:
To complete the following lessons in the Israel curriculum and tell two facts related to the following units: People and Places and Culture.
Holidays:
Parsha:
To state components of the various weekly parshiyot in Bereshit (Book of Genesis).
Community/Lifecycle:
Mitzvot:
Hebrew:
Tefillah:
To be able to chant the following brachot (blessings) and prayers:
Upon completion of the school year, the students will have mastered the following objectives:
Israel:
To complete the three units in the Israel curriculum and tell two facts related to the following units: Israel in the Torah, Israel in Jewish Prayer and Practices and Israel in Jewish holidays.
Holidays:
To identify components of the major chagim (holidays) and tell ways that they are celebrated/connected to Israel.
Parsha:
To state components of the various weekly parshiyot in Bereshit (Book of Genesis)
Community/Lifecycle:
To state a connection between ourselves, and our families and the Jewish people through the stories we tell using the Etgar Yesodi curriculum
Mitzvot:
To name a variety of ways to perform mitzvot and organizations that can benefit from our support.
Tefillah:
To be able to chant the following prayers:
Hebrew:
To tell the meaning and decode with fluency the following prayers: Brachot, Barchu, Mi Chamocha, V’ahavta, and Aleinu
Upon completion of the school year, the students will have mastered the following objectives:
Israel:
The students will tell two facts related to Israel related to: Israel in the Torah, Israel in Jewish Prayer and Practices and Israel in Jewish holidays.
Holidays:
To identify components of three pilgrimage festivals, Shalosh Regalim- Sukkot, Pesach and Shavuot and tell where they are located in the Chumash and the ways they are connected to Israel.
Parasha:
Community/Lifecycle:
Mitzvot:
Tefillah:
To participate in discussion about the history of the following prayers and be able to chant them:
Hebrew:
To tell the meaning and decode with fluency the following prayers: Prayers of the Amidah:
Upon completion of the school year, the students will have mastered the following objectives:
Israel:
To complete three units in the Israel curriculum and tell two facts related to the following units: Zionism – What is a homeland? Challenges & Responses, East, West & Herzl
Holidays:
To identify components of the major chagim (holidays) and tell ways that they can connect to each holiday.
Parsha:
To review and share the important message(s) from their Bar/Bat Mitzvah Torah parasha
Community/Lifecycle:
To participate in discussion around the following units in the Project Etgar curriculum: Sifrei Kodesh, Bikur Cholim, and Kashrut
Mitzvot:
To discuss the importance of as well as participate in the mitzvah of feeding the hungry
Tefillah:
To be able to chant the following prayers:
Hebrew:
To tell the meaning and decode with fluency the following prayers: Tallit Brachot, Hotza’at HaTorah, and complete the Ashrei
Upon completion of the school year, the students will have mastered the following objectives:
Jewish History:
To complete three units in the Jewish History curriculum and tell two facts related to the following units: American Southern Jewish History, the Holocaust, Israeli History
Mitzvot/Holidays:
To participate in the following mitzvot and the holiday with which they are paired: Rosh Hashanah/Yom Kippur – Hunger, Chanukah – rededication, Tu B’Shevat – partnering with Israel, Purim – matanot
l’evyonim, Pesach – m’dor l’dor
Community/Lifecycle:
Utilizing the Moving Traditions curriculum, the students will participate in the curriculum units of Teen Stuff, Posting, and Making Friends and filled out the end of session survey.
Tefillah:
The students will understand the meaning of tefillin, why it is worn, how it is worn, when it is worn, and the prayers associated with putting on tefillin.