Temple Emanuel Religious School
Temple Emanuel Religious School
The Jewish People are known as “Am HaSefer” – People of the Book. We want our children to be familiar with and knowledgeable about the Torah, the Hebrew language, the culture of our people, and our over 5000 year old history. More importantly, we want our children to have a positive Jewish identity, to feel comfortable and proud to say “I am a Jew.” To this end, Temple Emanuel offers an educational program from preschool through Bar/Bat Mitzvah. Our post Bar/Bat Mitzvah students join with other Jewish teenagers at Makom, the Greater New Haven area Hebrew High School program and complete the Confirmation course with the Rabbi.
About Our Curriculum
Mitkadem Hebrew Curriculum:
Mitkadem is an exciting Hebrew teaching program that generates enthusiasm and excitement from teachers, students and parents. Our students learn to read Hebrew and enjoy a sense of accomplishment as they progress through a series of well-organized, stimulating, and self-paced ramot (levels). Each level is built around individual prayers. Mitkadem’s self-paced and child-centered approach allows each student to achieve according to his/her own ability. Read more about Mitkadem here:
CHAI Judaic Studies Curriculum
CHAI Curriculum is a flexible educational system for Reform congregational schools based on the values of Torah, Avodah, G’milut Chasadim and Israel, the most important concepts and values of Jewish life, helping students grow into committed and thoughtful Jewish adults. CHAI curriculum is designed so that student learning will go beyond the specific classroom activities and will reach a deeper enduring understanding, establishing the basis for later Jewish learning and living. Read more about CHAI curriculum here:
Asephah: Asephah means a collection or gathering, and the TE asephah is a gathering of parents, students, teachers and the rabbi at the start of Sunday school, from 9:30 – 10 am. Students and their parents learn through stories and music with Rabbi Farbman. We collect tzedakkah every week, distributed at the end of the year to charities and causes of students’ choice.
T’filah: On Wednesday afternoons a short prayer service is led by the Rabbi and teachers, with increasing
participation of the students as the year progresses. Once a month parents are invited to participate. This provides an excellent opportunity for students to implement the knowledge acquired in the classroom.
Preschool
Students and parents meet once a month in a parent led group. This less formal structure accommodates the varying degrees of maturity of preschoolers as well as allowing the parents to form a “chevra” (camaraderie) with the families who will be moving through religious school together.
Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd grades
Students meet in a traditional classroom setting on Sundays, 9:30 am – 12:00 noon to enjoy learning the basics of Hebrew aleph-bet, Jewish festivals, Torah stories, mitzvot (commandments) and traditions. The weekly program includes music, arts and crafts, games, stories and hands-on activities.
3rd – 7th grades
Students begin attending the school twice a week starting in the 3rd grade, to allow more time to learn Hebrew. Each Sunday includes a Hebrew class, a Judaic studies class and a short break with a snack. Students also attend Wednesday afternoons, 4:30 – 6:00 pm. They begin the day with a short T’filah (prayer service) and have an hour of Hebrew language instruction.
Bnei Mitzvah Preparation
7th grade students continue to study twice a week within the overall religious school framework. On Wednesdays the program combines general bnei mitzvah preparation (service leading, d’var Torah – creative writing, chanting of blessings etc.) with individual sessions with the trope tutor. On Sunday mornings the students continue to improve their Hebrew reading skills, as well as have a special coming-of-age class with Rabbi Farbman.
Confirmation
Rabbi Farbman teaches a yearlong confirmation class for 10th graders. This class meets once a week and explores many aspects of Judaism, from major texts and commentaries to important modern issues. The students are challenged to discuss and debate issues of importance to them. The Confirmation year culminates with a special service on the Eve of Shavuot, led by the graduates.
Special Programs
Educational enrichment programs for individual grades, as well as for the entire school are held throughout the year, often centered around the Jewish Festivals. Many of these programs have an intergenerational component where adults and children celebrate and learn together.
Adult Education
Learning opportunities aren’t just for kids at TE! There is a warm, welcoming learning community for adults too. Multiple educational opportunities with the Rabbi are available for adults including weekly Torah study on Shabbat mornings, Basic Judaism class on Sundays, and continued Jewish education class on Thursdays. There are numerous special lectures and learning sessions which occur throughout the year, including an annual interfaith scholar-in-residence program with our neighboring houses of worship. Individual opportunities exist for adult b’nai mitzvah, for learning Hebrew and Torah trope.
Come, drop in and learn!
Chanukah Gift Giving Program a Success!
On Sunday December 11th about 30 religious school children, their parents, teachers, and members of the Education Committee & Social Action Committee participated in a fun and educational morning that ended with a community mitzvah project that was a true success. The kids and parents sang with the Rabbi, then kids learned with their teachers and adults studied with the Rabbi, and then everyone helped to pack about 115 Holiday baskets for kids (and moms) from Jewish Family Services, Fairhaven Clinic, r’ kids, and Life Haven Shelter. It was busy, noisy, and fun. A huge mazel tov to all the… more
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