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Curriculum
The Religious School program aims to instill in its students a love of being Jewish. We feel this love will be fostered through a comprehensive Religious School curriculum centered on Jewish values, Hebrew and Tefillah, and knowledge of our History. The curriculum develops Hebrew skills, prayer book skills and mastery of the following concepts:
- Tzedakah - giving to make the world a more just place
- Kibud av v’aim - honoring parents
- Lashon ha’ra - refraining from hurting others through speech
- G’milut hesed - acts of loving kindness
- Emet - truth telling
- Tikun olam - mending the world
- K’lal Yisrael - identifying with the Jewish people
- Ahavat habriyot - a loving concern for others
- B’kur holim - visiting the sick
- Limud Torah - Jewish learning
- B’tzelem Elohim - All humans are created in the Divine image and should be respected as such
These are accomplished through:
The goals of Congregation Agudas Achim Religious School are to:
- Develop Jewish children who are literate in traditional Jewish subjects including Hebrew Language, Bible, T’fillot and Mitzvot, Holidays and Customs, Jewish History, and Israel.
- Introduce students to the great ideas, events, personalities, stories and songs of Jewish culture.
- Strengthen the identification of the child and the family with the Conservative Movement by offering a Jewish social environment.
- Increase the children’s and families’ participation in Klal Yisrael, through active involvement in and support for Congregation Agudas Achim and other Jewish community institutions.
- Nurture children’s love for Judiasm and a commitment to Tikkun Olam.
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CAARS provides a Judaic program that is challenging, fun, social, supportive, and fosters a sense of community. In addition to teaching Hebrew and Prayer, CAARS Judaic curriculum emphasizes Rabbinic Texts, Torah, synagogue, rituals, customs, values, festivals, history and our relationship with Israel. Throughout a child’s Religious School education at Congregation Agudas Achim, all aspects of the curriculum are taught at appropriate depth for the level of maturation.
Our hands-on readiness program for students in our youngest grades establishes a firm foundation of knowledge of letters, sounds, building simple words, and developing a basic sight word and some daily use vocabulary. All lessons are fully integrated with lessons on Bible, Tefilah and Mitzvot, Holidays and Customs, Jewish History, and Israel.
It is our goal that beginning in grade two, our students learn to read and begin to understand the Hebrew that will allow them to participate fully and feel comfortable at services throughout their lives. An integral component of the Hebrew curriculum is reading and understanding of the Shabbat and daily prayers. At CAARS, Hebrew is taught in small classes in which students are grouped according to their Hebrew ability. We offer beginning through advanced Hebrew level instruction.
Post B’nai Mitzvah students are given many opportunities to learn or continue mastering liturgical Hebrew and to begin learning conversational Hebrew in elective classes.
Our Tefilah program helps students understand the meaning of our prayers and develop their own spirituality. CAARS students in grades PK-10 attend and participate in weekly Minyan and/or Tefilah sessions lead by either our Rabbis or Director of Congregational Learning. Students in grades 6 & 7 also participate in a Shabbat Service davening program each Tuesday afternoon to help them gain mastery of and confidence in leading different services.
We firmly believe that the home is an extension of the classroom. CAA and CAARS offer a variety of Adult and Family Education opportunities during the week, on Shabbat and on Sundays. CAA offers Adult classes through a wide array of topics and times. CAARS Family Ed classes address specific grade-level events or activities allowing families from CAARS and AJA to interact and form bonds. For specific classes and dates, please refer to the CAA and CAARS calendars.
The CAA B’nai Mitzvah program is one of the premier preparation programs in the city. Individual student progress is closely monitored upon date selection. CAA matches pre-b’nai mitzvah students to their primary tutor 6-9 months prior to their b’nai mitzvah. Students and parents also meet with both Rabbis as part of the preparation process.
The CAARS program is one component of preparing children for Bar/Bat Mitzvah. CAARS recognizes the diverse needs of our 6th and 7th grade students, therefore, CAARS classes are structured in mini-courses; allowing students to address their specific needs, both pre- and post- b’nai mitzvah. Sunday elective classes for grades 6 and 7 are designed to promote grade-level community building opportunities for CAARS and AJA students. These classes are offered from 11:00-12:30.
The CAA Youth Education program also offers a variety of additional classes, programs, and Shabbat Youth Services to enhance each child’s growth toward bar or bat mitzvah.
For detailed information regarding our Bar/Bat Mitzvah program please refer to the CAA Bar/Bat Mitzvah Guide.
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We are sensitive to the student’s time outside of Religious School and the demands made on his/her time in secular school. Daily oral reading is encouraged (with a parent’s signature for verification). This has proven to be a valuable tool in fine tuning Hebrew reading. A homework review assignment from your child’s teacher is available if your student is absent.
Each student in grades 2-10 will write down their Daily Agenda each class day and should be shared with the parent. The Daily Agenda will tell you exactly what was covered in class that day.
Students in grades K through 7 will participate in a CAARS Minyan program each Sunday morning. The team of Rabbis, Music Teacher, and Director of Congregational Learning leads Sunday morning Family Minyan specifically geared toward “teaching”. Parents are invited and encouraged to attend. Our teachers will attend, participate, and supervise students during these programs.
Kindergarten students participate in Consecration on December 3rd. Consecration is a time when our congregation welcomes our youngest students to the beginning of their formal Jewish education.
CAA third grade students participate in Kabbalat haSiddur in April, during which they receive a copy of the Sim Shalom Siddur and publicly accept their responsibility of learning liturgical Hebrew in order to someday lead the congregation in prayer and fulfill their Jewish heritage.
CAA sixth grade students students participate in Kabbalat haTorah in November during which they receive their own copy of the Etz Hayim chumash which will be used as they prepare for the Bar/Bat Mitzvah.
Other special moments in the child’s Jewish education are planned for other grades based on curriculum and age appropriateness.
CAA high school students who attend CAARS classes through the end of the 10th grade year participate in the Bikkurim Ceremony in late May.
Prior to each student ceremony CAARS offers Family Education classes to help parents understand the importance and significance of each milestone in their child’s path of growing Jewishly.
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