Hebrew Curriculum

Hebrew Curriculum 5772

For the past several years, the Kolot teaching staff has wrestled with our questions about the goals and format of our Hebrew curriculum. Why teach Hebrew? What about other Jewish languages? How do we deal with the gendered nature of the language? How do we address different ideas about God within the texts and within our classrooms?

Based on our assessment of past programs and careful consideration of our educational philosophy, we have developed a multidimensional, project-based Hebrew curriculum that weaves language throughout the program and involves students’ families.  It is facilitating Hebrew learning through experiences within which Hebrew is relevant and useful to our students- home rituals, congregational gatherings, personal and group prayer, and holidays.

The main elements of our Hebrew curriculum are:

1. The technicalities- learning and practicing decoding Hebrew through Hebrew Enrichment Program, class activities and weekly homework
2. Family religious/ritual events
3. Tefillot- exploring the meaning and melodies of significant prayers
4. Shoreshim- every month or so focusing on a root word related to important Jewish ideas or words

Here is a detailed break down of the different elements of our Hebrew curriculum:

Early Arrival Hebrew Enrichment

3:40-4:00pm, Mondays

Early Arrival Hebrew Enrichment is an opportunity for students who want and/or need extra Hebrew practice. Activities, games, and worksheets will be set up teachers will be rotating between students working individually as well as leading group games and projects. 

Every week students will come home with a double-sided worksheet aimed at reinforcing what they’ve learned in school about a shoresh (root word), holiday, and/or tefillah (prayer). 

Here’s how it works:

Each student will receive a folder on the first day of school. You are responsible for that folder!

-       every week the folder goes back and forth

-       one section of the folder is for work from the student’s teacher and one half is for their weekly Hebrew homework

-       every week the students should enter the school and drop their homework sheets in the drop box at the entry

-       after they drop off last week’s homework, they should take the new homework for the current week and put it in their folder (the worksheets will be color-coded for each kitah) 

Due to the limited amount of time our teachers have with the students, this weekly homework is important reinforcement of the Hebrew letters, words, blessings, and prayers students have been introduced to at school. If students are not interacting with Jewish words, ideas, and practices at home, they will not internalize or retain what they are learning.

Tefillot (Prayers)

Each kitah explores two or three assigned tefillot throughout the course of the year. The kitah will go through a multi-step process with each tefillah:

1. practice reading the letters and vowels

2. learn key vocabulary

3. explore the meaning and multiple interpretations

4. learn to read/chant and practice the melody

5. work on a project that facilitates expanding/rewriting/adding to the tefillah

Assigned Kitah Tefillot:

Kitah Bet- Modeh Ani, Barchu, Shma

Kitah Gimmel- Yotzer Or, V’ahavta

Kitah Daled- Ahava Rabah, Mi Chamocha

Circle Time

Opening Circle for Kitah Bet & Gimmel and Closing Circle for Kitah Daled & Hay is a time for students to come together to learn about Shabbat and holidays.  We learn about where the stories and rituals come from and learn the Hebrew words and names associated with the holidays.

Family Events

During Circle Time (Opening Circle for Bet & Gimmel and Closing Circle for Daled & Hay), each kitah will prepare blessings and create the corresponding ritual items for the family holiday events.

Family Shabbat Dinner: Kitah Bet/Gimmel

Family Shabbat morning service & Kiddush luncheon: Kitah Daled/Hay

Family Havdalah Service: ALL KITOT