Welcome to the CBI Religious School

CLICK ON EACH DOCUMENT FOR 2009-2010 REGISTRATION MATERIALS:

Registration Letter
Enrollment Form
Parent Questionnaire
Emergency/Waiver Form

2009-2010 Religious School Calendar
2009-2010 Parent Handbook

Education, Community and Partnership are the cornerstones of our learning environment. Congregation B’nai Israel offers programming for tots through 12th grade in formal and informal settings. Please explore the options on our on-line synagogue bulletin: Kehila. This “school and teen program” link includes information about the Religious School, 8th grade and high school classes and programs. As an educational institution, we continually evaluate our offerings and rely on feedback to assess our programs. Your voice and participation is essential to our well being. Myriad opportunities exist for you to connect to our vibrant community. This is your invitation to learn more about us and get involved.

The Religious School (K-7th grade) is a place for students to learn in a relaxed atmosphere. As a conservative synagogue, tradition and innovation inform our curriculum preparing students for a Jewish life. We study tefila (prayer), Israel, Hebrew language, Torah, Shabbat, life cycle and tikun olam (repairing the world) while encouraging spiritual growth and critical inquiry. Opportunities for “hands-on” learning through family education, tzedaka, the arts, singing, dancing and discussion enliven the curriculum. Community wide events during the year, Shabbat dinners and cross grade programming are part of the religious school experience. We welcome a diverse community of thinkers and provide a safe space for all students and learners. For specific class curriculum please click on “class descriptions”. Our Rabbi, Justin David, plays an integral part in the lives of our students and is an unwavering source of inspiration and partnership with our Director of Education Alison Morse.

K-7th Grade Class Descriptions

GAN and ALEPH: The kindergarten and first grade have a two year rotating curriculum. In year one, the focus of learning is on holidays, Shabbat and Israel. The second year is a study of God, bible heroes and Jewish values. Through active learning, art projects, singing and dancing, students integrate concepts and values that reflect classroom discussions. Hebrew words are introduced and incorporated into the classroom vocabulary.Tefilot (prayer), songs, parent involvement and snack complement the curriculum.

BET: Bet students continue to learn prayers and begin Hebrew reading with a primer called Journeys through the Aleph-Bet. Several units including the study of Torah scribes and their work, objects and people in the synagogue, and the meaning of kashrut complement the curriculum. Emphasis is placed on greater knowledge of the holidays and Torah stories. A parent student book list augments the emerging understanding of Jewish thought and community. Gan/Aleph and Bet meet weekly for community enrichment via song and dance.

GIMEL: Hebrew reading, decoding and comprehension are the focus of the first part of class on Sundays and Thursdays. Judaic units such as blessings, the cycle of the Jewish year, the Ten Commandments, and Jews around the world, add another layer to the emerging base of Judaic knowledge garnered from the students’ early years. Gimel class participates in a Thursday afternoon sing with Dalet – Vav students. Each student receives a Siddur with personal inscriptions from their families as part of a mid-year ceremony.

DALET: Students continue learning Tefila (prayer), Hebrew reading and comprehension skills. Two Modern Hebrew books, Shiri Llama and Shalom Ivrit introduce Modern Hebrew language. Students learn to construct their own Hebrew sentences and learnthe script alphabet mid-year. Life-cycle events (including two family sessions led by the Rabbi), an overview of the five books of the Torah and text study from A Child’s Bible – Lessons from the Torah, are the pillars of the Dalet curriculum. On Sundays, students hear tales of Elijah the Prophet and on Thursdays the class joins the other grades for an afternoon sing.

HAY: The year begins with the study of the Shabbat Amidah with an emphasis on reading accuracy. Students study ancient and modern history and the geography of Israel, with a multi-faceted curriculum that incorporates art, music, creative writing and role-playing. A recent addition to the curriculum is BabagaNewz, an educational classroom magazine, for Jewish middle school students. Look it up on line to discover a rich world of current events, science, Torah, Israel and more. Kitah Hay students continue to build their Hebrew reading and comprehension skills by preparing and reading aloud engaging stories from Shalom Ivrit Two, a Modern Hebrew reader. The Rabbi meets with parents of the Hay class twice during the year to discuss Israeli politics.

VAV: Students are introduced to the Tzedek Partner Program that teaches to learning, giving and organizing for social justice. Students study Prophets and Pirkei Avot (ethical teachings as they prepare for the B’nai Mitzvah year. Tefila (prayer) includes the Torah service, and blessings recited before and after the haftarah. Hebrew language learning continues with a series called “Ulpan Alef”, that offers basic conversational Hebrew on practical daily matters. On Thursday afternoons, Vav students join the younger grades for singing.

VAV SHABBATON: To build community and support families before the B’nai Mitzvah, there is a Shabbaton in the spring of the sixth grade year. CBI members (students and parents) from LGA and the Religious School join for Friday evening services, socializing and dinner followed by a class on the transition from adolescence to adulthood. On Shabbat morning, two classes that investigate the holiness of prayer and the value of mitzvot are led by master teachers. Requirements for the mitzvah project and Shabbat service attendance before the B’nai mitzvah are discussed on Saturday night followed by a movie, popcorn and socializing. This final session of the Shabbaton is just for kids.

ZAYIN: Students explore values and consider their coming of age in an intellectual and creative environment as they continue to prepare for their b’nai mitzvah year and beyond.

On Sundays Zayin students study three topics over the course of the school year. During the first trimester, using a curriculum from AVODAarts called The Jewish Lens; students explore values and community through photography. The second and third trimesters are dedicated to immigration to the United States and an overview of the Holocaust. Holocaust studies include a visit to the Hatikvah Holocaust Center in Springfield, a book discussion of The Man from the Other Side by Uri Orlev, a viewing of the movies: The Pigeon and Paperclips, and a visit with a child survivor. The Zayin year like all grades in our school, concludes with a “Siyum” – an opportunity for students to share oral or written work on a topic of their choosing.

ZAYIN THROUGH TENTH GRADE STUDENTS: On Wednesday evenings seventh through tenth grade students enjoy a light dinner served at 5:30 pm, followed by classes that conclude at 7:30 pm. Zayin students study with the Rabbi with a focus on the study of Torah text as it relates to mitzvot, followed by a class on ethics taught by their Sunday morning teacher.

EIGHTH AND NINTH GRADE STUDENTS: Bi-monthly class, Pop Culture Parsha, is a review of the weekly Torah portion through the lens of Jewish popular culture.  Utilizing the mediums of film, music, art, and literature, the students are guided on a weekly quest to interpret the most fascinating aspects of Torah with a modern twist. Focusing on the topics of Jewish humor, G-d, and relationships, students will develop their ideas and ideals about Judaism.

EIGHTH THROUGH TENTH GRADE STUDENTS:  A monthly book club focusing on the art of the Jewish tale, and the authors who create them.  From the Baal Shem Tov to JD Salinger, Jewish storytellers have been filling the world with amazing narratives about the human experience.  Each month, students will discuss short stories that deal with such topics as Mysticism, Environmental Responsibility, and Assimilation.  Along with the readings and discussion, the final part of this course allows students to create their own short stories and examine the topics that they are passionate about.

ALISON MORSE, M.Ed. is the director of education. She is a long time CBI member with an extensive Judaic educational background including multiple visits to Israel and memberships in the Jewish Educator’s Assembly and the Coalition for the Advancement of Jewish Education.

If you have any questions, contact Alison at: cbi.edudir@verizon.net or (413) 584-3593 x203

Thank you and welcome to CBI's Religious School