Life-Long Learning

Hebrew School

Our formal Hebrew School program begins in the 3rd grade and continues through 6th grade. However, students in the primary grades participate in the learning of the Hebrew aleph-bet and basic Hebrew words during their Religious School program. Students interested in continuing Hebrew study after the 6th grade year may opt for the 7th grade Hay class or take Hebrew as an elective in the Chai School program.

Hebrew School class levels:

Aleph – 1st year; Bet – 2nd year; Gimmel – 3rd year; Dalet – 4th year;
Hay –5th year (optional)

Our Hebrew programs:

LIMUD HEBREW PROGRAM (ALEPH - HAY)
This program is designed for the typical Hebrew student who can devote two hours of time to Hebrew study one day a week at Hebrew school and who is able to practice independently (or with siblings and parents) at home during the remainder of the week. This class is optimal for the student who learns best when there are clear, distinct topics of study (i.e. Hebrew is the only topic of study for two hours).

INTEGRATED/KALAL HEBREW PROGRAM (ALEPH – GIMMEL)
This program is design for the student who wishes to combine Hebrew study with religious studies. While no additional classroom time is required, teachers will work to integrate their Hebrew study with their religious school curriculum. Hebrew may be taught on Sundays and religious studies may be taught during the week. All enrolled students attend on Sunday at the regular Religious School time and opt for Tuesday or Wednesday for the other class time. Requirements for this program are good attendance on Sundays and during the week and practice at home during the remainder of the week. Because the sessions (on Sunday and during the week) present both Hebrew and religious studies, students need to be able to adapt quickly to the changing material and have skills to integrate their studies of Hebrew and religious topics.

CHAVAYAH/OPEN HEBREW PROGRAM (ALEPH - DALET)
The chavayah program is available to all students, regardless of age starting the program. This is an excellent class for students who benefit from individualized work and smaller classes. While this class is beneficial for those who have individual learning styles in regard to learning Hebrew (which is very common, even for those students who have no difficulty in secular school or with other types of learning), this class is also beneficial for those students who do not have as much time to devote to practice outside of class. Classes are kept small and the pace is generally geared to the child, as is the method of presentation of the material.

SUNDAY MISPACHA/FAMILY HEBREW (ALEPH - DALET)
This program is offered on Sundays and requires each student to register with a parent, grandparent, or other adult since the program is intended for children and adults to learn together. Parents (or other adults) may be new to Hebrew themselves or refreshing their knowledge, but no prior knowledge of Hebrew is necessary for the adult – just a willingness to learn and work alongside their child. The preference is for students and adults to continue in this program for four years, since the topics covered may differ slightly than during the weekday program. As with other one-day programs, regular attendance and practice outside of class will be expected. Students not presently in the program may enroll with the approval of the Director of Life-Long Learning.

ULPAN/MASTERY PROGRAM (BET and GIMMEL)
Students in this program will progress on the basis of mastery of skills. This program has the potential for maximizing learning and covering the largest amount of material in interesting ways. Each student will have an individual plan for learning but do work together with classmates on projects and games. Students will need to pass a minimum number of units per year, but students can work ahead at their own speed as long as they master the skill. This class is ideal for self-motivated students who can work well on their own and with others. Enrollment for this program is contingent upon completing an evaluation of Hebrew skills and with the recommendation of the previous Hebrew teacher. Students who have challenges working under these conditions may be moved to another Hebrew program during the academic year.

HAY HEBREW ELECTIVE (HAY)
Whether your 7th grader has a gap between Hebrew school and Bar/Bat Mitzvah training or has a great interest in Modern Hebrew, this class is a fun and exciting way to keep Hebrew fresh and fun. Taught by Israelis, students will learn conversational Hebrew. This past year, students who signed up for the semester decided to continue the course (even through B’nei Mitzvah training) because they loved it so much.

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