Curriculum  

Kehilla School is committed to fostering a positive and deepening identification with Judaism. We want each child to learn and to feel themselves as a part of a meaningful community of peers and teachers and beyond that, as an integral part of the wider Jewish community around the world.

We require a minimum of two years at Kehilla School prior to Bar/Bat Mitzvah, both so the students will develop community and so they will have a base of Hebrew skills and of Judaic knowledge. We commit to creating a foundation for each student to have the opportunity to choose to participate in our Bar/Bat Mitzvah program, where they can have the extraordinary experience of reading from the Torah and presenting a teaching for the congregation.

K – 6th grade

Joyfully Jewish (for kindergarteners and their grown ups)
In this year we "Jewish" the Holy Sparks of our students with art, storytelling, games, and food. In class we follow the Jewish calendar, celebrating the cycle of Jewish holidays together—parents are invited to come enjoy with us. The year is designed to foster familiarity with and delight in Jewish culture as well as to build a community of parents.

Aleph (1) Stories Around the Jewish Calendar
Through Jewish folktales, contemporary children’s literature, and with stories of their own, the aleph class will explore Jewish life in different times and different places. Stories around the Jewish calendar year will bring to life symbols, customs, and ritual objects of the Jewish holidays, celebrated in the class community. Students will begin learning to recognize Hebrew letters.

Bet (2) Mtizvot (Commandments)
Bet students learn ethical mitzvot and vocabulary for Jewish social action. They will become a “mitzvah factory.” Students will begin or continue to learn the phonetic association of the Hebrew letters, mastering the basic rudiments of Hebrew reading. Through art, song, and games, the students will live the Jewish year together.

Gimel (3) God and Torah
An introduction to Jewish Renewal approaches to Torah study and to concepts of God through important narratives found in Genesis and Exodus, from creation to the death of Moses. This class focuses on God—who is God in the Torah? And who is God in our lives? We emphasize that there are many ways to interpret the stories and there are many ways to understand and know God. We continue building our Hebrew reading abilities.

Dalet (4) Prophets and Heroes
Students in 4th grade will explore Jewish and other moral values by learning about and reliving dramatic moments from the lives of Jewish heroes. These heroes range from ancient prophets to contemporary activists to personal and family heroes. The class will also learn about and celebrate Jewish holidays together.

Heh (5) Jewish Cycles and Traditions through time and space
In 5th grade, students are oriented to the rhythms of Jewish time— a year, a lifetime, and throughout history. Students are also exposed to a flavor of the diversity of practices of Jews around the world. Through holidays and lifecycle events, students will learn about Jewish Diaspora, exploring immigration patterns and personal family histories.

Vav (6) Jewish Identities – from Tribe to 20th Century
The question that drives this class is: how did we get here? As members of 21st century Jewish Renewal, we have inherited a path of many choices made by generations of Jewish before us. In this course, student start to see a line from the first Jews of the Torah, skipping through time to the present, where they live in multicultural, inter-religious, non-traditional community. Students will grapple with an evolution of some Jewish practices and identities that have led to the wide variety of Jewish possibilities today. Our sixth graders also participate in an annual retreat.

    Sixth Grade Retreat 2008

Throughout Kehilla School, we strive to create a foundation for each student to make his or her own choices about what kind of Jew and what kind of person s/he wants to be in the world. In the Bar/Bat Mitzvah program students will explore their choices with developmentally appropriate rigor and discipline.