Prek - 3rd

In our early grades, the Religious School focuses on giving children a foundation of Jewish learning that can be built upon in the years to come, nurturing a love of learning that continues throughout a student's life. 

To help build community for both our students and their parents, all Pre-K to 12^th graders have a variety of Shabbat potlucks, picnics and Curriculum Days and Nights throughout the year. 

The curriculum for our four year olds focuses on “An Introduction to Jewish Life,” and includes in-depth exposure to the concept of Mitzvot and to Shabbat and the Jewish holidays as seen through basic Bible stories, music, art projects, and other activities. Children learn what a synagogue is and who works in one, as well as become familiar with the important symbols of a synagogue. 

Class time includes music every other week and a weekly worship service led by one of the rabbis.

The Kindergarten curriculum focuses on “My Jewish Self,” wherein the children study about God, Torah, the Shema prayer, and the values of tzedakah (charity) and tikkun olam (healing the world). They also continue to learn about Bible stories. The Kindergarten students have art and music classes with our specialists and participate in our weekly worship service led by our rabbis. 

Parents and Guardians are invited to a Kindergarten Family Education program where parents will learn about establishing Jewish rituals in the home and each child will leave the program with a homemade Shema pillow. The Kindergartners are also invited to become consecrated during our Simchat Torah Service in the fall, where they gather for a class photograph and then receive special blessings from the community as they formally begin their Jewish education.

The 1^st graders focus on “The Jewish Home,” learning about the Jewish family, exploring how each holiday is celebrated with family, and learning to recognize the Hebrew letters. They have art and music with our specialists and participate in weekly services with the rabbis.

Each child will participate in a special Shabbat Box program: throughout the year, the children will create all the items necessary to welcome Shabbat with their family at home, culminating in the 1^st Grade Shabbat Potluck Dinner and Service.

The 2^nd graders learn to decode the letters and vowels in the Alef Bet, beginning to read short words. They continue with stories from the Torah, touch on each holiday throughout the year, and learn basic Jewish concepts such as mitzvot, the Bible, Israel, the synagogue, Jewish symbols, and the Jewish life cycle. The 2^nd graders have art and music with our specialists and participate in the weekly worship service led by the rabbis. 2^nd graders also participate in a special unit about prayer and God, starting with a family education program in the winter and concluding with a service in the spring that the students write and lead for their parents.

In the 3^rd grade, students truly become comfortable reading Hebrew. As they learn to read more fluently, they begin to work on some of the basic prayers in Hebrew. The curriculum includes the study of Bible stories from the books of the Prophets and Writings, building upon the previous year’s study of Torah. The year’s curriculum also includes the study of how to be a mensch to themselves, their family and community, and the world. The 3^rd graders study each holiday as it comes during the school year on a developmentally-appropriate level, have art and music with our specialists, and worship in their own 3^rd Grade Service led by older students in the school.