Chabad Hebrew School

Chab                              

The Jewish Enrichment Program offers a warm and lively atmosphere where children can attain a unique and excitingawareness of their Jewish identity.  Indeed, a child equipped with a Torah education and a feeling for Judaism’s beautiful teachings, traditions and historical lessons, is a child better equipped to face the awesome moral challenges of today’s society.  Our school’s most underlying approach is for the children to enjoy the time spent at Hebrew School so that they are left with positive feelings and fond memories of their Jewish education.  Our program is thus carefully blended with songs, games, incentives, arts and crafts, dramatics, field trips, family celebrations and other exciting co-curricular activities.

The Goals of our Program

·        To attain a strong feeling of identity with their heritage and to develop a sense of love and pride in being Jewish.

 ·        Gain knowledge and understanding of the Mitzvot, traditions and practices that Judaism entails, study the morals, values and ethical behavior mandated by the Torah, and develop an appreciation for and experience a hands-on approach to all holidays.

 ·        Master the skills of Hebrew reading and to gradually develop the ability to understand basic Hebrew words, emphasizing prayers so the students feel comfortable when attending services.

 ·        Identify with the Land of Israel as their own land and develop an interest in issues relating to Israel and its people.

 ·        Discover and explore the incredible history of the Jewish people and its relevance to all times.

 ·        Allow students to express their opinions and questions about G-d, Torah and religion and to help them understand the significance of Torah in today’s day and age.

 ·        Attain a “Jewish” perspective on life and maintain Jewish feelings and involvement beyond their years at our Jewish Enrichment Program, and ultimately perpetuate this onto future generations.

Curriculum

Hebrew

Beginning with letter recognition for our youngest children, this program leads them through phonetic decoding, reading comprehension, and grammar concepts until they reach Hebrew literacy.  The older students will have textbooks that we will complete throughout the year.  Our goal is that every child be comfortable with basic conversational Hebrew and be fluent and comfortable with the basic prayers in the Prayer Book. All students learn these skills through using Alef Champ, a program designed especially for the Hebrew School setting.

Torah and Jewish History

Our Torah class is a review of the weekly Torah portion.  This subject will provide our students with an overview of each portion, and practical lessons that apply to our daily life.  Our History course will take the students form Creation to the giving of the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai.  The older classes will also be discussing the periods of the Spanish Inquisition and the Holocaust.

Holidays

Lessons on each Jewish holiday will fill the calendar as we proceed from Rosh Hashana and the High Holidays through the holiday of Shavuot.  The students will have a deeper understanding of each holiday and its traditions and customs. The Jewish Enrichment Program will also host holiday celebrations for our students and their families.

Jewish Values and Ethics

Using the textbook, “Why Be Different”, older students will read and discuss stories and case scenarios that have practical application to our every day life.  They will understand that our religion is based on a G-d given set of values and morals and that the “norm” is not always right.  This course will involve home discussions and surveys as well as other extra-curricular activities.

Mitzvot:  Why We Do What We Do

Why do women light Shabbat candles?  Why is Shabbat such a special day in the week?  Why do we have a Mezuzah on our doors?  Why is the bride veiled at a Jewish wedding?  This class will teach basic Mitzvot to the younger students and provide insightful meaning of more complex Mitzvot to the older students.

Current Events and Israel

The students of Chabad Hebrew School will follow current events concerning Jewish issues and Israel.  Students are encouraged to bring in newspaper clippings, and discussions will follow, keeping our students well informed of the world and its relationship to the Jewish people.

Arts and Crafts

Art projects are incorporated into our curriculum to add excitement to the Mitzvot and upcoming holidays.  Our projects will have Mitzvah and Jewish holiday themes and will add a taste of Jewish life to your home.

Information and Fees

Ages: Our program is for boys and girls ages 5-13.

Hours: Sunday, 10:00am-12:00pm

Registration:  If you wish to receive a registration packet, feel free to call us at 818-954-0070 or email us at coburbank@sbcglobal.net