Schedule Mission Curriculum Focus The Religious School Schedule We are committed to creating an environment for Jewish learning that prepares our children to live as Jews in the 21st century. Integrating classroom, digital and experiential forms of study, we provide a setting that fits all learning styles. Our flexible schedule is designed to meet your needs. See the details below. Lisa Tenenbaum: lisa@temple-israel.com Sunday SessionsGrades K-7Temple Beth El Mid-Week Hebrew Sessions3rd through 6th Grades Tuesday at Temple Beth El4:30-5:30OR Wednesday at the Weiss School4176 Burns Rd., Plam Beach Gardens4:30-5:30 THE RELIGIOUS SCHOOL MISSION The goal of the Religious School at Temple Beth El is to provide the highest quality Jewish education while providing schedule flexibility for today's youth. We understand you're busy. We understand you want the best for your child. We understand the importance of a Jewish education. We believe that Judaism belongs to each child, and our responsibility is to create the foundations that enable the student to integrate his Jewish identity into his life. We do this by: Developing the sense of belonging to the Jewish community; Experiencing the beauty of the Hebrew language; Exploring different observances and customs of the Jewish heritage; Understanding tradition as part of the survival of the Jewish people throughout history; Connecting with the State of Israel; Promoting acts of tzedakah and g'millut chassadim - charity and loving kindness to learn to live Jewish values. CURRICULUM In our Religious School our children learn that the study of Judaism creates a foundation for living a life of meaning and purpose. The Torah is like a river; it is the path we take to live a fulfilled and righteous life. This is what has guided us in creating our curriculum. Each grade has its own subjects and content areas. During the course of the school year, the children will explore these topics all within the context of specific Jewish values. The age appropriate content areas will be presented within the context of these Jewish values. Below is a list of the values we will study this year, along with the explanations of their significance. The goal is for our students to understand how different Jewish values can be integrated into all aspects of Jewish life. Kindergarten Jewish Holidays…Jewish Life… values...Introducing the Hebrew alphabet First & Second Grade Introducing Hebrew reading & Prayer…Stories from the Torah …Holiday traditions… Introducing Israel…Living Jewishly Third Grade The Jewish year…Lessons from the Bible part 1… Getting to know Israel…Delving into t'fillah…Israel in our lives Fourth Grade Lessons from the Bible part 2… T'fillah… Israel & living Jewishly…Hebrew names & family history. Fifth Grade Exploring Jewish values in the modern world…The modern State of Israel…Refining prayer skills Sixth Grade Mastering prayer skills…The J Seventh Grade Connecting being Jewish, Tikkun Olam, & Community service…The lessons of the Holocaust…Israel in our lives…The Bar/Bat Mitzvah Club…Gesher - a gateway into Jewish adulthood! TALMUD TORAHStudy, then Action(September)Our goal is for the students to learn that the importance of Torah study is found in the lessons we learn from Bible stories. Our students will learn that Torah is a guide by which we can live. This is called “Living Torah”. By learning what it is to be a good Jew, we then acquire the skills to be a good person.DERECH ERETZLearning to be a Mensch, A Good Person(September - November)Our tradition teaches us that the way we treat one another is central to who we are as Jews. Our students will learn the importance of treating other people fairly and honestly. Students will learn the link between Torah and Derech Eretz. We will strive to impart upon them the idea that good manners are meaningless if they are not based on concern for others. Without acting decently, study of Torah has no meaning. One must not only study Torah but also live it by treating others decently. This concept of Derech Eretz can be translated into the concepts of Tzedakah, which means charity; G'millut Chassadim, which are acts of loving kindness; and Tzedek, which is justice.KLAL YISRAELJewish Identity(December)The concept of Klal Yisrael means that the Jewish people make up a worldwide community. We want our children to learn that Jews and Jewish communities are linked through the celebration of mitzvot, holidays and life cycle events which are held in common. Central to this also is the idea that the State of Israel is a modern manifestation of Klal Yisrael - representing and uniting Jewish culture, heritage and history in a political and national form. Doing what one believes in, not giving into peer pressure, sometimes requires us to act with courage.TZAR BA'ALEI HAIMHumane Treatment of Animals(January-February)Treating animals humanly is a Jewish value. By protecting all creation, we are imitating God, and participating in the act of creation. There is a relationship between humanity's well-being and the condition of the earth and its inhabitants. By protecting the creatures that live in our environment, we are protecting ourselves and our futures. The act of protecting the world (both nature and people) is called Tikun Olam. As individuals, if we strive to be good people, we will contribute to making the world a better place, of repairing the world.AVODAHHow we relate to God(February)Avodah, translated into English, is “work”. It also refers to the way we worship God and means “service to God”, whether through sacrifices (in the times of the Temple) or today through t'filla. T'filla can be defined as how we converse with God and can be viewed as a way by which we can become better human beings.ZACHORRemembering(March-April-May)Remembering our collective Jewish past is one way that we have been able to survive as a people. Rituals and customs and traditions are symbols that help us remember specific themes, values and concepts. These rituals are not ends but are tools which help us to connect to our history and traditions. We remember when we observe traditions associated with holidays, life cycle events and everyday activities. They stress that by linking activities to a ritual and to a mitzvah, we make everything we do holy - special - spiritually elevating our lives, bringing us closer to God.   About Temple Beth El | Rabbi's Corner | Cantor's Corner | Upcoming Events | Holiday Information | School | Morning Minyan | Sisterhood | Men's Club Copyright © 2006 Temple Beth El. All rights reserved. Website Designed by Ideation One, Inc.