About ALMA
ALMA (“world” in Aramaic and "soul" in Ladino) is inspired Jewish education for youth and families. At ALMA, we believe that Judaism matters, and that Jewish life and tradition has the potential to add profound meaning and richness to the lives of our students and families. We believe that our students must genuinely enjoy themselves in order to learn and develop a love of Jewish life and tradition. Our passionate staff work hard to create a culture that is joyful, in which our students and their families feel respected, engaged, and inspired.
Our dynamic curriculum for students from pre-school through 7th grade engages students in an active exploration of Jewish life and tradition through learning about Jewish values, Jewish time, and Jewish customs. Students learn songs and prayers, create ritual objects, and get their hands dirty on our chava (Abundance Farm). Our Ivrit (Hebrew) specialist works with ALMA students to develop fluent decoding and our Tefillah (prayer) specialist helps students build comfort with traditional and contemporary Jewish prayers and songs.
Questions about programming and schedule, contact Aram aram@cbinorthampton.org.
“The world is sustained solely through the breath of the children when they are learning in school alongside their teachers. Talmud, Shabbat 119b”
ALMA Clases
Shorashim and Nitzanim meet once a week on Shabbat mornings from 10 am–12 pm. All other classes meet twice a week, Thursdays from 3:30–5:30 pm and Shabbat mornings from 10 am–12 pm. View the ALMA 2025-2026 Calendar for additional details.
- Shorashim (roots): Pre-K / ages 3-5
- Nitzanim (flower buds): K/1st grade
- Amirim (bundles of grain): 2nd grade
- Ilanot (trees): 3rd and 4th grades
- Arazim (cedars): 5th grade
- Rimonim (pomegranates"): 6th and 7th grades
Tuition
ALMA is a 9-month program, running from September to May. Families are expected to commit to a full year. Members receive a 10% discount, as membership covers building and administrative costs. ALMA tuition can be paid all at once or you can set up your own automatic installment plan through our website.
- Pre K- 1st grade (meets 1 day a week): $1,200
- 2nd to 7th grade (meets 2 days a week): $2,050
- Supplemental Care, Thursdays from 2:15–3:30 pm prior to ALMA, includes games, art, and other activities: $375
Tuition Assistance
Tuition makes it possible for our program to sustain quality educators and specialists and to provide materials for students. CBI believes in the value of Jewish education and strongly believes that finances should never be an obstacle to Jewish education. CBI Members are eligible to request financial assistance and should apply by July 1 for priority consideration.
When thinking of your annual income, consider employment income, interest, dividends, Social Security, IRA, pension, 401(k), rental income, business profits, etc. Note: The median household income in Northampton is $80,000.
We'll review requests for tuition assistance starting July 1, and will accommodate as many request as we can. If we're able to meet your request, we'll notify you prior to charging your account. If we are unable to meet your needs, we will be in touch about what we can offer. Tuition assistance is currently unavailable for supplemental after care.
Registration