We teach Hebrew in fun and meaningful way to students in grades 3-7 on Tuesday afternoons from 4:30-6:00 p.m. The goal of our Hebrew program is for our students to become knowledgeable in the structure and meaning of the Shabbat and holiday liturgy. We are educating our children for life-long learning and participation in congregational life, not for one specific lifecycle event. We use a combination of classroom instruction and web-based access to supplement each student’s learning, as well as providing parents with resources to aid in their child(ren)’s education. Our Hebrew school teachers are rabbinical students from Hebrew Union College who bring their unique skills and talents to engage our students in the study of Hebrew. The Hebrew school curriculum is guided by Behrman House’s Kol Yisrael series. In addition to classroom work, students also have access to Behrman House’s Online Learning Center (OLC). This web-based resource allows students to practice and improve their Hebrew skills from home or anywhere else they may be! Our classes focus on the following skills and prayers:
Kitah Aleph (3rd Grade): Letter recognition, vowels, decoding, basic reading
Prayers: Barechu, Shema, Shabbat table blessings (Candles, Kiddush, Motzi)
Workbook: Kol Yisrael 1
Kitah Bet (4th Grade): Decoding, intermediate reading, roots, vocabulary
Prayers: Barechu, Ma’ariv Aravim / Yotzeir Or, Ahavah Rabbah / Ahavat Olam, Shema, V’ahavta, Mi Chamocha
Workbook: Kol Yisrael 2 (part one)
Kitah Gimmel (5th Grade): Advanced reading, roots, vocabulary
Prayers: V’ahavta, Amidah/T’filah (Avot v’Imahot, G’vurot, Kedushat HaYom/Kedushah, Shalom Rav/Sim Shalom)
Workbook: Kol Yisrael 2 (part two)
Kitah Dalet (6th Grade): roots, vocabulary, modern Hebrew, trope (Torah cantillation)
Prayers: Amidah/T’filah, Torah Service (Prayers before and after reading Torah and prayers before and after reading Haftarah), Aleinu, Mourner’s Kaddish
Workbooks: Kol Yisrael 3, The Art of Torah Cantillation
Rak Ivrit (7th Grade): “Just Hebrew” for 7th graders has two primary foci – Modern Hebrew and B’nai Mitzvah review and preparation. This class adapts to the needs of current students and is taught by both a Rockdale Temple Hebrew teacher and our Chaverim M’Yisrael (young Israeli ambassadors)
Access the Online Learning Center (OLC) HERE.
For more information, please contact mkahan@rockdaletemple.org, Associate Rabbi & Educator
