Kindergarten - 6th Grade
Class Curriculums

What We Teach:

The focus of the curriculum for first grade is the Jewish home. We focus on the celebration of Shabbat and begin our exploration of Biblical heroes and heroines. Basic, simple prayers are introduced through participation in our children’s services.

First Grade Consecration is always a beautiful ceremony! First graders are blessed under our “Chuppah” by our clergy and receive a very special gift.

What We Teach:

Second graders study the synagogue. We help them to see the temple as a place to meet, discuss, learn, interact, share and experience Jewish life. We prepare our students for active participation in our synagogue and introduce them to the ceremonial objects and symbols in the sanctuary.

What We Teach:

In third grade, students begin to discover what Torah is and to see Judaism from a new historical perspective. From creation to Moses, our curriculum takes children on a fascinating journey through time. The third grade holiday focus is on Chanukah.

Hebrew Practice: please use the chart at the front of your student’s workbook to keep track of daily Hebrew reading practice.

Torah Scroll Year-Long Project! This year we cover the stories from Bereshit, Genesis. After learning about a story, students create artwork depicting each story. At the end of the year, each student assembles his/her pictures into a Torah scroll to take home as their final project and reminder of all they learned!

What We Teach:

Israel, Tzedakah, prayer and God are the major units of study this year. The students begin to understand Tzedakah as much more than dropping money into a can. They learn the impact that our Prophets have had on Tikkun Olam and Social Justice. The holiday focus is on the High Holy Days and Yom Ha’atzmaut, Israel Independence Day, with students studying from a more personal and historical perspective versus a simpler ritual outlook.

Fourth grade students learn about mitzvot and work on a community quilt project. Each student designs their own quilt square, and the finished creation will be hung on the classroom wall. At the end of the year, the students take home their square as a keepsake.

What We Teach:

The Jewish Life Cycle and understanding the Five Books of Moses are central to our fifth grade curriculum. Our students start to understand the Jewish view of life and the special way of celebrating important Jewish events from birth until death. This year teaches children about Life Cycle events such as birth and naming ceremonies, Brit Milah/circumcision, Bar and Bat Mitzvah, Confirmation, marriage, family life, aging/death/mourning. One of the most special programs of the year is the Wedding portion of the 5th Grade Life Cycles program. We sometimes celebrate with a couple renewing their vows. Students create invitations, the Ketubah, the Chuppah and organize the reception. It is a beautiful event!

What We Teach:

The sixth grade school year focuses on the Tanach, the Hebrew Bible, the Land of Israel and a taste of conversational Hebrew. We strive to instill an interest and love of Eretz Yisrael, past and present, and spend time exploring the pre-Bar/Bat Mitzvah year and what it means regarding Tikkun Olam, repairing the world. To keep the students active, we have created a schedule that allows them to move through three rotations, interacting with each teacher.

What We Teach:

This year, Hebrew and Religious School is combined for those pursuing B’nai Mitzvah. B’nai Mitzvah students have the opportunity to share their own ideas with their peers in addition to interactive discussions with the Rabbi on Torah and current events. “Moving Traditions” is a gender-based, nationally recognized program in which students meet in small groups and explore issues important to them, have fun and are “real” with one another. There is also an annual trip to the Holocaust museum.

What We Teach:

In place of meeting every Sunday, our students join us for mini-units, two in the fall and two in the spring. The goal is to help students realize the responsibility and the challenges involved in being an “adult” in the Jewish Community. Experiential field trips, incorporating mitzvot, will also take place. We have an annual Mariano’s shopping trip event to purchase food to donate to the ARK.

What We Teach:

Taught by a team of teachers, rabbis and guest facilitators, our ninth grade focus is on strengthening the students’ Jewish identity, with participants creating new friendships or deepening existing ones and developing a new connection to Temple.

What We Teach:

Confirmation is a sacred and meaningful chapter in Jewish life. This is a milestone in a teen’s religious education where it is expected that they have some definite feelings about their values and hopes for the future. Guided by the rabbis and the Confirmation teachers, the students enter a year of personal exploration – an exploration of their relationship to their fellow human beings and their relationship to God. Tenth grade begins
the year at the Challenge Course in Northbrook where they get to know each other better and learn new things about themselves.

Confirmation takes place on a Friday evening in May. The service is at 6:30 p.m. with dinner at 8:00 p.m.

What We Teach:

Post-Confirmation meets with Rabbi Cohen to discuss topics of interest to the 11th and 12th grade students. Rabbi designs the curriculum around the students participating.